MUSIC FOR YOUTH REGIONAL FESTIVALS
The Music for Youth Regional Festival Series is the UK’s largest festival for young musicians. This year’s festivals will be held from Feb – April 2027 in over 20 locations across the UK, as well as a UK-wide Digital Festival.
WHO CAN TAKE PART?
If you’re dreaming of performing on some of the UK’s most iconic stages, this is where it starts.
Anyone can take part in an MFY Regional Festival; whether you’re ready to perform live or would prefer to submit a recording of your performance via our Digital Festival. We welcome all kinds of groups: bands, orchestras, choirs and collectives of every shape and size, performing any musical genre. Classical to contemporary, jazz to rock, original music or the classics, all belong here.
It doesn’t matter where you’re starting from or how long you’ve been making music. If you love performing and want to develop your skills, MFY is for you. The only requirement is that you perform as a group of two or more musicians, with members aged 21 or under.
Taking part in an MFY Regional Festival is so much more than just a performance. It’s a vibrant, supportive and inspiring experience where young musicians come together to share their music, watch and learn from other groups, make new connections, and receive invaluable guidance from professional musicians and music educators — our expert Music Mentors. Their feedback is designed to encourage, challenge and help you take your next musical steps with confidence.
Whether you perform live at a Regional Festival or submit a recording through the Digital Festival, this experience opens the door to the next stage of the journey. All participating groups will be invited to take part in the MFY National Festival in Birmingham (July 2027) either as a mainstage performing group, or to sign up to perform on the Fringe stage and/or attend workshops with nationally recognised partners. This is a true celebration of young musical talent from across the country.
Applications for MFY Regional Festivals 2027 are OPEN NOW! You can sign up below for an in-person festival or the Digital Festival. Secure your place today as spaces will run out fast.
Entries for in-person Regional Festivals will close on Thursday 3 December 2026, with the Digital Festival accepting entries until March 15 2027.
This could be your first step towards performing on world‑famous stages, including the Royal Albert Hall. Don’t miss it.
For more information about eligibility and costs, please visit our FAQ’s page here.
What’s new for 2027?
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Music for Youth is proud to announce Sounds of Our City: a two-year, cross-city music programme powered by Wembley Stadium Foundation’s Communities Fund, which is supporting young people and organisations across England's UEFA EURO 2028 Host Cities. MFY will be working with local partners and young musicians in Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Liverpool and London to deliver an inspirational programme that blends participation, performance and civic celebration.
Music for Youth is excited to be collaborating with our local partners to bring community festivals to these incredible cities, celebrating young music-making in all its diversity. Taking place in school halls, community centres, gig venues and more across Spring 2027 and Spring 2028, the festivals are open to young musicians at all stages of their musical journey, from those just starting out to more experienced performers. Thousands of young people will come together to perform live, receive developmental feedback from our Music Mentors - and also have the opportunity to progress the core MFY programme to the National Festival in Birmingham and MFY Proms at the Royal Albert Hall! -
Inspired by ABRSM's Creative Musicianship syllabus, from 2027, Music for Youth is introducing a new creative strand to the Regional Festival programme: a celebration of new, original and reimagined music created by young people. This initiative shines a light on the imagination, craft and curiosity that young musicians across the UK bring to their work, whether they write their own songs, compose new pieces, or reinvent familiar music in fresh and surprising ways.
Groups taking part in the Regional Festival ‘Frequencies’ programme can perform any music they love, whether existing repertoire, reimagined material, or new work. From 2027, groups who wish to be considered for progression to the National Festival will be encouraged to include at least one new or reimagined piece in their set. Those developing new work will also be invited to submit their composition(s) for technical feedback outside of the festival, alongside the standard mentoring feedback they receive on the day.The Regional Festival has always welcomed every style of music; from classical favourites and film scores to folk traditions, jazz standards, rock, pop and everything in between. This year, we’re adding a dedicated focus that recognises and highlights performances of new work, including:
Original compositions written by young people
New songs created individually or collaboratively
Rearranged or reimagined pieces that put a fresh spin on existing music
This spotlight is designed to encourage creativity, experimentation and musical curiosity, not to add pressure or expectation. Groups are warmly invited to take part only if they feel excited to do so.
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Music for Youth is delighted to be welcoming new partners across the UK as we continue to expand the Regional Festival Series and bring more opportunities for young musicians to perform, share their talents and connect with others. By working with new partners and organisations, we're making it easier for more young people to get involved, discover new experiences and become part of the MFY community.
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Formerly known as Mentor Connects, our Digital Festival is evolving for 2027! Offering an alternative to our in-person Regional Festivals, it gives groups of two or more the opportunity to share a video performance of up to 10 minutes and receive constructive written feedback from an MFY Music Mentor. Open to young musicians aged 21 and under, across all genres and experience levels, groups of 2 or more can take part from wherever they are. With the permission of participating groups, performances will also be featured and celebrated on our public channels as part of our Digital Festival showcase, giving young musicians the opportunity to share their music with a wider audience. It's a fantastic way to celebrate your group's achievements and become part of the Music for Youth season, with opportunities to progress to the National Festival and MFY Proms.
2027 REGIONAL FESTIVAL LOCATIONS
Regional Festivals
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This Regional Festival is part of MFY's 'Sounds of Our City' programme; a two-year, cross-city music programme powered by Wembley Stadium Foundation’s Communities Fund, which is supporting young people and organisations across England's UEFA EURO 2028 Host Cities.
Date(s):
13th - 14th March 2027
20th - 21st March 2027
Concert Times:
13th March: 7pm
14th March: 6pm
20th March: 7pm
21st March: 6pm
Rehearsal Times:
In addition to the concert times above, all groups will receive a rehearsal time confirmed by email in January 2027 by MFY. These may be anytime from 10:30 onwards.
Locations:
13- 14th March: Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham
20 - 21st March: Ruddock Hall, Birmingham
Price: Participation in the MFY Birmingham Regional Festival is available for free to all participating groups from the area, as part of MFY’s Sounds of Our City project, powered by Wembley Stadium Foundation’s Communities Fund, -
Dates(s): 5th March 2027
Session Times: 09:30 - 20:00
Location: Truro Methodist Church, 18 Union Place, Truro, TR1 1EP
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
This is one of our Frequencies festivals, aimed at young musicians performing amplified music in genres such as pop, rock, RnB, hip hop, and punk.
Date(s): 6th March 2027
Session Times: 12:00 - 16:00
Location: Redruth Wesley, Higher Forestreet, Redruth, TR15 2EG
Price: £24 (£20 + VAT) -
Date(s): 21st - 22nd March 2027
Session Times:
21st March: 10:30 - 13:00, 14:00 - 16:30, 17:00 - 19:30
22nd March: 09:30 - 12:00, 13:00 - 15:30, 16:00 - 18:30
Location:
Uffculme School, Chapel Hill, Uffculme, Cullompton EX15 3AG
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
Date(s): 13th - 14th March 2027
Session Times:
13th March: 10:00 - 17:00
14th March: 10:00 - 13:00
Location:
Hill House School, 6th Avenue, Auckley, Doncaster, DN9 3GG
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
Date(s): 13th March 2027
Session Times: 10:00 - 17:00
Location: Alec Reed Academy, Bengarth Road, Northolt, Middlesex, UB5 5LQ
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
Date(s): 20th March 2027
Session Times:
10:00 - 18:00
Location: Watford School of Music, 70 Rickmansworth Rd, Watford WD18 7JA
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
Date(s): 20th - 21st March 2027
Session Times:
20th March: 10:30 - 17:00
21st March: 09:30 - 17:00
Location: Colne Valley High School
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
Date(s): 26th February 2027
Session Times: 10:00 - 18:00
Location: The Mick Jagger Centre, Shepherds Ln, Dartford DA1 2JZ
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
Date(s): 5th March 2027
Session Times: 09:30 - 17:30
Location: Peter Hopkins Hall, Springwood High School, Queensway, Kings Lynn, Norfolk. PE30 4AW
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
Date(s): 11th - 13th March 2027
Session Times:
11 March: 09:30 - 12:30; 13:30 - 16:00; 16:30 - 19:00
12 March: 09:30 - 12:30; 13:30 - 16:00; 16:30 - 19:00
13 March: 09:30 - 12:30
Location: Albemarle Music Centre
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
Date(s): 13th March 2027
Session Times: 10:00-12:00, 13:00-15:00, 16:00-18:00
Location: Haven High Academy, Marian Road, Boston, Pe21 9HB
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
This Regional Festival is part of MFY's 'Sounds of Our City' programme; a two-year, cross-city music programme powered by Wembley Stadium Foundation’s Communities Fund, which is supporting young people and organisations across England's UEFA EURO 2028 Host Cities.
Date(s): 20th - 21st March 2027
Session Times:
20th March: 10:00 - 17:00
21st March: 09:00 - 16:00
Location: The Great Hall Cornerstone, Hope University, Shaw Street, Liverpool. L6 1HL
Price: Participation in the MFY Liverpool Regional Festival is available for free to all participating groups from the area, as part of MFY’s Sounds of Our City project, powered by Wembley Stadium Foundation’s Communities Fund -
Date(s): 24th March 2027
Session Times: 13:30 – 15:30, 16:30-18:30
Location: Church of Christ the Cornerstone, 300 Saxon Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 2ES
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
Date(s): 1st March 2027
Session Times: 10:30 - 12:30; 13:15 - 16:30
Location: Norwich Theatre Royal, Theatre St, Norwich NR2 1RL
Price: Participation in the MFY Norfolk & Suffolk Regional Festival is available for free to all participating groups from the area, thanks to support from Norfolk & Suffolk Music Hub. -
Date(s): 13th, 20th - 21st March 2027
Session Times:
13th March: 12:30-21:30
20th March: 13:00-20:30
21st March: 10:30-20:00
Locations:
13th March: Spinney Theatre, Northampton School for Girls
20th-21st March: Cripps Hall Theatre, Northampton School for Boys
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
Date(s): 20th February 2027
Session Times: 09:00 - 18:00
Location: Rochdale Town Hall
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT) -
Date(s): 14th March 2027
Session Times: 10:00 - 17:00
Location: The Platform Faringdon Road Swindon SN1 5BJ
Price: £42 (£35 + VAT)
Local Festivals
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Date(s): 21st March 2027
Location: Cheltenham Town Hall -
Date(s): 15th March 2027
Location: Cheltenham Town Hall -
This Local Festival is part of MFY's 'Sounds of Our City' programme; a two-year, cross-city music programme powered by Wembley Stadium Foundation’s Communities Fund, which is supporting young people and organisations across England's UEFA EURO 2028 Host Cities.
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This Local Festival is part of MFY's 'Sounds of Our City' programme; a two-year, cross-city music programme powered by Wembley Stadium Foundation’s Communities Fund, which is supporting young people and organisations across England's UEFA EURO 2028 Host Cities.
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This Local Festival is part of MFY's 'Sounds of Our City' programme; a two-year, cross-city music programme powered by Wembley Stadium Foundation’s Communities Fund, which is supporting young people and organisations across England's UEFA EURO 2028 Host Cities.
More 2027 Local Festival activity will be listed here soon.
Which MFY Festival experience is right for your group?
Regional Festival
Best for groups that want to perform live, receive feedback and connect with other young musicians
In-person Regional Festivals bring young musicians together from across the UK to perform to a live audience and receive feedback from two MFY Music Mentors. It’s a chance to share your music, experience other performances and take your next musical steps in a supportive environment. All groups will be offered 10 minute performance slots.
Who can take part?
- Open to any groups of two or more with musicians aged 21 and under
- Groups of all experience levels and performance standards are welcome
- Groups of any genre or musical style are welcome
Benefits:
✔ Receive constructive, written and verbal feedback from MFY Music Mentors
✔ Perform onstage to a live audience
✔ Experience other groups’ performances during the day, discover different musical styles and connect with fellow young musicians
✔ Become part of MFY’s annual season. This provides progression opportunities to the National Festival in Birmingham and the MFY Proms at the Royal Albert Hall
Digital Festival
Best for groups that want to take part but can’t attend an event, or have none near them
The Digital Festival is our alternative to an in-person Regional Festival, offering groups the opportunity to share their music and receive feedback without needing to travel to a festival venue.
Simply submit a video of a performance of up to 10 minutes by the annual deadline. An MFY Music Mentor will review your performance and provide constructive written feedback, helping your group reflect on its music-making.
Who can take part?
- Open to any groups of two or more with musicians aged 21 and under
- Groups of all experience levels and performance standards are welcome
- Groups of any genre or musical style
Benefits:
✔ Receive constructive written feedback from an MFY Music Mentor
✔ Record your performance at a time and place that works for your group, before the submission deadline
✔ Have your entry showcased online as part of our Digital Festival
✔ Become part of MFY’s annual season. This provides progression opportunities to the National Festival in Birmingham and the MFY Proms at the Royal Albert Hall
Local Festival
Best for music education organisations and local partners who want to create an in-person festival experience for their own music community
Local Festivals give organisations the opportunity to host an MFY-associated performance event for young musicians in their area. Unlike Regional Festivals, which are open to groups from across different areas, Local Festivals are organised and shaped by the host organisation, which determines the participating groups.
There is no set format. Your event could be a concert, showcase, informal sharing or specially curated performance event, reflecting the needs and ambitions of your local music community.
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A minimum of six groups or 50 young people
At least 90 minutes of music
Participation by young musicians aged 21 or under
Attendance by an MFY Music Mentor (provided by MFY), who gives expert feedback to participating groups
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✔ Shape an event around your organisation, participants and local community, with flexibility over the format and programme
✔ Give young musicians the opportunity to perform in person and receive feedback from an MFY Music Mentor
✔ Connect your local activity to MFY’s wider national programme, with participating groups automatically considered for performances at the MFY National Festival in Birmingham
✔ Become part of MFY’s annual season. This provides progression opportunities to the National Festival in Birmingham and the MFY Proms at the Royal Albert Hall
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To be part of the Local Festival Series, and enabling groups to access a national programme, we are asking organisations to contribute a small fee of £350 per Music Mentor, to be payable to MFY (if your event is no longer than 3 hours, only 1 Music Mentor is required. Anything above 1 session/3 hours would require 2 Music Mentors). We understand that we are in difficult times so if you are unable to contribute towards being part of our network please do let us know and we will aim to support you as much as we can.
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There is no set format, as the events are wholly organised by the local organisation as part of their own activity programme. Organisations submit their events to MFY for inclusion in the MFY Local Festival Network. To be eligible, events must involve a minimum of 6 groups, or 50 young people, and run for a minimum of 90 minutes of music). Local Festivals can include concerts, showcases, informal sharing’s, specially curated performance events involving whole class groups, county wide groups, any kind of music, and any age group up to 21 years.
They can be created specifically for the occasion or can be pre-arranged events already part of an existing annual calendar.
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Local Festivals can be created specifically for the occasion or incorporated into an existing event or annual programme. To discuss whether this option is right for your organisation, contact the MFY Programmes Team via programmes@mfy.org.uk
Book your group into a Regional Festival Series experience
Below you can pick a Regional Festival Series experience, whether an in-person festival, or the Digital Festival. You can also sign up to our waiting list, if your desired festival is fully booked. Please make sure that you have ALL required information to hand before submitting your form as you cannot save your submission.
Entry Deadlines:
In-person Regional Festivals: entries will close on Thursday 3 December 2026
Digital Festival: entries will be accepted until March 15 2027. Video/audio recordings must be submitted at the time of application.
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Group Name (as you wish it to appear on MFY Marketing and Comms)
Town and County
Country
Age range of group
How many young people in group (please note that we do not accept groups of less than 2)?
How many accompanying adults in the group?
Group Genre (e.g. Brass Band, Rap Group, Steel Pans, Folk Duo)
Group Bio
Any access requirements for the group?
How you will likely travel to the venue (optional question)
How did you find out about this event?
Do you accept Recorded Media Consent? Our full policy can be found here: https://www.mfy.org.uk/policies/recorded-media-consent-policy/
Any timing clashes you may be aware of at this stage
If you are signing up to the Digital Festival, you will also be asked the following:
Please provide your audio/video link
Please provide the password if you made your audio/video password protected
Do you consent to MFY sharing this footage publicly as part of our Digital Festival celebrations?
By consenting to MFY sharing this footage publicly, you agree that you have Recorded Media Consent for all people included in the footage and that MFY can upload this footage to a public channel. If you do not have consent, please either blur their image within the film or click 'no'. Your answer to this question does not impact your opportunity for mentor feedback or potential progression in MFY's season
Please note that payment will be required upfront for the 2027 Regional Festival Series, so please have your card details to hand when completing your application.
Frequently Answered Questions
Here you can find more detailed information about what to expect. If you can’t find the answer here, please contact the team by emailing the MFY Programmes Team via programmes@mfy.org.uk.
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The Music for Youth Regional Festivals are a series of local live music festivals designed to inspire musicians at every level of experience, in a supportive environment. They can be either public “Regional Festivals” or private “Local Events”, however both are opportunities for young musicians aged 21 or under, in a group of two or more, to perform and get feedback from our professional Music Mentors. There are progression opportunities within the season between the Regional Festival Series, National Festival, Primary Proms, Frequencies, and the Music for Youth Proms through a carefully considered selection process.
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The Music for Youth Regional Festivals happen in the spring, usually between February and April.
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Applications for the Music for Youth Regional Festivals are open now. You can apply via this page to join an event near you, or submit a recording via the Digital Festival. These are the first events as part of our annual season, and we are planning to welcome 20,000 young musicians to take part in performances across the UK.
Please note that we can only accept applications from groups of 2 or more for young people aged 21 or under.
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Yes, you will receive verbal feedback on the day and written feedback will be sent to you at the beginning of April 2027.
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If no slots are available at your preferred festival, consider signing up for another nearby festival, joining the waitlist for your desired event, or applying for the Digital Festival.
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Participating in a Regional Festival or online via our Digital Festival costs £35 (plus VAT) per group/entry. Frequencies festivals cost £20 (plus VAT) per entry.
Please note that payment will be required upfront, so please have your card details to hand when completing your application.
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For groups who may find this cost prohibitive, we have a subsidy pot available to ensure we reduce as many barriers to participation as possible. This subsidy prioritises financial support, based on evidence of need, to groups that experience challenging circumstances and covers the participation fee for Music for Youth events, which will be reimbursed after you sign up.
Please note the subsidy pot is limited and allocated on a first come first served basis.
You can find more information about our subsidy policy here.
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Unfortunately, refunds are not available for any bookings made for the Regional Festival Series, once your booking has been confirmed by a member of the Music for Youth team. However, if you're unable to attend, we can transfer your entry to our Digital Festival at no additional cost.
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Each group is allocated 10 minutes to perform. Any pieces can be performed and you don’t have to use all of the time if you don’t want to, but you must not go over the 10 minutes.
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For the 2027 MFY Regional Festivals, we are taking payment at point of booking, which guarantees your access to the Regional Festival. Once you’ve booked then you can put it in your diary!
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This is our digital submission platform, to take part in the Music for Youth Regional Festivals if you can’t attend an event, or if there are none near you. Your submission will still get mentored like the rest of our events, and you will still be considered for a performance slot at the National Festival.
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This is available to apply to along with all other festivals. Please submit your recording via the sign up form above.
Your entry can be in either audio or video format, and will need to be uploaded to a site like Youtube, Spotify, Soundcloud or Vimeo. If you choose to make the file password protected, please remember to include the details we will need in order to be able to access it.
The Digital Festival has unlimited spaces available, so there's no cap on the number of applicants. When applying, you must include the link to your audio or video. The application deadline is 15th March, as indicated on the calendar when booking.
Please note that we can only accept applications from groups of 2 or more for young people aged 21 or under.
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For the Digital Festival, recordings will be sent to a Music Mentor and written feedback on your performance will be forwarded to you at the beginning of April. Please note that you will receive feedback on 10 minutes of any submission.
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Please ensure that your submission to the Digital Festival is no longer than 10 minutes.
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Local events are private, invitation-only events, therefore booking is limited. We recommend attending a regional festival, setting up your own local event, or applying via the Digital Festival instead.
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When booking, simply select the festival and date you'd like to attend, and choose an available slot. If you’d like to be placed on a waitlist for another festival, return to the start of the form, select the waitlist option, and complete the sign-up. If a spot opens up at your chosen waitlist festival, we’ll reach out to you if you haven't been allocated a space elsewhere.
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We’re sorry there isn’t a festival close to you. We are currently working with partners across the country to widen our reach. Alternatively, you can apply to run a local festival or submit an entry to the Digital Festival to guarantee your groups involvement in the MFY season. More information about these alternative options will be found on the Regional Festival webpage.