Plymouth City Centre

New Music 2026 Open Call

Are you a young music artist ready for the big stage? This is your moment to be heard.

Plymouth City Centre Company, Plymouth Culture, and Plymouth Music CIC are looking for 8 talented young music acts to become the sound of Plymouth City Centre in Summer 2026!

If you’re a solo music performer or a band aged 16-25, this is your chance to perform live as supporting acts right in the heart of the city, and take part in a unique artist development opportunity, where you’ll get to record, mix, and release a single while gaining real industry experience and support.

Abstract mint-green flower shape with six petals around a white circular center.

Half-circle shape in bright teal on a white background.

What’s in it for you?

A career support package valued at £700 that includes:

Icon of a microphone on a black background.

A paid live outdoor performance opportunity in Plymouth City Centre (Fee of £250 for a 30 minute supporting act performance)

Icon representing audio or sound mixing controls with two knobs at the top and three sliders below

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Professional recording and mixing of a single at DBS Studios (See studio details here)

A workshop to help you release your music and get your track on streaming platforms

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Your recorded song featured on the Plymouth City Centre New Music playlist available on a streaming platform.

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Mentoring and support from producer, song-writer, performer, and Plymouth’s Music Ambassador Grace Lightman.

Who should apply?

Performers based or studying in Plymouth
Aged 16-25
Solo music artists (including singers, instrumentalists)
Music bands (at least 80% of members must be aged 16–25)
All music genres welcome
Emerging and unsigned artists encouraged

A band performing outdoors on a plaza, with an audience seated on benches and steps, under a partly cloudy sky.

Four young musicians performing on a rooftop in an urban area with city buildings in the background. The lead singer is a woman with long black hair, wearing a black crop top and pants, holding a microphone. To her right, a man with shoulder-length black hair plays an electric guitar, wearing a floral shirt. Behind them, a man with longer hair plays an acoustic guitar, and on the left, a young man with short red hair plays a drum set.

Key dates:

16 January — Applications open
16 February – Applications close (10am GMT)
March —Selected artists confirmed
April – Recording and Mixing Session
May — Release Day Workshop
June–Sept — Saturday performances!

Please note:

All activities will take place on weekends. Once you’re selected, we’ll contact you to arrange and confirm your dates for the recording session, release workshop, and Saturday performance. Your place in the programme will be confirmed after these dates are agreed.

Recording sessions will be held on mornings or afternoons in April (4th, 11th, 19th, or 25th). We will do our best to fit your schedule, and you and all band members will need to be available for your assigned session.

Each band or solo performer will be matched with a Plymouth City Centre Music Promoter and perform as a supporting act, with a 30-minute live set.

HOW TO APPLY

The deadline to apply is Monday 16 February 2026, 10am GMT

Please note that applicants must be based or study in Plymouth. We welcome applications in a range of formats and are committed to making the process accessible to all. See below the ways you can chose to send your application.

Option 1 –To submit an online written application, please, fill in the online form below. (You can download the offline submission form and use it as a template before completing your online submission form)

Option 2 – To submit an offline written application, please download the offline submission form here, fill in your application, and email it as a pdf or word document to sabrina@plymouthculture.co.uk .

Option 3 – To submit your application in video or audio file, please fill in the online form below and upload your media up to 5 minutes answering the following questions:

1 - Tell us about your act (describe your sound, style, and what inspires your music)

2 - Why do you want to take part in Plymouth City Centre New Music Programme?
(How would this opportunity benefit your practice/career? Why would you be the right act?)

3 - What experience do you have performing live (if any)?

If you send us a video, don’t worry about what it looks like! Just a head and shoulders shot, filmed on your phone, is fine. The production values of the video will not be judged! Please record up to 5 minutes answering these questions (we recommend you download the offline submission form and use it as a prompt).

If you’re unsure if you can apply, please contact Sabrina Candido for a friendly chat – sabrina@plymouthculture.co.uk