UD & TRENCH headed to Leeds for Launchpad’s annual event—an essential day of panels, workshops, presentations, and networking designed to support the music sector across Yorkshire and beyond.
UD hosted a panel focused on community building within DIY culture for creatives and musicians, powered by music platform TRENCH. The conversation, led by Laura ‘Hyperfrank’ Brosnan, explored how to independently grow online and offline networks.
Joining Laura on the panel were:
- Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson, Editor-in-Chief at Complex UK
- Malika Ferguson, acclaimed singer-songwriter and founder of Sounds Write
- Dom Heslop, founder of grassroots platform Slambarz
Together, they unpacked how to curate your audience, harness new creative ideas, and redefine what music community looks like in 2025.
Some points to take away from the panel:
What does ‘community’ mean to you?
Are you curating an audience—or building an engaged community? There’s a difference. An audience is a group of listeners. A community is a collective of people with shared attitudes, values, and interests.
Share your art.
Make sure your work is visible and accessible. Let people experience what you have to offer.
Collaborate with like-minded people.
Work with those who align with your values. Tap into each other’s networks to grow together and amplify your message.
Network horizontally, not just vertically.
Growing with your peers, those on a similar level, builds sustainable, long-term communities. Relying solely on networking with those that are larger than you (with people who have bigger platforms or more industry status) can dilute your values and distance you from your core audience. Vertical connections can still be useful but they shouldn’t be your main focus.
Know your ethos.
Dom from Slambarz emphasised the importance of being present and listening to your community. Instead of copying what other organisations or people are doing, he focuses on what his community actually needs, listening and connecting dots, not just ticking boxes.
Prioritise engagement over numbers.
Don’t get distracted by stats, followers, or views. Focusing on connection and real feedback, both online and offline, is what truly drives community and creative growth.
Use the support that’s out there.
Malika highlighted the importance of accessing resources and organisations that support artists, both locally and nationally. These include: PRS, PRS Foundation, UD, Launchpad, PPL, Youth Music, Musicians’ Union, Arts Council England and more.
On funding: don’t be discouraged.
If your application doesn’t get accepted the first time, that’s completely normal. Ask for feedback, rework your pitch, and apply again. There’s support available.
One door opens another.
Opportunities often lead to more opportunities. Even if a moment doesn’t result in a big award or viral hit, it can be the connection that sparks something even greater.
Be authentic.
Authenticity looks different for everyone, but the key is to understand your values, know your goals, and stay transparent. Let those values guide your decisions and keep them at the heart of everything you do.
Be intentional with social media.
Don’t spread yourself too thin trying to be on every platform. Instead, understand your community: where do they spend time, how do they communicate, and what kind of content resonates with them? Do your research. Match that with how you like to communicate. That overlap is where your energy is best spent. It’s not about being everywhere—it’s about being effective where it counts.
Watch some of the highlights from Launchpad Music Conference 2025, filmed by leeds beckett students…
Thanks to our panel, the Launchpad team & everyone who attended the panel and got involved. Keep an eye on Launchpad’s work HERE or visit their official website for the latest opportunities.
