Universal Production Music teams up with Launchpad and Leeds Beckett University for Leeds Songwriting & Production Camp
SUCCESSFUL THREE-DAY EVENT BROUGHT TOGETHER EMERGING ARTISTS AND STUDENTS TO WRITE AND PRODUCE ORIGINAL MUSIC
Universal Production Music has joined forces with artist development organisation Launchpad and Leeds Beckett University’s School of Arts, having recently hosted a collaborative Songwriting & Production Camp in Leeds on 15th-17th September 2026.
Held across three days at the university’s School of Arts studios, the camp provided emerging artists and university students with the opportunity to work together and gain invaluable experience in songwriting for a major production music library.
A group of 25 Leeds Beckett students and artists supported by Launchpad was split into five writing teams of five people, who were given three creative briefs from Universal Production Music. Over the course of the three days, the teams wrote and produced more than 25 original songs across a range of genres including rock, indie alt-pop and pop soul, with the strongest tracks selected for inclusion in the Universal Production Music library.
Under the supervision and guidance of experienced songwriters, lecturers and industry figures, the camp offered university students the unique opportunity to get firsthand experience of a real commercial songwriting brief, while giving Launchpad-supported artists a chance to collaborate, develop new material, and get original music placed with a major production music library.
Demonstrating the clear value in bringing industry, education and artist communities together, while also highlighting the creative talent coming through in Leeds and across Yorkshire, the success of the camp has laid the foundations for a lasting partnership, with Universal Production Music, Launchpad and Leeds Beckett University already discussing the potential for further collaborations in future.
Danny West - Producer, Universal Production Music:
“Empowering emerging production music writers is crucial for the future of our catalog. Leeds Beckett and Launchpad are uniquely positioned at the heart of creative development to make these opportunities possible, and we’re excited to build on this success moving forward.”
Carl Flattery - Course Director, Music Performance & Production and Music Business, Leeds Beckett University:
“This project perfectly reflects the kind of learning experiences we strive to create in the Leeds School of Arts. By working alongside Launchpad artists on live briefs from Universal Production Music, our students were able to collaborate, create and problem-solve on a genuine industry project. The camp challenged them to deliver work to industry standards while developing the teamwork, communication and creative skills that are essential for successful careers in music and the wider creative industries. It also provided a valuable opportunity to build professional networks within the Yorkshire music scene and across the wider UK industry.”
whiskas - Director, Launchpad:
“We know from talking to our artist community that opportunities to collaborate are incredibly important and vital for supporting their creative development. To be able to bring a selection of those artists together and pair them with future talent in the students at Leeds Beckett, and work on live industry briefs from Universal Production Music has been a brilliant opportunity.”