With autumn now in full swing, this month promises opportunities for a wide array of music creators. From PRS’s dedicated day-long event for composers in Manchester through to the return of Help Musicians’ career-boosting mentoring scheme, there’s plenty to get stuck in to in October.
Here’s five opportunities for songwriters to check out this month.
Sign up to attend PRS Composers’ Day
Taking place at Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music, this free event will see members of the classical music community have the chance to connect and soak up an insightful programme of panel talks and networking sessions.
Topics set to be covered include orchestra and ensemble programming, making music locally and knowing your rights. Members of the local music industry will also be in attendance, including established names as The Halle Orchestra, Riot Ensemble and Manchester Camerata.
PRS members interested in attending PRS Composers’ Day, which will take place on 31 October, are invited to find the full schedule and sign up.
Join Help Musicians’ Co-Pilot network as a mentee
Through every phase of your development as a music creator, having an external presence to lean on for advice and guidance can be crucial. Joining Help Musicians’ Co-Pilot mentoring network can offer you precisely that, as it matches its mentees with experienced industry professionals whose vital expertise could help you take that next big step in your creative journey.
As a mentee, you’ll be in line to receive eight hours of free one-to-one online mentoring, access to further online sessions delivered by expert practitioners as well as online resources (including the Co-Pilot digital guidebook), induction videos and signposting to further Help Musicians support.
Find out more information about Co-Pilot: the Musicians’ Mentoring Network, including how to apply to be either a mentee or a mentor, and be sure to submit your application before the 5pm deadline on 10 October.
Apply to play at The Great Escape 2026
It might feel like a lifetime away, but now is actually a great time to be mapping out your live plans for next year. A whole raft of UK and international festivals are now accepting applications for their 2026 editions — we’ve compiled a whole list of them here, including application deadlines.
One such festival that is currently accepting applications is Brighton’s The Great Escape (pictured). Every May, the multi-format event showcases cutting-edge talent across the genre spectrum as hundreds, if not thousands, of artists and industry professionals descend on the south coast. As well as these well-attended showcases, TGE has also a world-class conference element featuring panels, workshops and networking sessions.
There’s no fee to apply to play at The Great Escape 2026, with applications remaining open here until 15 February 2026. If selected, you’ll be contacted directly by the festival by 31 March 2026.
Access funding from PRS Members’ Fund’s Winter Relief Scheme
Winter can be a particularly challenging time of year for songwriters working within the music industry. With that in mind, PRS Members’ Fund is once again running its Winter Relief Scheme, offering vital financial support to PRS members who may be facing hardship or financial struggles this winter.
Up to £1700 in funding will be on offer to each successful eligible applicant, with the funding designed to assist members with such things as rising household bills and the cost of living crisis. In addition to this financial assistance, the Fund say they are also seeking to provide a ‘compassionate response to those struggling with mental and emotional strains, helping to ease the burden and create space for recovery and continued creativity’.
If you need that extra bit of support beyond the music, then you can head to the Members’ Fund website to find out more. The scheme itself runs until the end of March 2026.
Enter your work in the Folk Album of the Year Award
Entries are now open for the first ever edition of the Folk Album of the Year Award. Launched with the intention of celebrating folk, roots and acoustic music across the UK and Ireland, this award will specifically shine a light on eight acclaimed albums that have been released in 2025.
The competition hopes to showcase the breadth and diversity of the folk scene by celebrating albums that showcase originality, artistic quality and an overarching cultural impact. The overall winner will be announced at the inaugural awards ceremony at Rochdale Town Hall in March 2026.
As well as standalone songwriters, representatives including labels and publishers can also enter the award on your behalf. The deadline for applications — which each submission costing £60 (all income will go towards running the overall project and supporting the live event) — closes on 31 October.
