Abi is a music producer, studio and live sound engineer whose work has been featured on Spotify editorial playlists and BBC Introducing. She’s the audio editor for violinist Joel Sunny, a social media musician, with close to a combined 2 million followers on Tik Tok and Instagram.

In Leeds, Abi is currently working at the Howard Assembly Room. Responsible for taking on positions from backline tech to lighting and sound engineer. Freelancing, she has previously taken on contracts with Opera North, Leeds 2023 and Giles Peterson’s We Out Here Festival.

Motivated to nurture young talent, she’s run studio engineering workshops for marginalised groups, with her previously Launchpad-supported project Not The Girlfriend (now @fortherecord_uk) at Eiger Studios, where she freelances as an engineer.

Abi is also a part of the most recent cohort of the Music Leader’s Network. During this programme, she engaged in peer-to-peer mentoring with women from organisations such as the MPG, AIM Ireland and Polydor Records. Discussions revolved around possible issues that women could face in the music industry, issues they do face, and how best these should be handled to make long-lasting change. 

Scott is the Director of Woodwork Music Agency. Scott’s obsession with music, film and TV blossomed from an early age in a household filled with family singalongs, performances and movie nights. After high school Scott pursued these interests touring around Europe as a musician and sound engineer in bands, whilst working part time in video and music stores back home. This passion and experience lead him to pursue a degree in music production and introduced him to the world of music synchronisation. He began his career at Woodwork via an internship in 2014 and his knowledge and enthusiasm for music and film soon lead to a permanent position. He quickly worked his way up within the company and in early 2020 took ownership of the existing music agency. Scott’s experience includes licensing music into major advertising campaigns for brands such as Heinz, Pandora and O2 as well as hit TV series Dark and Cowboy Bebop, critically acclaimed films by Ben Wheatley and Jessica Hynes and video games including the Pro Evolution Soccer franchise. Scott is currently writing, performing and producing in the experimental Manchester based band Mandy, Indiana. In their short existence the band have already received praise from the likes of Pitchfork, NME and The Fader, earned several high profile fans including Sleaford Mods and Daniel Avery and have performed with The Horrors, Squid and Wet Leg.

Emily Marlow (she/her) is a creative producer and programmer, based in the North of England, working across music, art and film events and projects. With a special focus on equity, diversity and inclusion, Emily is passionate about supporting local creative communities and platforming marginalised people through her work.As part of the Music Local team, Emily leads the events programme, delivering conferences, gigs, workshops and industry socials to connect, inspire and empower people working in music across Yorkshire.Previously, Emily has been part of the Come Play With Me team, as their Diversity Projects Coordinator, was a founding member of Girl Gang Leeds, a non-profit set up to create fun, safe and empowering spaces for women and people of marginalised genders, and has worked with freelance clients such as Leeds 2023, Sheaf St and Wow Festival.

Stewart is a self-taught musician, composer, photographer and designer from Hull who alongside a lifetime playing music and running events, has ran a record label and studio, produced and mentored hundreds of artists, been a creative director across many releases, and set up the international music industry conference 53 Degrees North.

Stewart is the drummer for Hull band LIFE who’s self-released debut was awarded Album Of The Year on BBC Radio 1. Their second LP A Picture Of Good Health was BBC 6 Music’s Album Of The Day, BBC Radio 1’s Album Of The Weekend and was one of BBC 6Music's Albums of The Year; all four singles from the album were play-listed at 6Music. In France the band appeared on national TV - Arte - alongside Primal Scream & IDLES for Jehnny Beth's ECHOES show.

Stewart has recently released a podcast ‘Keep Talking’ tackling issues of a locked down music industry and encouraging artists to discuss music and mental health. He continues to work within artist development and is an advocate for the FAC - The Artists Voice.

Chris Sharkey is a musician from the North-East of England. Based in Leeds since 1999, Chris has dedicated the last 20 years to making forward-thinking new music that blurs boundaries between improvisation, production, composition and the associated genres of these often separated fields. He is an active national and international artist, performing with Charles Hayward (This Heat) , Jack Wylie (Portico Quartet), Roller Trio, Anton Eger’s Æ, Joshua Blackmore’s SiZE, Acoustic Ladyland, trioVD, Shiver, The Geordie Approach, and as a solo artist. Chris is a also a producer and has recorded, mixed, remixed and mastered music for for Keeley Forsyth, Matthew Bourne, Seb Rochford, Oliver Coates ACV, Mole, Taupe, Troyka, World Service Project, trioVD, Shiver, Beyond Albedo, Session Fries, Lara Jones, J Frisco, The Geordie Approach, Roller Trio, The Orchid and The Wasp and more. His areas of interest are improvisation, composition, integration of electronics/ processing in live performance (hardware + software), recording and production, collaborative projects, artistic practice, learning & participation, group improvisation / conduction, cultivating innovation. Chris is a Senior Lecturer at Leeds Conservatoire specialising in jazz guitar, ensemble studies and performance with electronics. He is also Jazz Guitar Professor at London Performing Academy of Music (LPMAM) and a Guest Lecturer at NYJO Jazz Exchange & Aldeburgh Young Musicians.

Simon works with Amnesty international on various projects as part of his role as an ambassador. He supports Leeds United, is president of the Leeds United Trust and produces about podcast about the team.

Simon Rix has been in Kaiser Chiefs since they began in 2003. Throughout their career Kaiser Chiefs have achieved two number one albums, a number one single, and countless top ten credits. The band have achieved many accolades including 3 Brit awards and a prestigious Ivor Novello for debut album Employment. Before that he was involved in the Leeds Music Scene working in various bars and venues in the city as well as playing in other local bands. Since 2003 as well as Kaiser Chiefs. Simon has released records by other musicians via his label Chewing Gum records and more recently with Launchpad Plus. He now manages and mentors a number of emerging acts including Youth Sector and Treeboy Arc under his management company, Holy Moly.

Simon works with Amnesty international on various projects as part of his role as an ambassador. He supports Leeds United, is president of the Leeds United Trust and produces about podcast about the team.

Lucy is a Creative Producer and accredited Coach based in Manchester, specialising in live events and artist development across the jazz and improvised music sector.

Current roles include Festival Director at Lancaster Jazz Festival, an annual five day festival taking place in September, and as Network Manager for the Jazz Promotion Network, a network bringing together everyone working in the jazz sector across the UK and Ireland. Lucy has previously worked as Programmes Manager for Jazz North and Festival Manager of Manchester Jazz Festival.

As a freelance consultant, Lucy has worked with organisations such as Edition Records, Matt and Phreds, Attitude is Everything and Walk The Plank.

As well as the specialist subjects listed below, Lucy is able to advise on portfolio/freelance careers and work/life balance challenges.

Lucy is an accredited coach and a trained mental health first aider.

Lins Wilson is a music creator, sound designer and project producer. Her experience working in the creative industries over almost two decades has taken her to places far and wide - from performing at SXSW to supporting The Pixies; producing music video sets for Nicki Minaj and Corinne Bailey Rae to theatre shows at The Barbican; fundraising, booking and self-releasing as psychy-alt-rock band Magick Mountain, to creating cello-led soundscapes for installations as Buffalo Sound Design, plus composing as a solo cellist.

She has played a huge amount of live and recorded sessions (including performing at the Brudenell Social Club in 10 different bands!) and secured funds for her own work including Help Musicians, Arts Council (DYCP + Project Grants), Francis Chagrin Award and ReBalance. Lins has also supported other artists to successfully apply for funding.

Having been described as a ‘cultural-polymath’, Lins is hugely passionate about creating and connecting people through music and culture. She does this via current roles as Project Operations Manager / Lead Mentor for Music Local / Launchpad and mentoring for Mastered's Music Skills Bootcamp. Lins is keen to impart knowledge and support early stage artists, especially those from Yorkshire/the North/ marginalised backgrounds. She is always working away at developing new music, projects and performances, and being mum to Iggy.