Liverpool City Region

Shaping the future through Music Innovation

A £7.2m UK research and business innovation programme bringing together artists, industry- based SME businesses, and entrepreneurs to drive the next generation of music technology, skills and creativity.

MusicFutures is a five-year research and business innovation programme funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and led by the University of Liverpool in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University to position the Liverpool City Region as a global hub for music research, development and innovation.

What We Do

Building a world-leading, sustainable, and inclusive R&D ecosystem for music, creativity, and technology for the Liverpool City Region and beyond.

Innovation & R&D 

Powering music innovation by linking creative talent with advanced research and technology to develop future-ready products, services and experiences.

Skills & Talent

Developing the next generation of music talent by providing high-quality training, professional development and access to research, technology and industry expertise.

Entrepreneurship

Driving entrepreneurship in the music sector by enabling SMEs, entrepreneurs and artists to innovate, grow, attract investment and create resilient, sustainability.

Policy & Research

Shaping the future of the music sector through research and policy development that supports a fair, inclusive and thriving ecosystem.

£ 0 m Investment

0 yr Programme

0 + Industry Partners

0 + Music Businesses across LCR

Who we support

Connecting talent, research and industry to create new opportunities across the music sector.

Artists & Creatives 01

Funding, mentorship and innovation opportunities.

SME Music Businesses 02

Supporting the development and scaling of new products, services, and experiences.

Entrepreneurs 03

Providing guidance and mentorship in the development of new products, services, and experiences.

Industry Partners 04

Engaging with industry partners to help shape the future of music through innovation.

Researchers & Universities 05

Collaborating across technology, culture and policy.

Current Opportunities

Explore the latest opportunities available from funding and innovation programmes to training and collaborative industry projects.

Innovation Funding programmes

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Industry Collaborations

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Liverpool City Region

Why Liverpool City Region?

Liverpool has one of the world’s most influential music cultures, rooted in the city’s UNESCO City of Music status and is now becoming a global hub for music innovation with more than 1,600 regional music businesses.

MusicFutures brings together universities, industry partners and the creative sector to build a sustainable and inclusive music ecosystem.

Our Partners

This programme is fundamentally collaborative, below are MusicFutures core partners.