The UK's Music Managers Forum has announced that its professional development programme Accelerator will return for a second year in 2020, again in partnership with YouTube Music.
Accelerator provides funding, training and mentoring for early-career artist managers, aiming to increase the number of people who are able to make a full-time living out of artist management. 24 managers are currently taking part in the first iteration of Accelerator.
With additional support from Arts Council England and the Scottish Music Industry Association, those managers have had access to funding to help them invest more time into developing their individual management businesses. They also received support and training from an assortment of MMF associates and bespoke versions of the organisation's own training programmes, including the CMU Insights delivered 'Mechanics Of Music Management'.
Confirming that the programme would return in 2020, MMF's Strategy & Operations Director Fiona McGugan said that the trade body is "absolutely THRILLED that YouTube Music recognise the importance of Accelerator and that the programme will return next year. It has already offered a career-changing experience for 24 upcoming music managers, and we look forward to sharing some of the impact data and successes in time for the opening of 2020 applications ".
YouTube Music's Artist Partnerships Manager Roz Mansfield added: "As well as supporting the next wave of British talent, we also want to support the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make the industry function, grow and succeed. We at YouTube Music are so proud to be a sponsor of MMF and their Accelerator Programme and look forward to seeing what these talented managers go on to do next".