With summer sadly starting to fade into the distance, September marks a fine time to refocus and go again. This month holds plenty of opportunities for songwriters of all levels to get stuck in to, from the latest funding options from PRS Foundation through to cutting-edge music industry conferences and songwriting camps.
Once again, we’ve rounded up five unmissable openings for you to check out below.
Attend Output Belfast for free
Ireland’s largest one-day music conference and showcase returns to Belfast this month. Featuring over 30 workshops, masterclasses and panels, this year's Output programme has been specially curated to equip the Northern Irish music community with a host of career-boosting skills. Themes and topics that are set to be discussed are writing and performing, business skills around management and marketing, and the importance of cultivating industry connections.
There will also be a wealth of industry leaders speaking throughout the day. Look out for a keynote talk with PRS Members’ Council President Crispin Hunt, as well as Ivors Academy Chair Tom Gray and Musicians’ Union General Secretary Naomi Pohl.
Output Belfast 2025 will take place on 25 September at Oh Yeah Centre in the city's Cathedral Quarter, and it's free to attend — find out more about Output here.
Apply for PRS Foundation’s Beyond Borders initiative
Established in 2010 to stimulate and strengthen cross-border collaborations between composers, performance groups and music organisations from across the UK and Ireland, Beyond Borders is PRS Foundation's specialist co-commissioning and touring programme.
Grants of up to £20,000 are available to help support music projects that include new commissions, recordings and repeat performances of music written in the past five years. Funding is typically offered to up to 10 projects per year, with PRSF advising that it favours projects which 'represent innovation and quality within its music, programming and performances', as well as demonstrating the 'strength and depth of collaboration between cross-border organisations, ensembles and/or bands'.
If you want to apply for funding from the Beyond Borders programme, you can submit your application here before 6pm on 15 September.
Sign up for the Anti Social songwriting camp
From finding your creative spark to making that next special collaborative connection, writing camps can be invaluable when it comes to making a big breakthrough with your songwriting.
Billed as 'the biggest songwriting camp in the world', the US-based Anti Social Camp are hopping over the pond in November to host their next multi-day event at Tileyard London, packing in an array of recording sessions, showcases and parties. Previous Anti Social Camp alumni include Nile Rodgers, Moby and Jacob Collier, outlining the impressive reach the organisation has built up.
The camp is free to attend for songwriters, artists and producers who can travel to and be in London between 3-7 November. You need to successfully apply to join the camp, however — submissions will close here on 15 September.
Enter your music for a chance to win the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award
An unmissable opportunity for rising jazz artists, applications for the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award are now open — offering the overall winner a £5000 prize to support and further their work.
Established in 1990 to champion emerging jazz artists or groups 'with the creativity and ambition to build a career in music', a further £5000 will be distributed between applicants who can demonstrate their potential to make an impact in the scene. These musicians and the overall winner will also receive one-to-one business advice that's 'tailored to your needs' and delivered via experienced music industry professionals.
Supported by Help Musicians, applications for the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award will close at 5pm on 12 September. You can apply and read the full eligibility guidelines here.
Join the Sound Roots Artist Mentoring Pathway
Founded in 2018, the Sound Roots Artist Mentoring Pathway equips emerging folk, roots and acoustic musicians with the skills, networks and experience to take that next step forward in their careers. Spanning a 12-month period, this intensive pathway is designed to support early career-stage artists, helping you demystify the international music industry and develop your professional network and profile.
Previous mentee Katherine Priddy said the pathway was invaluable: 'It gave me access to the support, tools and community I needed to take the next step in my music career and release my debut album. Prior to the programme, I struggled with confidence and felt easily intimidated by professional situations and those I met in the industry... By matching me up with an incredible mentor, who I was able to build a great relationship with, as well as giving me access to a wealth of contacts and experience, I felt well-equipped and supported. I have come out of the programme feeling much more confident in myself and my ability to navigate the industry moving forwards.'
If you're interested in joining the pathway's 2026/27 cohort, you can do so here — applications close at 11:59pm on 28 September.
