This Week in UK & Ireland Music: Music Manager Resource Launches in Belfast, Scotland Publishes Its First Music Roadmap, and a New PPL Momentum Cohort
By Written by Peter McVeigh
Music Manager Resource, the free hub for independent musicians, managers and music teachers, launches at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on 2 November. Also this week: Scotland's first national music roadmap, a new PPL Momentum cohort with a Wales-only strand, and the venue figures behind this year's touring squeeze.
Music Manager Resource launches free at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast, on 2 November
Music Manager Resource (MMR) holds its free launch on Monday 2 November, 10am to 12pm, in the Studio Theatre at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast, with free tea and coffee from 9:15am. It was built by Peter McVeigh, a Belfast songwriter and composer with 20 years lecturing in music and music technology (now at SERC) and 20 years self-managing his own career in Europe and the US. The idea is simple: explain the parts of the industry that trip people up, in plain English, so you don't have to learn them the hard way.
The site offers five ways in: articles on royalties, rights and releasing, free tools, video conversations, podcast interviews and a forum. The tools include a setlist creator, stage plan, press kit builder, invoice generator, ISRC tracker and band, management and songwriting split agreements you can fill in and export as PDFs. A free account gives you the information. Paid plans add the apps, shareable materials and extra teaching content. The launch includes a live conversation with Cormac O'Kane and live music from Alice Sloan.
Source: https://musicmanagerresource.com
A free classroom toolkit for teachers, mapped to GCSE, A Level, BTEC and RSL
Alongside the musician tools, MMR has an education section for teachers and lecturers. It has interactive tools including EQ, compressor, gate, reverb, ear training, keyboard skills and modes, each with a Beginner's Guide and teacher exercises. Lesson plans, worksheets, answer keys, workbooks and a Genre Guide are mapped to GCSE, A Level, BTEC and RSL.
Tutors can switch the forum and comments off for their learners. There is an Academic licence for classrooms, and new apps are due in 2027. Downloads need a free account.
Source: https://musicmanagerresource.com/education
Scotland publishes its first national music roadmap
The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) has published the Scottish Music Industry Roadmap 2026-30, with eight national priorities and a call on government, public bodies and funders to back changes in policy and investment. SMIA CEO Robert Kilpatrick said too many people in the sector have had to focus on survival rather than development. Creative Scotland funded the work, and it follows the UK government's Turn It Up music plan from July.
It landed in early October, but it's the document Scottish artists and managers will be pointing at when funding conversations start.
Source: https://www.musicweek.com/live/read/first-nationwide-strategy-published-for-scottish-music-business/095189
PPL Momentum names a new cohort, with a Wales-only strand
Grants of £5,000 to £15,000 went to six artists this round: Cameo Blush, Vower, Jasmine Jethwa, BLACKGOLD, ROZZZQWEEN and Amelia Coburn. The Wales-specific Sbardun | Accelerator programme is also backing four music creators with up to £5,000 and two Wales-based industry professionals with up to £2,000, with Creative Wales and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland named as funding partners.
The final 2026 deadline was 26 October, so watch the PRS Foundation page for 2027 dates.
Source: https://interspacemusic.com/blog/ppl-momentum-music-fund-names-latest-uk-artist-cohort/
Why touring is still tight: the grassroots venue numbers
Music Venue Trust's 2025 report found about half of venues made no profit, margins averaged 2.5%, and around 6,000 venue jobs were lost across the UK in a year. Plan routes and fees knowing that rooms are thinner and promoters are cautious. These are January figures, but they remain the sector's benchmark.
Source: https://www.clashmusic.com/news/uk-music-venues-lost-6000-jobs-in-2025/
Ireland: a €1 million grassroots venue scheme, with grants up to €20,000
No fresh Irish policy story this week, so here is the most useful recent one. The Government's grassroots venue scheme grew to €1 million in 2026, offering 60 venues funding (up from 34), with 28 outside the major cities. Grants run up to €20,000 for established venues and up to €8,000 for venues booking emerging artists, which matters if you pitch to venues outside Dublin.
Wales and Northern Ireland: nothing new on policy beyond the PPL Momentum strands above.
Source: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/press-releases/minister-odonovan-announces-recipients-of-the-2026-grassroots-venues-support-scheme/