Our award-winning music series, curated with We Are Scotland, has created a pathway for new talent looking to get into Scotland's music industry
The acclaimed AMPLIFI series at The Queen's Hall has launched a forward-thinking pilot mentorship programme designed to create meaningful pathways into the music industry for emerging professionals from underrepresented communities.
The AMPLIFI Assistant Curator & Events Coordinator position will offer a 6-month paid placement working directly with the series' guest curators, Arusa Qureshi and Halina Rifai. This initiative aims to provide hands-on experience in music curation, event production, and industry networking while fostering fresh perspectives in Scotland's music communities.
Guest Curator, Arusa Qureshi said: "The purpose of the AMPLIFI series is to draw attention to incredible up-and-coming artists in Scotland, who we believe make the wider music landscape so much richer and more vibrant. We're now excited to be able to support someone newly coming into the industry who might be interested in gaining some behind-the-scenes knowledge and learning around the whole process, so that they too can hopefully contribute to making the future of the Scottish music scene as diverse and exciting as ever."
The selected mentee will receive:
- £1,700 compensation for the season (based on Scottish Artist Union rates for New Graduate Artists)
- 20 hours of dedicated paid mentoring sessions with industry professionals
- Hands-on experience at all AMPLIFI events, including research, planning, and event day activities
- Professional development in curation, production, and marketing
- Weekly check-ins with existing guest curators Halina Rifai and Arusa Qureshi
- Networking opportunities with wider music industry contacts
- 10 hours of therapeutic support through We Are Here Scotland's Creative Balance project
- End-of-programme evaluation and career development planning
The Queen's Hall Chief Executive, Emma Mortimore, said: "It has been such a fulfilling experience partnering with Halina and Arusa to bring a talented array of upcoming artists to The Queen's Hall and seeing them go from strength to strength on the Scottish music scene. This exciting new initiative offers a great opportunity for both a young person looking to get into the industry and the future of AMPLIFI. We couldn't have done this without the City of Edinburgh Council and are grateful for the support they have shown us since the programme began."
The initiative is supported by the City of Edinburgh Council, with additional wellbeing support provided through We Are Here Scotland's Creative Balance research project exploring mental health and wellbeing within Scotland's Black and Global Majority creative industries.
The AMPLIFI series, a collaboration between The Queen's Hall and We Are Here Scotland, has established itself as a vital platform for showcasing the sounds of modern Scotland. The series was recently recognised with the Creative Edinburgh 'Inclusion' Award for its work in amplifying new and rising artists in an intimate setting designed to put them centre stage. Early funding was given by Creative Scotland, who are now supporting AMPLIFI shows in The Queen's Hall's main auditorium, with ongoing support from the City of Edinburgh Council for curation and mentoring.
Applications for the mentorship position are now open, with the programme scheduled to begin in June 2025.
Deadline for applications is Friday 23rd May 5pm.