Serious and Black Lives in Music (BLiM) have announced the launch of the Equaliser Mentorship Programme. The programme is a pioneering opportunity designed to develop the talents of the next generation of live sound professionals from global majority backgrounds. This unique mentorship scheme builds on four years of partnership between Serious and BLiM, and for the first time, it will be expanding to iconic and prestigious venues the London’s Royal Albert Hall and the Barbican. Both venues will be offering hands-on, paid work experience and mentoring within their live sound teams.
Representation in the live sound industry has been a long-standing issue, with significant barriers to entry for underrepresented talent. The Equaliser Mentorship Programme directly addresses this issue by providing valuable professional guidance and hands-on career-shaping experience. Applications for the programme open this week.
Serious is one of the UK’s leading producers of live jazz, international and new music through concerts, festivals, tours, digital shows, talent development schemes, creative engagement programmes, and bespoke events for all.
Black Lives in Music (BLiM) was established in response to the personal experiences of co-founders Roger Wilson and Charisse Beaumont. As black individuals working in the British music industry, they have firsthand knowledge of the challenges of racial inequality in this field. BLiM aims to address the current lack of opportunities for black people looking to advance within the music industry. Since its establishment, BLiM has organized safe space sessions for black students in music conservatories, initiated conversations with conservatoires about the decolonization process, and provided support to black students and staff who have faced discrimination. Last year, BLiM published a groundbreaking report titled “Being Black in the Music Industry,” which covers the experiences of black music creators and industry professionals. Despite being relatively new, the organization has made significant progress and continues to grow, working towards achieving greater objectives and advocating for change.
Discussing the project, Roger Wilson, Director of Operation and Co-Founder of Black Lives in Music, said “Black Lives in Music are thrilled about the launch of the Equaliser mentoring programme. Partnership, collaboration, and advocacy underpin the rich tapestry of our work. We couldn’t be more proud to maintain our valued collaboration with Serious, but equally, we’re excited to be working with the Barbican and Royal Albert Hall on this project. Both, like Serious, are BLiM member organisations. This is a wonderful opportunity to build on the existing BLiM/Serious partnership and drive the narrative of meaningful change in the area of live music production.”
For further information on the project visit the mentorship programme link
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