BBC Introducing partners with North-East music leaders to boost region’s performers…
BBC Introducing has partnered with The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, The Fire Station, Tees Music Alliance, Middlesbrough Town Hall, and Generator to create new opportunities for North East artists.
Kelly Betts, Editor from BBC Introducing:
“The music scene in the North East is hugely exciting and this partnership is our commitment to the artists. We’re creating steps from grassroots to national stages together from initiatives like Generates’ First Notes, showcases at The Glasshouse & The Fire Station to festival performances at Stockton Calling and one day maybe even Glastonbury!”
The new partnership will provide regional musicians with opportunities to perform at live gigs, access to artist development, and content creation for the BBC Introducing network. The partnership marks a milestone for the North East, becoming the first region-wide effort between BBC Introducing and multiple venues and music organisations to showcase emerging talent.
A ‘BBC Introducing from The Glasshouse’ gig series, will kick off on April 16, and will feature three regional artists in a ‘Pay What You Decide’ format. Each performance will be filmed and uploaded to YouTube, with opportunities for the tracks to be shared across the BBC Introducing network. The first show will spotlight Lizzie Esau, a rising star with support from BBC Radio 1’s Greg James and notable performances at Glastonbury and BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend.
Additionally, BBC Introducing will feature at the popular Stockton Calling festival, with its own stage providing exposure for even more up-and-coming artists. Past performers at the festival have included Sam Fender, Self Esteem, and Blossoms.
This partnership builds on the Beeb’s commitment to regional growth. Since signing a landmark MOU in 2021 with 12 local authorities and 3 mayoral authorities across the North East, the BBC has pledged at least £25m in funding for talent development and creative sector support. By 2026, it is set to exceed that target, having contributed £18.6m in value to the region and created 293 local jobs as at August 2024.
The North East continues to be a hub of corporation creativity, from local news services like BBC Wear to productions like The Dumping Ground and Smoggie Queens. In 2024, BBC Proms also returned to The Glasshouse in Gateshead, further cementing the region’s cultural significance. Through this partnership, BBC Introducing is opening up more doors for North East artists, helping them reach new audiences and find their place in the national music scene.
There will also be opportunities for young creatives from the BBC trainee programmes to contribute to the new partnership, as curators, content creators as hosts of BBC Introducing stages and content in the region.
