Looking back on our Youth Music Artist Development Programme

What's this post about?

This post is an evaluation which looks at what happened during Hybrid 3's Youth Music Artist Development programme, young people’s experience of the project and what Hybrid 3 has learned from it.

It brings together participation data, feedback from young people, reflections from the Hybrid 3 team and case studies from across the programme.

Young people have contributed throughout the process, with their feedback and experiences helping to shape the programme and inform this evaluation.

Alongside the participation data, the evaluation looks at what young people have gained from taking part, both musically and personally.

What happened?

Since October 2025, Hybrid 3 has been running a Youth Music programme in Sheffield, bringing young musicians together to write, rehearse, perform and develop their skills.

The programme includes learning instruments, songwriting, beat-making, rehearsals, mentoring, recording and live performance. There have also been Girls+ sessions, leadership opportunities and chances for young people to help shape the programme.

The sessions have developed around the interests and abilities of the young people taking part. Young people arrived at different points in their musical development. Some had established bands and songs they wanted to develop, while others were learning an instrument or exploring what kind of musician they wanted to become. 

For one band, the programme provided something simple but important:

“We now have a regular and safe space to practice.”

Another young person described the difference access to the space had made:

“It has made it easier and more available to practice and helped us [as a band] write songs.”

Who took part?

Over the course of the programme, 142 young people took part, including 29 core participants who attended three or more sessions in the studio.

The core participants were aged between 12 and 18 and came with different levels of musical experience and confidence.

Hybrid 3 delivered:

252 group sessions

72 one-to-one sessions

25 workforce training sessions

There were also opportunities for young people to progress beyond their regular sessions.

27 core participants progressed into other music-making opportunities including live performances and recording sessions. 

Three also took part in work experience with Hybrid 3, gaining experience of music production and working in a studio setting. 

Six young people completed Bronze Arts Award, with a further nine working towards it. One young person is working towards Gold Arts Award.

The programme covered a broad range of musical styles, including metal, folk, pop, punk, Britpop and rock, with young people encouraged to follow their own interests.

“There shouldn’t be a norm for music. The whole point is to do what you want to do.”

• Natasha, Music Coach

Finding their own voice

A lot of the development happened through the bands themselves.

Young people wrote songs, worked on lyrics, experimented with arrangements and learnt how to make decisions together. For some, this was their first experience of writing their own music. For others, the programme gave them somewhere to take existing ideas further.

“Helped me develop more skills in my instrument and singing.”

Another young person said the programme had:

“Opened up the songwriting world for us.”

Working as a band brought its own challenges. Young people had to listen to each other, make decisions and work out what they wanted their music to sound like.

“We're more confident working on a team when the spotlight is not on us as individuals.”

They also began to take pride in the things they were creating.

“We wrote a new song which we are very proud of because it's our first song.”

From rehearsal room to performances

Performances became an important part of the programme.

The Hagglers gig brought together young musicians who had been rehearsing and developing their music through the programme and gave them the opportunity to perform to a live audience.

For some, it was their first experience of performing in a professional music setting.

“Boosted our confidence with what we’ve made so far.”

The programme has also included other performance and recording opportunities, with some young people being paid for their performances and beginning to experience the practical side of working as a musician.

The young people themselves have been clear about what they want to take their music further.

“More recording opportunities!”

A place to come back to

The programme has also become about what happens around the music.

Young people talked about friendships, having somewhere to spend time with other musicians and being able to express themselves.

One young person described their biggest change as “improved friendships.” 

While one young person described the impact more personally:

“Yes I feel happy when I come here. I can get my anger and emotions out.”

The Girls+ sessions have provided a dedicated space for young women and marginalised genders to make music together, develop their confidence and support one another.

One participant described the experience as:

“Supporting and encouraging.”

Another said:

“Always =D Its fun above all else and we get to build on skills and confidence.”

The team has also seen that the value of a session isn't always measured by how much music is produced. For some young people, having somewhere they feel comfortable coming back to has been just as important.

When young people need to go at their own pace

Not everyone arrives at a session feeling ready to get involved.

One young musician was keen to join the programme but initially found attending difficult because of anxiety. They missed several early sessions before feeling able to come along.

The team kept the opportunity open and reassured them that they could take things at their own pace.

When they eventually came to a session, they stayed for the whole evening. They were introduced to another band who played music they enjoyed and ended up stepping in as their drummer.

They came back the following week and have continued attending.

For this young person, being given time to settle in and an opportunity to contribute made it possible to take that first step into the programme. 

Young people shaping the programme

Young people have asked for more recording opportunities, shared preferences about session times and commented on equipment. They have also increasingly taken ownership of their own sessions, from deciding what to work on to organising themselves as bands.

Young people have also had opportunities to move into leadership. Natasha's progression from supporting sessions to becoming a music coach is one example.

“Coaching these bands has helped me gain confidence as well. It’s made me feel better with my confidence and helped me believe in myself.”

What has Hybrid 3 learned?

Music and confidence grow together

The feedback suggests that musical development and confidence have gone hand in hand. Young people have talked about becoming more confident in their bands, developing their instrument skills and feeling proud of the music they have created. 

“Made me more confident with being in a band.”

Young people need somewhere to take their music

The feedback also shows that young people want opportunities beyond the regular sessions. The Hagglers gig, recording opportunities and paid performances have given them experience of what taking their music further can look like.

"Wow I've been transferred £50 for me and Matt for the gig! Thank you if that's correct! That's amazing!”

The space around the music matters

Young people need to feel comfortable enough to try things, make mistakes and come back when something doesn't work.

For some, that has meant building confidence slowly. For others, it has meant having somewhere to meet friends, make noise, write songs and express themselves.

“We look forward to it every week and we feel proud of ourselves.”

Growing the team alongside the young people

The grant has also supported changes within Hybrid 3.

At the beginning of the programme, Hybrid 3 reviewed and strengthened its safeguarding arrangements, including updating its policy, completing training and making sure responsibility for safeguarding was understood across the team.

Safeguarding has become part of the day to day running of sessions, including regular check-ins with young people, having at least two staff members in the building and clearer ways for concerns to be raised and acted on.

The team has also taken part in 25 CPD sessions, covering inclusive music-making, engaging reluctant or vulnerable young people, behaviour management, wellbeing support, safeguarding and measuring impact.

The project has also supported young people to develop skills and experience within the music sector. Natasha has progressed from supporting sessions into coaching, while Rico has taken on roles as Youth Board Leader and workshop facilitator. Aidan has developed experience supporting the logistics and delivery of the programme as a whole. 

Looking ahead

The programme has created a space where young people can make music on their own terms.

The programme has supported young people at different stages, from developing their first songs and learning instruments through to performing and taking on paid opportunities.

Across the feedback, young people have repeatedly talked about having somewhere to make music, being taken seriously and having opportunities to develop their music further.

When asked whether they would want to do something like this again, one group said:

“Yes. Brilliant opportunity and we plan to do music for a long time.”

And another simply said:

“Unanimously, yes.”