The award winning LIMF Academy will offer twenty talented artists and bands a chance to showcase their talent at LIMF 2016, with three set to land a spot on the LIMF Academy’s 12 month Elite Talent Development Programme
The LIMF Academy is one of the leading music development programmes in the North-West offering performance opportunities, training, workshops and investment to Merseyside’s emerging music talent. The scheme offers the opportunity for budding artists and bands between the ages of 13-25 to perform on the LIMF Academy stage at Europe’s biggest free music event, LIMF Summer Jam, as well as free access to professional career advice, training and development.
A 12 month Elite Talent Development Programme will be awarded to three of the artists or bands which includes career investment, mentoring, regional and national performance opportunities and numerous other benefits including professionally produced biography, press shots and music. Apply now: www.limfestival.com
LIMF Curator Yaw Owusu has been developing and building the LIMF Academy since 2013. The programme has successfully helped elite talent such as MiC Lowry, XamVolo, Katy Alex, Michael Seary and Little Grace go on to build successful careers.
“New talent is the life blood of this city. It’s brilliant that the Academy has been able to showcase, develop and help a lot of the key new artists and bands coming through at the moment. It is such a central part of what we are trying to achieve with LIMF” – Yaw Owusu
In 2015 the LIMF Academy saw 2,000 budding Merseyside musicians attend the free masterclasses and workshops, of which twenty performed at showcases and three lucky winners were signed on to the Elite Talent Development Programme. The success of the Academy undoubtedly helped towards Liverpool achieving the UNESCO City Of Music accolade and the work of the LIMF programme continues to cement the city’s commitment to developing new talent and strengthening the local scene and industry.
In such a short time the Academy has received high praise from all corners of the industry, with partners including BBC Introducing, UK Music, Musician’s Union, Bido Lito! Magazine, Help Musician’s and PRS for Music Foundation. Joe Frankland of PRS for Music says “We’ve been massively impressed with LIMF Academy’s ability to unearth exceptional talent, and their innovative approach has played a pivotal role for some of our favourite young artists such as XamVolo, MiC Lowry, Eleanor Nelly and Jalen N’Gonda. To hear such amazing new music coming out of Liverpool makes us proud to support LIMF Academy in developing the next generation of outstanding music creators.”
Nick Burgess, Senior Vice President of A&R for Virgin Records, supports that by saying “The LIMF Academy is a fantastic opportunity for any artist to get some real experience for what it takes to have a career in the music industry and to get some direct feedback on their music from industry experts. It’s a useful tool for any label to hear the cream of the crop coming out of the Liverpool scene.”
For the artists, the benefits are numerous. XamVolo who was one of the 2014 ‘most ready’ artists, has gone on to sign a production and management deal and has subsequently received major co-signs by BBC Radio 1, 6 Music, BBC 1Xtra, Radio X, Bido Lito! Magazine, The Skinny and Jazz FM. On his experience, XamVolo says “being a part of the LIMF Academy helped me to lay solid foundations down for my career, as well as exposing me to the correct approach to different elements of the industry. Without that infrastructure and guidance, I wouldn’t have as much clarity of vision as I have currently.”
To apply to the LIMF Academy programme, head to the site: www.limfestival.com
Applications are open now until 27th March.
