MEWEM receives IMPALA's revamped 2025 Changemaker Award for pioneering mentorship and empowering underrepresented voices in the music industry

28 May 2025 - Press release

IMPALA is pleased to announce the 2025 recipient of its revamped Changemaker Award: MEWEM, a pioneering mentoring programme that supports women and gender minorities, including female, trans, and non-binary talents, encouraging them to become entrepreneurs and to increase representation within the music industry. The programme is currently operated through two national branches, MEWEM Germany, organised by VUT and Initiative Musik, and MEWEM France.
 
Originally founded in Berlin in 2015 by VUT under a different name, MEWEM was launched by FÉLIN in 2018, creating a network that connects emerging professionals with experienced mentors across all areas of the music industry. The programme addresses the challenges of diversity and underrepresentation in leadership roles, while also tackling structural precarity by fostering sustainable careers and long-term professional and personal development. 
 
The project expanded across Europe between 2020 and 2022 with MEWEM Europa, a transnational mentoring programme that built on MEWEM's successes in France and Germany. It created synergies and brought together partners including MIM – Mujeres de la Industria de la Música in Spain (a fellow 2025 Changemaker nominee), WBI – Wallonie-Burxelles International (Belgium), MICA – Music Austria and Raw Music (Romania). MEWEM Europa supported aspiring women entrepreneurs in the music industry through online training platforms and cross-border collaboration. 
 
Dr Birte Wiemann, VUT Chairwoman of the Board commented: "Receiving the IMPALA Changemaker Award is a truly meaningful acknowledgement of MEWEM's dedication to breaking down barriers for women and gender minorities in the music industry. Our journey to becoming a cross-European movement shows how collaboration and mentorship can drive real systemic change."
 
Hélène Larrouturou, Director General of MEWEM France added: "This award recognises not only MEWEM's commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion but also the shared vision of our European partners. Through mentoring and training, we are empowering the next generation of industry leaders to shape a more inclusive and sustainable music ecosystem."
 
Nastasja Prévost, IMPALA EDI Taskforce Coordinator concluded: "MEWEM exemplifies the kind of transformative impact our Changemaker Award was created to celebrate. By connecting professionals across the sector and opening new pathways to leadership roles in music, MEWEM is leading the way in building a fairer and more representative industry."
 
Find more info here about MEWEM Germany and MEWEM France.