This month we hear from Deborah Borg Brincat, Programme Manager at Disabled-led music charity Drake Music. She tells us more about their Emergents programme, which is currently accepting expressions of interest for artists to be part of their 2027 cohort.
This professional development programme offers Disabled musicians creative and development bursaries, training, mentoring and networking opportunities, and the chance to showcase their work to industry professionals. Read on to discover how the programme has helped boost the careers and confidence of previous participants, and to learn more about how to apply.
Photo caption: Bee Jarvis performing at Drake Music Artist Showcase 2025 (Photo credit: Pocket Studio UK)
At Drake Music, we run the Emergents programme, a training and development programme for early career music creators. Each year, through an accessible open call, we welcome five new artists into the Drake Music Collective (DMC), with a particular focus on artists who face barriers to progressing their careers.
The programme brings together bursaries, training, mentoring, a high-profile showcase opportunity, and access to a supportive music industry network. For the artists involved, it is a chance to develop new work, test ideas, build confidence, make connections, and gain experience of professional production. Many go on to further opportunities, including commissions, touring, collaborations, paid roles, and continued work with Drake Music.
What changes for artists?
Since DMC began, we have directly supported around 30 Disabled musicians, alongside providing opportunities for a wider group of more than 30 artists. But the real story of the programme is best told through the artists themselves: the new work they have made, the confidence they have built, the communities they have found, and the opportunities that have followed.
Two years on from taking part in DMC, Deaf electronic musician Geo Aghinea has continued to grow their career while staying closely connected to Drake Music as a member of the Youth Forum and as a project manager. Reflecting on the programme, they said:
"Although I was part of the 2023-2024 DMC, the amazing impact it has had on me has been significant and long lasting. This year, I opened for Imogen Heap at the Roundhouse, and I wouldn't have been here without having this development opportunity three years ago. DMC was a key stepping stone in my career because it gave me the possibility to connect with a group of like-minded creatives, along with mentoring sessions, and a showcase at LSO St Luke."
Geo Aghinea at Drake Music Artist Showcase 2024 (Photo credit: Jordan Dean)
For intersectional arts advocate and musical theatre artist Bee Jarvis, DMC offered something that can be rare in the music industry - space to be supported as well as challenged.
"Being part of the programme has reminded me that creative growth doesn’t always come from pushing harder. Sometimes it comes from being held, encouraged, guided, and believed in. I’m walking away with stronger songs, sharper skills, and a clearer sense of where I fit in this vast, vibrant industry."
Creative Development sessions were a particularly important part of the experience, giving artists room to experiment, write, and return to the reasons they create in the first place. London-based multidisciplinary artist, singer-songwriter, and poet VVN described the sessions as freeing:
"It was lovely to get feedback from the cohort and get back to the roots of why I love to create. It reminded me of why I started and actually that it is accessible to me at any time."
Bee Jarvis at Drake Music Artist Showcase 2025 (Photo credit: Pocket Studio UK)
Manukai also described a tangible creative breakthrough:
"A blank page isn’t as daunting anymore. I’ve found writing so much easier."
Kindred Prisms reflected on how mentoring and creative sessions shifted their sense of what was possible artistically:
"Through the mentoring sessions, my mindset shifted from feeling like I have to contort myself to fit into the status quo… to feeling affirmed that I can shape my journey according to my vision and my values, not other people’s."
The showcase is another key moment in the programme. It gives artists the chance to share new work in public, refine performance ideas, and build confidence in front of audiences and industry peers. For The Shouting Mute’s Dave Young, it also became a space to push further into the possibilities of assistive music technology, with Soundbeam and Eyegaze integral to his showcase performance.
Dave reflected:
"One of the most exciting parts for me was pushing the boundaries of Soundbeam and Eyegaze… Performing through technology can be a challenge, but it’s one I love exploring."
(Learn more about the Drake Music Artist Showcase 2025)
The Shouting Mute performing At Drake Music Artist Showcase 2025 (Photo credit: Pocket Studio UK)
Why artist development matters
For many talented Disabled musicians, the route into a sustainable creative career is still far from straightforward. The training, development, and sense of connection lasts beyond the programme itself. In a recent survey with DMC alumni, 90% said they felt more connected and supported as artists after taking part. Musician and producer Ysabelle Wombwell put it like this:
"Knowing that there's a community there is comforting… even though it's been two years, I know that I can still reach out to the programme participants. Opportunities still come my way and I feel that there is a community. There isn't a time pressure and it's not transactional."
Through DMC, and through our wider learning and advocacy work with partners, Drake Music continues to support Disabled musicians to shape the future of music on their own terms. By amplifying artists’ voices and sharing what we learn along the way, we hope to help make the music industry more accessible, more inclusive, and more open for future generations of music creators.
We are currently accepting expressions of interest for Emergents 2027. The deadline is 4 August 2026. More information and details on how to apply are available from Drake Music.
About Drake Music
At Drake Music, we work at the meeting point of music, Disability, and technology. As a Disabled-led charity, our focus is simple: creating more opportunities for Disabled people to make, share, and develop their music. We work with artists across genres, supporting them to explore their creative ideas and take the next steps in their careers.
Our approach is rooted in the Social Model of Disability. That means we look at the barriers created by society, systems, and environments - and work to remove them. Just as importantly, our work is shaped by Disabled people’s lived experience and by long-term relationships with the artists we support.
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