MIME Conference 2025 unites music leader to bridge the gap between education and industry
29 October 2025 - Press releaseAs the UK prepares to launch its new National Centre for Arts and Music Education,
the Music Industry + Music Education (MIME) Conference will explore music policy and accreditation, plus resources and opportunities for the next generation of music professionals.
Leading figures from across the UK music and education sectors will gather at Band on the Wall in Manchester on Saturday 22nd November for the sixth edition of the Music Industry + Music Education (MIME) Conference, curated and presented by the Pathways Into Music Foundation, led by CMU founder, Chris Cooke, and artist manager and music business educator, Phil Nelson.
Taking place at a pivotal time for music education and policy, this year’s event will explore how the UK can create clearer routes into sustainable music careers, both on stage and behind the scenes. Acting as a bridge between schools, colleges, universities, music education hubs, talent development organisations and the wider music industry, the event provides a platform for discussion, collaboration and action.
At the conference, Pathways Into Music will also release two new guides designed to make it easier for educators and businesses to support emerging talent:
- A comprehensive guide to music qualifications and accreditations – mapping all recognised programmes from GCSE, A-Level, and BTEC to FE, HE, industry and informal routes.
- A guide to apprenticeships, internships, work placements and mentoring – offering definitions, legal / government guidance, and best practice recommendations for music companies.
Aligning national strategy with industry reality
This year’s conference follows the UK Government’s commitment to establish a National Centre for Arts and Music Education, which will support creative education in schools, including by sign-posting careers guidance and opportunities. Building on this momentum, MIME 2025 will delve into four key themes shaping the future of music education and professional development in the UK:
- Policy and funding: with Bridget Whyte, CEO of Music Mark, the national membership organisation championing musical learning in and out of schools, discussing how government and regional networks can work together to create lasting change.
- Accreditation in music: A comprehensive mapping and review of qualifications and certifications in music and music business, followed by an expert-led discussion on how the current system should evolve to meet the industry’s changing needs.
- Music career resources: An update from Pathways Into Music on its ongoing project to identify, verify and signpost reliable career resources for aspiring music professionals.
- Placements, internships, apprenticeships and mentoring: Practical advice on how independent music businesses can support future industry talent, with expert insights from Nina Radojewski, Head of Membership at the Association Of Independent Music, and creative strategist and researcher Kate McBain, who has co-authored pioneering research for Youth Music.
Phil Nelson, Co-Director of Pathways Into Music, said:
“Having a thriving UK music industry in the next ten years depends on supporting new talent today, both music creators and those who aspire to work in the industry. Music educators in schools, colleges and universities, as well as education hubs and talent development organisations, play a crucial role in providing that support. At MIME we look at how we can ensure music education is properly sign-posting the various pathways into music, and what role the music industry and government needs to play”
New advisory board drives Pathways Into Music’s next phase
The MIME Conference builds on a successful year for the Pathways Into Music Foundation, which recently appointed its first advisory board of twelve leading industry figures, including Charlotte Dryden (CEO, Oh Yeah Music Centre), Laura Erinle (Head of Education & Membership, Music Managers Forum), booking agent Matt Hanner, artist manager Sumit Bothra and music lawyer Nick Eziefula.
Alongside MIME, the Foundation continues to expand its Educator Pathway Programme, an Arts Council England-funded CPD initiative for teachers, tutors and lecturers; Artist Pathway Programme, providing practical advice and workshops for independent artists; its Mapping Research that helps people navigate and understand the music industry, music education and music careers; and the Knowledge Bank, a comprehensive music careers resource hub for educators and those embarking on a career in music.
Running alongside Un-Convention, the PPL Annual Performer Meeting and the PRS Foundation Talent Development Network gathering, MIME strengthens Manchester’s growing role as a hub for collaboration across music education and the music industry.
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