PRS for Music and Help Musicians have announced a new partnership to extend the Co-Pilot: Musicians’ Mentoring Network.
Co-Pilot has provided dedicated one-on-one mentoring sessions since its launch in 2021, providing participants with tailored support and expertise on various facets of the music industry.
The likes of Emma Aucouturier (Universal Music Group’s Global Brand Partnerships Manager), award-winning composer Justine Barker, singer, rapper and producer Benny Bizzie, English Folk Expo Chief Executive Tom Besford and Kaiser Chiefs’ Simon Rix have all served as mentors in recent times.
This new partnership has now opened up the network to PRS members, providing an invaluable opportunity to engage with a range of seasoned industry mentors and gain invaluable insights and guidance to help advance their careers.
Michelle Escoffery, President of the PRS Members’ Council, said of the news: ‘We strongly believe in the power of mentoring, peer to peer learning, and paying it forward at PRS for Music. We are excited to collaborate with Help Musicians to give songwriters and composers access to positive role models, guidance from experienced professionals, and powerful tools to uncover skills, build confidence and drive forward aspirations for career success.’
Sarah Woods, Chief Executive, Help Musicians, added: ‘A career in music is not always linear, with challenges and opportunities arising at different times. Advice or guidance from others working in music can make a real difference; with over 70% of musicians being self-employed the opportunity to connect with a peer is hugely valued. With the 2023 Musicians’ Census highlighting that access to industry networks is a barrier to career development, we believe that support to help overcome challenges to build a sustainable career is a cornerstone to enabling musicians to thrive.
‘We can do more for those in music by working in partnership and therefore we’re delighted to be collaborating with PRS on Co-Pilot; the Musicians’ Mentoring Network to ensure songwriters and composers are aware and can access this important stream of career guidance.’
You can find out more about Co-Pilot: the Musicians’ Mentoring Network by heading here.