Urban Development annual 2013

annUal 2013

mUSIc IS a mORal laW. IT gIVES SOUl TO ThE UNIVERSE, WINgS TO ThE mIND, FlIghT TO ThE ImagINaTION, aND chaRm aND gaIETy TO lIFE aND TO EVERyThINg. - PLATO

in the heart of the olympic boroUgh, where talent roams free, often Unaware of its trUe valUe, the UD mUsic foUnDation is helping yoUng people to create their own legacy throUgh eDUcation anD the art of selfDetermination.

we #daretodream. they #daretodream.

Do yoU?

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AnnuAl 2013

setlist (contents)

setlist

5 Urban Development Introduction 6 Note from Above 8 Events 10 Touring: Mobo Tour 11 Industry Takeover 12 Surprise Girls Allowed (by Lulu LeVay) 14 UD Music Foundation 17 UD Voice Collective by Courtney Buck 18 UProgress 19 U Develop (dis) 20 Case studies (fundraising) 22 Music Industry on trial (by The Right Honourable Fiddy) 24 The #unfindables 25 UD Relaunch 26 Accounts 28 The team 29 Support Urban Development 30 Supporters 31 UD LIve

credIts eDitor: chantelle fiddy art Direction: steve price, plan-b studio & photography creDits: adeyinka adepitan alexis manyon © Urban Development limited 2000-2013 © UD live, ©UD vocal collective, © UD music foundation, ©Urban Development music foundations. all intellectual property and license for all works presented in this annual are retained by Urban Development and may not be wholey or partly reproduced or used without permission of Urban Development limited.

contact

Unit D2, sugar house yard 20 sugar house lane london e15 2Qs tel: 020 8536 0630 contact@urbandevelopment.co.uk urbandevelopment.co.uk @urbandevelopmnt ud music foundAtion projects tania@urbandevelopment.co.uk

socIal medIa

twitter @urbandevelopmnt fAcebook facebook.com/udevelopment

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introduction

Picture credit

Annual 2013

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Annual 2013

introduction

about us

Urban Development, a charity which provides support and advice to young people trying to make it in underground music, has spent 12 years proving that a strong social conscience doesn’t have to mean governmental do-gooding. While its foundations are philanthropic, it’s become a serious music industry player.

The Guardian, 2012

Urban Development plays an integral role in the growth of urban music in the UK. Combining business acumen with an understanding of youth culture, we stand at the crossroads where the creativity of underground new music meets the music industry.

We present quality events that encourage young people to become consumers of live music as well as enabling grassroots talent to hone their craft and derive inspiration from established artists.

We nurture and support talented artists – including those from disadvantaged backgrounds - to prepare for sustainable careers in an industry where audiences have the appetite, and critical faculty, to appreciate the best that urban culture has to offer.

Through the Urban Development Music Foundation, our new charity, we deliver innovative education projects that equip young people with relevant skills and resources to make, perform and record new music. Through mentoring and hands-on work experience, access to studios, showcasing and networking, we support emerging artists and professionals progress and access the highly competitive music and media industry.

Our vision is to be the premier agency for spotting and supporting new UK urban music talent - recognised by the public sector for the social and cultural impact of our work, and respected and rewarded by the private sector for the value we add to the commercial music industry.

As evidence of this, in 2012 we announced a new publishing partnership with the Bucks Music Group, a move that will see Urban Development grow its own roster of intent and purpose.

Across our 13-year history, artists we have helped and worked with in their early careers are now household names.

Urban Development works.

snapshot Urban Development is a National Portfolio Organisation of ACE. Over the years we’ve worked in partnership with Create, Barbican, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Hackney Empire. Via the MOBO Tour, we developed further our relationship with SJM Concerts, the MOBO Organisation, Red Bull Studio, key booking agents and the Music Industry Development Agency network.

Having secured a sponsorship deal with Bucks Music for the acquisition of a publishing catalogue in 2012, we’ll soon be announcing the first signing to our UD music roster.

We’ve secured a donation from the House of Marley for our new charity, supporting new artists with free studio time.

We’ve been commissioned by The Prince’s Trust to deliver a project targeting NEET young people (subsequently visited by Will.I.Am).

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Annual 2013

A NOTE FROM ABOVE

What is Urban question:

Pamela McCormick, founder & director of Urban Development, offers a unique glimpse of life running a frontline service to the arts. As told to Chantelle Fiddy… answer:

We try to do what it says on the tin: urban development. We offer a onestop shop for London’s new urban music. We stand at the crossroads where underground music meets the music industry. We produce high quality events and tours that showcase the cream of urban talent and new music in the UK to young audiences. We run a professional recording and rehearsal studio and, in partnership with Bucks Music publishers, we offer development deals to the most talented emerging artists and producers we meet. We run a series of artistled music education projects (to complement the formal education curriculum), careers advice and work experience for young people – delivered through our new charity, the Urban Development Music Foundation (UDMF).

Every year, we work with hundreds of young people, mainly 14 – 21 year olds from BAME backgrounds, supporting them to develop new skills, confidence and aspiration and helping them to access, and progress within, the notoriously competitive music industry where networks are key – often ‘who you know’ is a more successful strategy for entry to employment than the skills individuals possess.

Urban Development (UD) has been in existence since 2000 so we’re not going away. However, there is much greater competition now: there are many more music education projects, urban music showcases and entry to industry seminars. We need to define further our USP as a one-stop shop that covers all of the above and more as well as our commitment to quality and being a cut above the rest.

Another question i’m often asked is where the story begins. To give you context, It’s back in Belfast in the 1970s where growing up was not an easy experience. There was very little external cultural provision and very few artists toured there – it’s hard to imagine now but English performers would have thought there was a significant security risk. It was the era of pub bombings, barricades in the city centre (being searched before going into every shop), daily murders being reported on the news and very little integration of people from different religions.

However, as long as I can remember (probably to do with character more than anything else) I’ve always had a strong sense of empathy with the underdog and, combined with attending a school that had a 50:50 religious mix at sixth form, enabling us to have an open discussion about Irish literature and the historical origins of the ‘troubles’, I was increasingly able to see the problem from both sides and to recognize that poverty and lack of aspiration were actually at the heart of the mutual distrust. Much of the acting out of the troubles was (and still is) in deprived housing estates. At the same time, some of the Irish literature I was reading recalls the not-too distant 1950s and ‘60s when Irish people, in pursuit of their dreams, encountered racism in England: the ‘No Black and Irish’ displayed in the windows of bed-sits.

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pamela’s top 13 highlights

1

RE:DEFINITION project

2

Ed Sheeran’s performance

3

The UD Vocal Collective

4

Arts Council England

5

Tanzania

6

Jonzi D

7

Salif Keita

8

Jeru The Damaja

9

Lyrical Lounge

At Theatre Royal Stratford East in 2010 featuring performances by Devlin (in the week his first single charted), Maverick Sabre and Mikill Pane

At Stratford Circus before he broke in to the mainstream

Co-founded by Labrinth and his sister, Sherelle Mckenzie aka ShezAr and the UDVC performance at the Radio 1 Hackney Weekend

Becoming a regularly funded organisation of Arts Council England and the PRS for Music Foundation

Trip with DJ Pogo’s Lyrical Lounge to Tanzania on behalf of the British Council

Jonzi D’s first performance of Aeroplane Man at The Queen Elizabeth Hall

Salif Keita’s live show at Union Chapel filmed for a newly founded BBC4

Jeru The Damaja’s workshop at Newham Sixth Form College

Lyrical Lounge show at Scala featuring Big Daddy Kane and a 16-year old drummer (Joshua Mckenzie aka MckNasty) in the band

10

Mpho

11

Bucks Music

12

Will.I.am

Mpho being signed to Wall of Sound after completed her album with UD.

The partnership with Bucks Music allowing us to acquire a publishing /artist roster.

Will.I.am visiting us when we were delivering a project on behalf of The Prince’s Trust

Shemika Abraham

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The journey of Shemika Abraham from a 13-year old to a modern female polymath (host, radio presenter, DJ, backing vocalist) and all the other young people who started off as interns with Urban Development or were mentored/ supported at some stage - including Rebecca Wren (SBTV), Geeneus (Rinse), Twin B (Island), Natalie Maddix (Serious, Bigga Fish), Oyin Akinyi, Nonny Orakwue (GRM Daily)

Development?

AnnuAl 2013

whAt is urbAn development?

So I guess all of this set me up with a social conscience and a desire to go on a mission on behalf of disadvantaged people and young people, in particular, in the hope of making a difference and helping to transform lives.

For me, it was initially about politics: supporting young black artists to get a piece of the funding pie on their own terms. Hip-hop culture, from which urban music has evolved, was 25 years old in 1999 when we were setting up Urban Development. It was about time it was recognized as an art form by the powers that be. Urban culture is as important as any other culture in my book. There should be no hierarchy – it is just different / has another provenance.

The company’s work was originally focused on hip-hop culture, the contemporary form of urban culture at the time. As the music and audience tastes have evolved – to garage, grime and now pop – the artists we showcase and the medium through which the music and social skills are taught have changed. We are primarily about new music so need to keep up with the zeitgeist whilst maintaining the core commitment to developing artists and emerging professionals for sustainable careers in music and offering a tool of engagement for at risk young people.

Whilst our immediate funding is not under threat, in these straitened economic times, we can no longer rely on the same level of public subsidy we’ve had in the past. To be able to sustain the work and grow the company, we need to increase our earned income – without losing sight of our core mission - as wells as make the case for the value of the work of the charity to new private donors and philanthropists.

Urban music has never been more popular, or commercially successful, in the UK. Many of the artists that we have helped and worked with in their early careers are now household names. We need to define and monetise our role in artist development within the wider music industry ecology.

We need to use the networks we have developed over the last 13 years.

Educational and artistic alumni, past and current audiences, educators, funders, live, recorded and publishing music industry contacts must all be active members of Urban Developmentʼs community, adding value to our community as we add value to theirs.

oVEr ThE nEXT ThrEE yEars ThE oBJECTiVEs arE ClEar: - To raisE ThE Bar for shoWCasinG nEW urBan musiC (WE haVE a parTiCular inTErEsT in dEVElopinG EasT london’s rEpuTaTion for innoVaTion and musiCal CrEaTiViTy in ThE uk). our plans inCludE ThE launCh of a nEW monThly EVEnT aT CarGo and ThE rEsTaGinG of rE:dEfiniTion aT ThEaTrE royal sTraTford EasT (our amBiTion for ThE laTTEr is a WEsT End TransfEr or a naTional Tour).

- To aChiEVE a noTaBlE aWard nominaTion and Top 40 CharT posiTion for an alBum/ arTisT dEVElopEd aT udhQ - pan-london rEaCh of our EduCaTion proGrammE ThrouGh parTnErship-WorkinG inCludinG musiC EduCaTion huBs and ThE prinCE’s TrusT - EXpansion of our naTional TourinG - Build ThE rEpuTaTion of ThE udhQ sTudio as a huB for EmErGinG TalEnT - proVidE dEVElopmEnT To ThE mosT TalEnTEd younG pEoplE WE rEaCh - Build a diGiTal laBEl and puBlishinG Company To promoTE ThE musiC nurTurEd ThrouGh our proGrammE - EXplorE modEls of parTnErship WiTh ThE musiC indusTry for susTainaBiliTy of ThE proGrammE

Our vision is to be the best company for spotting and supporting new UK urban music talent - recognised by the public sector for the social and cultural impact of our work, and respected and rewarded by the private sector for the value we add to the commercial music industry. Working together we can all develop.

why we neeD yoU to get involveD EnGaGinG and inspirinG we target and support young people at risk of exclusion, using urban music as a tool of engagement offering alternative provision to the formal music education curriculum and providing resources that are not typically found in ‘deprived’ areas. we equip young people with industry-relevant skills and resources to make, perform and record new music. we enable talented young people to fulfil their creative potential, raise aspiration and increase their opportunity for progression.

EnGaGinG and inspirinG i am concerned about youth unemployment. more than one million 16 – 24 year olds in the uk are now out of work. As we know, the uk music industry is a major employer and contributor to the economy (£6 billion per annum and 130k uk jobs). 92% of the known music industry is white (cc skills ‘footprint’ 2008/09). we believe intervention is required for a strategic (rather than fragmented) approach to excellence and progression to the music industry for young people from our communities. our programme of careers advice, work experience and networking is our response to this.

TalEnT dEVElopmEnT there’s still a lack of strategic talent development for black and urban artists. we believe many talented emerging artists – including those from disadvantaged backgrounds - will not achieve the support and public profile to develop sustainable careers without intervention.

Across our (13-year) history, artists we have helped and worked with in their early careers are now household names. urban development works.

re:defi moBo t ud live Annual 2013

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events overview

inition tour e events overview

Annual 2013

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Annual 2013

touring: The mobo tour

Touring CASE STUDY: MOBO TOUR

With over 50 cities and 900 towns in the UK there’s plenty of urban music to be heard in pockets, nooks and corners up and down the country. While audience numbers continue to grow, thanks largely to the digital revolution, there’s still a lot of work to be done in promoting the urban arts. And that’s where Urban Development come in.

The challenge - To successfully showcase the cream of unknown urban talent in the UK - Reach a diverse audience in key regional centres - Raise the profile of urban music - Build the capacity of organisations working in the sector through collaboration and by establishing a network of urban promoters UK-wide

Industry Takeover @ Mobo We delivered six all-day workshops (Industry Takeover @ MOBO) in six cities with local partners with over 450 attendees. Workshops: Top of the Blogs with RWD Mag, Step Your Game Up: Building Your Brand with SBTV, How To Make Money From Your Song with PRS for Music. Seminars: Star In The Hood. How To Steal My Job.

Having produced the MOBO Tour since late 2009, the annual national tour has featured a package of artists who are shaping the UK’s urban music scene. Accompanied by a complementary professional development programme, the MOBO Tour was delivered through a partnership of The MOBO Organisation, the PRS Foundation and Urban Development working with SJM Concerts.

Over the last three years, acts on the bill have included Maverick Sabre, Skepta, Clement Marfo & The Frontline, Benny Banks, Yasmin, Lady Leshurr, Mz Bratt, Roxxxan, Angel, Scorcher, P Money, Rascals, Cleo Sol, Josh Osho, Youngman and Donaeo.

This year’s speakers and leaders were Baby J, Benjamin Scarr (Island), Chantelle Fiddy (Mixmag, UD), Hattie Collins (RWD, i-D), James Benenson (Urban Nerds), Liam Tootill (SBTV), Michael Lawrence (The Hub), Nardene Scott (RWD), Olivia Nunn (Island), Paulette Long (PRS), Sarah Thirtle, Georgia LA (SBTV), Sian Anderson (Warner), Smoove, Steve Braines (Crown Management).

In the earliest stages of my career it was so much harder for me to be accepted, being a female with an accent. Underground music [from] out of London used to find it very hard to get played on radio but gradually it’s got easier...

Lady LeshurR

Currently designing our own tour for 2013/14, Urban Development’s work managing the MOBO Tour over the last three year has put us in good stead for what’s to come...

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They had a great atmosphere, informative and taken seriously. It’s a great opportunity for people to directly access information and contacts within the industry.

Hattie Collins, RWD

A slew of major UK artists, from Labrinth to Talay Riley, have received Urban Development’s support. Now it’s embarking on a national tour with the MOBO’s, creating links with smaller music projects.

Workshops will see tour headliners P Money and Lady Leshurr working with developing talent before performing with local unsigned artists in the evening.

The Guardian

AnnuAl 2013

industry tAkeover

Industry takeover

Since the launch event in January 2009, Industry Takeover has built a reputation for offering an unrivalled programme of professional development, entertainment, education and networking opportunities to hundreds of industry-minded youth and hopefuls from across the capital and beyond.

What was born as a monthly event, dedicated to equipping attendees with valuable knowledge and industry insight to start on the right track, Industry Takeover soon grew to become Urban Developments flagship annual all-dayer.

urbAn development plAy A big pArt when it comes to nurturing up-And-coming tAlent from the uk’s urbAn music community. they rep every genre of blAck music to the fullest, be it through their live events or viA their populAr online website.

Joseph ‘Jp’ patterson, mtv, the metro, vibe, bbc

Industry Takeover All-Day Seminar & Showcase The all-day seminar and showcase is an opportunity to empower the next generation of budding music industry professionals, artists, DJs and all that comes before, in-between and after. Urban Development couples the education with critically acclaimed performances from top names in the urban music industry, essential master classes, open mic sessions, a fashion show, music market, vocal/production workshops, as well as a series of exclusive video and short film screenings.

Speakers have included producer and publisher Jake Gosling (Ed Sheeran, BRIT nominee) entrepreneur Sarah Liversedge (Bucks Music), A&R Ben Scarrs (Island Records), club promoter James Benenson (Urban Nerds), artist managers Jonathan Shalit (N-Dubz) and Vash Khatiri (Chipmunk and Sneakbo), product managers

Olivia Nunn and Alex Boateng (Island Records), radio heavyweights Austin Daboh (The Hub), Sam Potts (Head of Radio, Colombia) Charlie Sloth (BBC Radio 1/ 1Xtra), editor Danny Walker (RWD Magazine), esteemed writer Hattie Collins (i-D, Hunger, Sunday Times) and showbiz stylist Richard Shoyemi (Kelis, Nicki Minaj).

Top performances over the years have come from stalwarts like Donaeo, Kano, Ghetts and Roses Gabor alongside our annual ‘Ones To Watch’, acts in association with The MOBO Organisation, featuring the likes of P Money, Random Impulse, Mic Righteous, Scrufizzer, A*M*E, G Frsh, Jay Norton and Roxxxan.

the actIon-packed Industry takeover all dayer Is a fantastIc event that allows establIshed Industry professIonals and aspIrIng young adults the opportunIty to network, share storIes and dIscover new waves of emergIng talent, all under one roof! liam tootill, sb.tv

urbAn development is A key plAyer in the scene, everyone needs to get involved with whAt they do. kano

Event partners such as SB.TV, RWD, British Underground, Link Up TV, Bigga Fish, Grime Daily, Monologue Slam and Urban Screen have contributed a range of activities and master classes. A number of leading organisations across the music industry also endorse the event by way of marketing stalls and interacting with our audience on the day: Livity, PRS For Music, DV8 Training, UK Music and Music4Good.

industry tAkeover And urbAn development Are importAnt for the growth And development of this community. charlie sloth, bbc raDio 1/ 1Xtra

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AnnuAl 2013

girls Allowed?

we need an army, because th alice glass, crystal castles

girls alloweD? girl power proved to be one of the most engaging topics that took centre stage at Urban Development’s last Industry takeover all-dayer. addressing key issues around women’s identities and roles within the music industry - not just on the stage, but behind the scenes, it further reminded us of the importance of our work. with a panel of experts including hattie collins (rwD, i-D), steve price (plan b studio) and sarah liversedge (bucks) armed with experience to share, journalist lulu levay led the charge...

DiD yoU know?

66!!

_ according to the prs, 12% of its writers are women, a drop of 4% from the previous year (2011) _ in the guardian’s top 100 of influential people in british music, only 12% were women (2011) _ the creative & cultural skills sector reported that 66% of the music industry are male (2009) _ the music producers' guild says less than 4% of its members are women (2012) _ the liverpool institute of performing arts says only 6% of the students enrolled on its sound technology course are female. that figure hasn't changed for three years (2012) _ music journalist krissi murison was the nme’s first female editor in its 60 year reign, ever _ on average, women in the Uk earn 15% less than men. in london, the pay gap stands at 23% (2012)

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!!!

AnnuAl 2013

by lulu levAy

he maInstream hates women. the (Un)fairer seX? the topics for this discussion = issues all women can relate to, regardless of the industry. pay inequality; harassment and subordination in the workplace - by both men and women and female artist’s representation in the media. we also want to argue the invisibility and lack of positive female role models; the perpetuation of gendered stereotypes across all media platforms; and probe men in the industry if they are helping to open doors, or close them. we want to get to the heart of these burning issues, we’re hoping you do too. * shocker!: ‘she’s been sporting a much fuller figure of late, but lady gaga looked decidedly meaty as she took to the stage on tuesday night in amsterdam.’ (source: the mail online, september 2012).

real QUestions time Do you ever question phrases such as ‘she throws like a girl’, ‘man up’ or ‘a&r man’?

Do find yourself feeling surprised when you see a woman behind the decks, managing a band, or driving a bus?

Do you think it’s right that female artists should use their sex to sell themselves over-and-above their musical talents? are men intimidated by women in positions of power and knowledge? is it possible that women just aren’t as entrepreneurial as men?

Do you think that men are simply better at business than women? * shocker!: brit awards: adele cut short amid triumph. (source: bbc news, february 2012). to discuss this and more visit www.urbandevelopment.co.uk want to receive a transcript of the seminar? become a ud member and #goldnuggets await you.

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Annual 2013

The Urban Development Music Foundation (UDMF) is a new charity, whose aims and work programme have evolved from Urban Development’s education work. #DareToDream Over the last 13 years Urban Development has worked with young people, helping them overcome disadvantage and poverty of aspiration through committed education and the art of self-determination.

We’ve helped thousands of interns, artists and industry hopefuls to move on up in their lives, developing new skills, confidence and their own legacy born in the Olympic borough, where talent roams free, often unaware of its true value.

Working with the highest calibre of the music and entertainment industry, the Urban Development team gets to experience life from the grass roots up to the main stage.

At UDMF we want to erase poverty of aspiration.

We dare to dream. For more information and to donate: www.urbandevelopment.co.uk/supportus

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UD MUSIC FOUNDATION

Annual 2013

UD MUSIC FOUNDATION

Our aims are: • Engage and inspire ‘at risk’ young people in areas of deprivation and low achievement, using urban music as a tool of engagement, to develop transferrable social and life-skills • Equip young people with music industry-relevant skills and resources to make, perform and record new music, enabling them to develop their creative potential.

• Raise young people’s aspirations and increase their opportunities for achievement, progression and employment • Help some young people to access, and progress within, the notoriously competitive music industry where networks are key – often ‘who you know’ is a more successful strategy for entry to employment than the skills individuals possess.

Urban Development Music Foundation trustees: Lord Victor Adebowale (CBE) Crossbench peer Rodney Borde-Kuofie Solicitor & Managing Director, Vox Africa Anne-Marie Imafidon Collaboration, Social Media & Social Business Strategies, Deutsche Bank David Krap Executive Director Consumer & Retail Group, UBS Antony Macdonald (Company Secretary)

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Annual 2013

UD MUSIC FOUNDATION

contact

Information & donate

If you would like to discuss urbandevelopment.co.uk/support fundraising or making a donation, please contact: Pamela McCormick 020 8536 0630 07747 686 264 pamela@urbandevelopment.co.uk

UD Music Foundation work programme: UD Vocal Collective 30 participants per annum will receive 90 hours of skills development in vocal development, song writing and performance skills plus additional mentoring to produce a compilation recording and rehearsal support for a high profile showcase event.

UDevelop+ Plus 28 participants per annum (NEET young people) will receive training and one-to-one career development mentoring to achieve an accredited outcome Youth Arts Award Bronze as a minimum, 50% of participants who complete the project will progress to further education or work experience.

UDprogress Record Label project 30 young people in years 9 – 11 attending school in Newham will receive 60 hours of skills development and mentoring to create a demo recording and stage and promote a showcase event. The aim of the project is to plug a gap in provision and demonstrate the need for vocational specialist delivery to enhance achievement at level 2 and enable progression to level 3 and work based learning.

Work experience 16 unemployed young people per annum will be assisted to secure employment through work placements of 12 weeks x 2 days + 3 one-to-one mentoring meetings for induction/ diagnostic and career development support. 12 of the 16 young people will progress to employment, self-employment or longterm work experience Music industry awareness & networking seminars 120 young people per annum will receive 6 hours of Information Advice & Guidance (IAG) via industry awareness seminars and networking opportunity with industry professionals.

Mentoring & studio access 12 emerging artists will be selected by a panel of industry experts to receive 3 days of free studio time for the recording of a single or demo and be offered promotional support via our online platforms.

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£+

We are grateful for whatever you can afford. Your

UD Donor

donation would contribute to all of the work of the

£200

£200 would allow us to fund one young person to

UD friend

Urban Development Music Foundation.

take part in the UD Vocal Collective, the travel and

lunch expenses of an unemployed young person to

undertake a 12-week work experience to help them get on the first rung of the music industry or would give an aspiring artist 3 days of free studio time to

£1,000

UD Champion

create a demo.

£1,000 would cover the cost of a young person not in employment, education or training to participate in an employment support programme that will

support their progression to further education or an apprenticeship. Or, it would contribute to all of the

£5,000

UD Legend

work of the Urban Development Music Foundation.

Building on the support of the House of Marley/1Love Foundation in 2012/13, a donation of £5,000

would contribute to all of the work of the Urban

Development Music Foundation or fund the UD Vocal Collective project in its entirety.

£10,000 UD patron

We have been awarded £10,000 by the BBC

Performing Arts Fund for a fellowship to support

the development of an emerging singer songwriter, Holly Smith, in 2013/14. A donation of £10,000 would contribute to all of the work of the Urban

Development Music Foundation or enable us to offer a fellowship to another young artist or would go a long way to funding the UProgress Record Label project in its entirety

#daretodream

urbAn development vocAl collective

AnnuAl 2013

Urban Development vocal collective

Founded back in 2007 by Labrinth, his sister ShezAr and led by Shola Ama, more recently the Urban Development Vocal Collective (UDVC) has performed for the BBC Radio 1 Hackney Weekend and SB.TV among others.

Holly Smith, one of last years UDVC members, talks to UD’s Courtney Buck...

udvc is a collective of voices that come together and create things that are unique and fill a room when you hear them. there isn’t anything or anyone similar to udvc. when you’re around everyone else and on a high from the Over the last four years the UD Vocal Collective music, you can bounce off each other, which creates an incredible vibe whether has provided vocals for Wretch 32, Bashy and Omar rehearsing, performing or creating new songs. and performed at festivals such as Rise, Paradise Gardens and Lovebox as well as Urban Development’s flagship events Re:Definition and Industry Takeover.

Honing songwriting and vocal skills, the UD Vocal Collective project develops industry knowledge and creates shows that raise the bar for live performance.

urban development are at the crossroads where aspIrIng young professIonals meet the excItIng world of the musIc Industry. they support and develop hardworkIng and commItted IndIvIduals and provIde them wIth key traInIng and hands-on experIence to hone theIr skIlls - preparIng them for all types of sItuatIons and responsIbIlIty they may face In the future. the vocal collectIve are just one product of thIs excItIng brand and really help capture the energy, vIbrancy and ethos of the wIder urban development brand.

we come together once a week for three hours in the evening to write songs and practice effective vocal warm up and techniques. we also have workshops with artists who come in and help us. in the past year, we’ve performed at a lot of corporate events and in 2012 we were invited to perform for the deputy prime minister at 10 downing street. performing at bbc radio 1’s hackney weekend and opening the entire festival was probably one of my - and the groups highlights. it’s most certainly one of, if not the biggest thing we’ve ever done. we’ve collaborated with a number of artists including jay norton, maverick sabre, devlin & wretch 32. if you’re a young or emerging artist and you want to network, collaborate or experiment with other artists, as well as find yourself as an artist, udvc is the way forward forward.

lIam tootIll managing Director, sbtv

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uprogress

AnnuAl 2013

uprogress withoUt mUsic, life woUlD be a mistake. frieDrich nietZsche

UProgress is an aspirational music project created to plug a gap into what’s currently missing in music provision in schools, across years 9 and 11. With a primary aim of nurturing and enabling the talent of young people with a passion for music to pursue a future in the music industry as artists, UProgress also opens doors and minds to the possibilities of roles such as A&R, Marketing, Artist Management and PR all of which are viable professional careers.

thIs course has taught me how to produce and wrIte musIc and what’s behInd settIng up a record label. gIrls usually sIng and men usually produce them, so learnIng these skIlls on a course lIke thIs has been really good. I would’ve never properly consIdered It otherwIse. nicole

It’s been great gettIng the chance to wrIte songs wIth other people. the tutors are always frIendly and they relate to the students.

Through our carefully selected tutor team of vocalists, producers and industry professionals, this six month programme of weekly Josh term-time afterschool sessions has been methodically crafted, ThE sTaTs I look forward to tuesdays just taking the participants on a journey that ensures not only a growth because of thIs course. I have of musical and professional skills, but a development of social and WhEn askEd in become more confIdent and have communication skills and psychological wellbeing. Leadership sElf-assEssmEnT learned about the musIc Industry. martina QuEsTionnairEs: and decision making prowess are also encouraged. After the first creative stage of songwriting and production the participants, via 93% of participants said the their delegated roles and responsibilities, set up a record label, project has made them want to go on to do something else devise a marketing campaign, and organise and perform at an end related to music of course showcase where their product will be launched 97% of participants stated they’re and celebrated. looking forward to performing This unique project sets out to inspire and inform young people 93% of participants stated their confidence in Newham one of the most disadvantaged areas of east London. as a performer has grown Through the collaboration of the host schools and the Uprogress 90% of participants said they have enjoyed collaborating with other students team, this project intends to, alongside the student experience, to 90% of participants stated their mc / vocal skills improve the skills and abilities of the providers and individuals involved have improved in the support of these young people and to create an environment 90% of participants said the project has helped them talk confidently about music conducive to effective progression. The end of project showcase 83% of participants stated their songwriting skills have also strives to encourage positive attitudes to young people’s musicimproved making amongst parents, carers and the broader music industryat- 83% of participants stated they now practice outside of sessions large, of which Uprogress is actively involved with.

83% of participants stated their confidence as a person has grown The recent programme has achieved an excellent overall 79% of participants said they understand the music attendance of 81.8% and retention of 82.5%. industry better

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AnnuAl 2013

udevelop+ plus

udevelop+ plus UDevelop+ plUs is oUr proJect for Developing the skills anD employability of yoUng people who are not cUrrently in employment, eDUcation or training (neet).

One million 16-24 year olds in the UK are now out of work. We teach industryrelevant singing, songwriting, performance and production skills. And the business of music.

We provide work experience and careers seminars.

Urban music is a force for good in tackling poverty of aspiration and transforming young people’s lives. It engages young people at risk.

It develops creativity and transferrable life-skills.

It inspires young people to aim higher. And not just as artists. It provides employment.

Module 1: Skills Development As well as skills development in music-making, students investigate the role of new technologies within the creation, marketing and promotion of a recording. Exploring traditional marketing opportunities and online platforms such as Facebook & Twitter, they are encouraged to run their operation as a record label. Learning is enhanced by a number of master classes, intensive one-off sessions led by industry specialists sharing specific knowledge in their chosen field. As well as giving an insight into the reality of working in music, their practical experience helps to develop the students’ music and to appreciate the range of roles open to them beyond working as an artist or producer.

Module 2: Employment Support In 2013/14, we are focusing on the employment support module with funding from Awards For All. The goal is to develop the skills and work readiness of 28 NEET young people through career seminars, work experience and one-to-one mentoring to ensure that a minimum of 50% of participants will progress to further education or apprenticeships.

We have also delivered the Get Started with Music project on behalf of the Prince’s Trust.

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AnnuAl 2013

udmf cAse study: chArlie ogbechie

case study:

charlie ogbechi Urban Development helpeD me realise that i have what it takes to establish a career in the mUsic inDUstry, having been alloweD to progress from a volUnteer to a fUll time employee. a lot of time anD energy has been UseD to nUrtUre my skills anD we’re all starting to reap the rewarDs.

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Charlie first engaged with Urban Development as part of its ‘UD Creatives’ initiative in 2010 and helped programme and successfully run Urban Development’s Industry Takeover and Re:Definition events.

Having progressed to an internship at Urban Development while studying full time at Middlesex University, Charlie went on to secure a six-month full time, paid internship with EMI Music in 2012, working in their artist liaison department.

Following completion of his internship at EMI Music, Charlie returned to Urban Development as a full time projects co-ordinator for all of events and A&R. He is also heavily involved in the marketing aspects of the Urban Development studio.

udmf cAse study: rebeccA wren

AnnuAl 2013

case study:

rebecca wren

Rebecca Wren participated in Urban Development’s Industry Takeover work experience programme as an unemployed graduate of the University of East London.

On completion of her three-month work experience placement, Rebecca was then employed by Urban Development for three years, initially as a team assistant before progressing to project assistant and finally project coordinator.

Moving on to pastures new in November 2011 to work as a freelancer, Rebecca was then employed by Urban Development in early 2012 to coordinate the workshop programme of the MOBO Tour.

Rebecca currently has regular freelance contracts with online broadcaster SB.TV and record label Digital Soundboy.

my career in mUsic was kickstarteD throUgh an internship at this Urban mUsic institUtion. Urban Development investeD time anD training to nUrtUre my passion for mUsic, as they Do for hUnDreDs of yoUng mUsicians anD creatives who pass throUgh their stUDio, events anD learning programmes every year.

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AnnuAl 2013

lAw & order

worDs: onorable fiDDy the right (Dis)h

an integral role in Seminars have played opment’s aims over el ev D an rb U g in ap sh d at our Industry the years. Usually foun ve also toured our e’ w , ts en ev er ov ke Ta part of the regional panels of experts as mpetition everMOBO Tour. With co ar we challenge increasing, year-on-ye new ways to debate stereotypes, look for r, all the while the issues that matte e new technology attempting to embrac and concepts.

Takeover, Urban At last year’s Industry up nate enough to team Development was fortu ro rg und, cil dons, British Unde with fellow Arts Coun ic ept of putting the mus to develop their conc tting. se om imagined courtro industry on trial in an th wi , at Rich Mix, London Taking over the stage (nond two lawyers on the our judge in place an ce prosecution and defen existent) pay roll, the ing lud inc rs industry playe teams were formed of , D) W b), Danny Walker (R Austin Daboh (The Hu hley As ut PR), MPHO (artist), Chloe Melick (InsideO land A&R), Alex Boateng (Is / er ag an (M t ot m er McD dience. important jury - the au Records) and the all ha r laurels, we even d Not ones to rest on ou e apher relaying real-tim our own court stenogr screen l via twitter and a live transcripts of the tria should be. t, feed. Intrigued? You how the scene was se Here’s a glimpse as to m fro te ba n for a new age of de forming the foundatio ustry, are ind ic us m . You, the t.. en m lop ve De n ba Ur ere a culture in an age wh C M g lin kil th wi d charge ... originality is what sells lack of creativity and pting to Let us begin by attem y? ilt gu t no or y ilt Gu which s to some questions determine the answer here trial. set the scenes for this What is MC culture? g it? ustry accused of killin Why are the record ind ad?

Is MC culture even de What is Culture?

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In whichever context you refer to it, the foundations are the same.

A culture comes with its own moral codes and expectations.

Culture offers protection, order and an element of definition.

Often your culture is your very way of life.

As to an MC, historically the accolade was given to the master of ceremonies, holding up the party for every man and his dog, but the roles diversified over time. Is the art of rapping the same as the art of emceeing? There’s not a definitive answer but one thing we can say, is that for every difference you’ll also find a similarity. So, what is this MC culture we refer to and how is it dead?

A quick Internet search will tell you MC culture is about materialism, wealth, sexism, violence and misogyny. But that’s not what we’re looking at here.

Consider the following: Whether you were an MC that came to reign supreme with the Jamaican Sound Systems or among those handed the baton in hip hop, jungle, UK garage or grime, you had to earn your worth.

Witty 16s, hard 8s that left you reeling for a retort…

When was the last time you heard a flow you envied on the Top 40 countdown? Look to your left and tell the person next to you the name of a current MC whose delivery would make Royal Mail look twice? When was the last time you witnessed a spontaneous rap battle, one that was actually worth filming on your iPhone? Are most rappers rolling with their own DJ as that’s the only way to get a reload these days? When was the last time you heard a good one liner you can actually remember? And where is the training ground for today’s stars of tomorrow?

Pirate radio is dead. Gone are the weekly MC led raves.

Have we hit a point where the majority of MCs are starting their careers thinking about clean radio edits and how to optimise their SEO? How much thought goes into being ‘real’ and the actual lyrical content? And whose fault is this? Have MCs become a victim of urban music’s success? And, in turn, is that the record industries fault for complying with a formula?

Where is the creativity? Are our finest MCs just trying to tick boxes? To succeed do you just need to borrow a vocalist, chorus and hope for the best?

As we join together to put the music industry on trial, you may sit firm in your belief that MC culture is still out there somewhere. You may, on the other hand, wish to hold the music industry accountable for it’s demise.

We’ll be calling on expert witnesses, presenting the evidence and letting you, the jury decide. So what’s it going to be? Guilty or not guilty?

Join the on-going debate at: urbandevelopment.co.uk To receive a full copy of the stenographer’s transcript from the trial, become a member and you’ll receive #GoldenNuggets like these directly to your inbox.

AnnuAl 2013

by the right (dis)honourAble fiddy

There is th ing wrong with if it is in the right rection

Win on Ch ill

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Annual 2013

#theunfindables

#TheUnFindables Words: Chantelle Fiddy

For years brands have fought long and hard to directly connect with their desired audience. Having someone’s email address or lots of ‘friends’ on MySpace was once the gold dust sprinkled over the rainbow of marketing hope. But imagining an actual conversation, in 140 characters, with eighteen year old Kevin, from east London; It just wasn’t comprehendible thinking. Yet here we sit with the capability to speak volumes just by posting a photo to Instagram, complete, of course with the desired hashtag. #PauseForThought.

Today, it’s not uncommon for your boss to ask you to ‘grow the twitter followers.’

Similarly, Facebook and Tumblr targets nestle alongside the KPIs of yesteryear. But when you stop and consider ‘to what end’, it can often be harder than you think to find a definitive answer.

At Urban Development we’ve become aware, while nurturing our online offering, of the distinct need to marry traditional forms of offline marketing with the best of what the internet has to offer. There’s no denying it’s never been a better time to reach the unreachables but we’ve identified another audience; #TheUnFindables, the talent that all too often stays hidden because of a poverty of aspiration. Their reality may sleep in a concrete jungle, hidden behind council estate walls, looking for a motive in a time when youth unemployment is bleak. They may just be your average teenage Joe, looking for a creative outlet, one perhaps they didn’t even know existed. The fact is, at some time, everyone needs to #DareToDream.

Being able to connect directly, one-on-one, with those deemed the hardest to reach, has had to become a forte for Urban Development over the last 12 years.

Without a strategic approach to finding and developing talent, it’s simply down to luck or the power of the hustle. We’ve had to take ourselves to the people and not expect anyone to come knocking. Combining direct, peer-to-peer grass roots marketing incentives with a growing online presence, Urban Development is further defining its position as the one-stop shop for the place where the underground meets the industry. With a new website designed to host the wealth of knowledge accumulated via panels, workshops and interviews, alongside the latest events, essential news and features, we’re entering a new age at Urban Development.

Here’s to the #TheUnFindables www.urbandevelopment.co.uk

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AnnuAl 2013

ud relAunch

URBANDEVELOPMENT.CO.UK simply sUrviving in this bUsiness is a feat… loU DiamonD phillips

Competition in the digital world is stiff but Urban Development plugs an otherwise unfilled gap. While a preference for the regurgitation of press releases, celebrity gossip and favours fuels our surrounds, with more young people than ever looking for an entry route into the creative industries, Urban Development can stand tall as a hub of knowledge for aspiring individuals.

With an average of 20,000 unique users a month, we expect this figure to triple over the next year having launched a new website ready to take Urban Development to those who need to be found.

To maximise on the reach and effect of such content, contributed from a wealth of bloggers, journos and UD friends around the country, the all-new website will house the hopes of a generation. Using our staple seminar topics to lead the content charge, regulars like How To Steal My Job, brand profiles, Sergeant Skills and Star In The Hood, are the foundations we’re readily building on in our bid to remain as the one-stop shop for those looking to take the step in their desired career. With an exciting array of new features set to be launched, budding musicians, entrepreneurs, song writers and the rest will find a wealth of information at their disposal.

‘The new logo is one of my proudest pieces’, said Steve Price, creative director of Plan-B Studio. A blocky, cut-out ‘URBAN’ comprising of a Scalene triangle for an A. Why? Because like so many of the Urban Development artists and un-nurtured talent they do not always conform, fit in or follow a ‘norm’ (#TheUnFindables) - with no equal sides or angles neither does a Scalene Triangle.

On the new web site the logo is constantly evolving. The Scalene Triangle is animating, at random, to create a ceaselessly changing three-sided scalene triangle with no one side or angle the same. Like their audience, their logo is forever changing.’

See the new website in action at www.urbandevelopment.co.uk 25

Annual 2013

accounts 2011/2012

Accounts: income

12.25%

2.84%

12.46% 58.16%

INCOME 14.3%

Earned income 12.46% Contributed income 14.3% Arts Council England 58.16% Local authority 2.84% Lottery 12.25%

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Annual 2013

accounts: outcome

7.05%

19.38%

OUTCOME 53.29%

53.29%

20.28%

Outcome Project costs 53.29% Fundraisng, wages & salaries 20.28% Overheads & building costs 19.38% Depreciation on assets 7.05%

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AnnuAl 2013

COUrTNeY BUCK WEBSITE EDITOR & ONLINE MARKETING ASSISTANT Courtney’s journey with Urban Development began in his University days. Following a stint as an UD Creative (volunteer) and internship, Courtney has graduated, moved through the ranks and can now be found manning the website, social networking needs and online marketing. A lover of pop, we salute his musical knowledge on a daily basis.

CHANTeLLe FIDDY CONSULTANT Better known for her musical journalism and A&R escapades, Chantelle has been consulting at Urban Development for the last two years or so. A former panelist at our Industry Takeover events, she now works alongside the director and team on various aspects of business development, more specifically focusing on the online and marketing needs of today and tomorrow.

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the teAm

PAMeLA MCCOrMICK DIRECTOR Founder and director, Pamela McCormick was probably the bestknown ginger in urban music until Ed Sheeran came to town. While content with working on the next big thing and funding bids at Urban Development, when not drinking (strong) coffee in the office, expect to find Pam indulging herself in the arts or on an expedition with her son.

GeOrGe eBeNeZer GENERAL MANAGER The newest addition to the Urban Development team, George has a proven track-record within the music industry. A former artist manager amongst many things, George has recently been appointed as General Manager, signaling a new era in the get-up-and-go mentality we hold so dear at Urban Development.

CHArLIe OGBeCHIe EVENTS, A&R & STUDIO CO-ORDINATOR Another man who knows a good beat from an abysmal one, Charlie re-joined Urban Development just a few months ago to bring new life to the studio, artists at UDHQ and to spearhead our new monthly shindig, UD Live. Having developed his skills as a promoter over the years, he’s also one to watch in the world of A&R and all that it brings.

TANIA DeSOUZA PROJECTS CO-ORDINATOR A former intern at Urban Development, Tania also finds time to manage and develop bands alongside her daily UD HQ duties. A fantastic mentor and gifted in the ‘getting along with young people’ department, Tania is responsible for most things that relate to the work of the Urban Development Music Foundation. Tania also had a few nifty dance moves up her sleeve, as witnessed by the team at Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend and UD Live respectively.

AnnuAl 2013

fundrAising

we #darETodrEam they #darETodrEam do you?

1 million 16-24 yEar olds in ThE uk arE ouT of Work.

1/3 of ThE ToTal unEmploymEnT fiGurE is younG pEoplE. since 1999, urban development has supported thousands of young people to overcome disadvantage and poverty of aspiration. we want to help more. we need to inspire more young people to access the music and creative industries. raise their aspirations for achievement, progression and employment. develop their creativity and transferrable social and life-skills. like you, we recognise the value of cultural democracy and the need to nurture in the heart of our communities the key players of tomorrow. the musIc must play on. workIng together we can all #darETodrEam to donate and help us support more young people #darETodrEam WWW.urBandEVElopmEnT.Co.uk/supporTus

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AnnuAl 2013

supporters

with thanks to our supporters

30

AnnuAl 2013

ud live

if Jools hollanD anD Jay leno were having a Jam session style soUnD system near yoU, it might soUnD anD look a bit like this… rwD

Bringing quality-sounding live music back to the streets, expect intimate vibes, big talent and lasting musical memories from today’s stars of tomorrow.

Launched in December last year, UD Live is a night that’s packs a massive musical punch. Unlike your standard live set, UD Live offers a truly unique take on the kind of urban club night we’ve come to expect. Combining some of the UK’s most exciting emerging artists with more established names, performers have the opportunity to rework their own material with east London’s finest house band, (fronted by DJ/ drummer supremo MckNasty) and deliver something completely unique.

A jam session of the eclectic variety, three installments in and Misha B, Bluey Robinson, Vince Kidd, Amplify Dot, G Frsh, Joe Black, Tom Prior, Squeeks, Mahalia, Kyra and more have graced the mic.

There’s also the opportunity to win free studio time at UDHQ in conjunction with The House of Marley. Just sign up for Open Mic on the night.

But who will be next? www.urbandevelopment.co.uk/UDLive

“That was something really special…” Amplify Dot

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#daretodream