22.08.2023: UK Music’s series All Together Now takes a look at the projects and organisations that are helping to open access to the music industry for everyone. This time we take a look at what the Music Publishers Association (MPA) is doing to support careers in music publishing.

“In an industry where it can be difficult to get noticed or begin to carve out your career, the Music Publishers Association (MPA) is dedicated to championing and nurturing the next generation of music publishers.

We strive to help cultivate a diverse and inclusive community of professionals through our NXT-Gen Scholars scheme and membership tier, training courses and networking events, plus a host of initiatives dedicated to improving opportunities in our sector.

NXT-Gen Scholars

NXT-Gen membership was established for individuals or aspiring publishing businesses looking to kick-start their careers.

Our goal is to empower the next generation of music publishers by offering unparalleled access to publishing communities, networking events and career-building resources.

Our latest NXT-Gen Scholars programme, originally founded in 2021, awards a cohort of free NXT-Gen memberships to those with 0-3 years of experience in the sector, who are proactive and driven to make an impact in the music industry.

The scheme is looking to support those who identify as belonging to any of the nine protected characteristics, for example, disability/long term health issues, race and ethnicity and LGBTQIA+. (Protected Characteristics – equalityhumanrights.com)

Benefits include access to all MPA training courses, networking opportunities, involvement in the MPA Futures Group, access to all MPA Employee Networks, one-on-one support from our membership team, wellbeing programmes, access to work-experience opportunities (where made available by our members) and CV/application writing and interview technique support and review.

The deadline for all applications is Thursday 31 August – find out more and apply here.

Training Courses & Networking Events

Our popular ‘The Publishing Effect – A 101 of Music Publishing’ course is the perfect introduction to all aspects of publishing, from legal to creative and across business specialisms.

These sessions with expert speakers are available both in-person and online throughout the year, making MPA resources more accessible than ever.

We also offer ‘Specialist Seminars’, and MPA member-only webinars on a variety of topical subjects, as well as socials at top London venues.

Enrolling in our in-person courses, or attending one of our socials, provides the chance to network with like-minded professionals, share knowledge and forge lasting connections.

Sign up for our next Publishing Effect course here. 

The Richard Toeman Scholarship

The Richard Toeman Scholarship (RTS) is awarded to two outstanding candidates each year – one who has been working within music publishing for five years or less and one final-year student or recent graduate. Winners receive access to MPA courses, business coaching, a professional development contribution and more.

MPA Futures Group

The MPA Futures Group is open to members who have worked in publishing for less than ten years and was created so that the MPA could better connect with and engage our more junior members.

They are committed to making the group an engaged, supportive community while generating new, informed ideas from a fresh perspective.

MPA Futures Group peer mentoring, commencing October 2023, is now open for applications.”

Find out more about the MPA and our work here.