Projects

Sparking inspiration across Yorkshire with exciting new electronic work created by women and gender-diverse artists. Five commissions will be presented in West Yorkshire in spring 2026.

Changing Gear is our professional development programme offering emerging music creators in Yorkshire and the Humber commissions, equipment and support to make exciting new works, taking creative risks and learning new skills.

We Turn Tables offers women and minority gender people the chance to try out and develop their skills in DJing. We are currently running workshops in Calderdale.

YSWN works with music and sound industry employers to challenge and change the gender gap. Supported by funding from Youth Music, we partnered with five audio companies to offer paid training placements for women and minority gender people aged 18–25.

A campaign celebrating women and minority gendered people in audio, sharing the positive things our communities have achieved and experienced – as well as offering tips on how the industry can improve.

Our flagship education project enabling girls and young people of minority genders to experience music technology through hands-on activities, while also combatting gender bias in music education.

Improving women’s access to music technology by empowering the development of grassroots feminist collectives across Yorkshire. An ambitious programme that includes mentoring, skill-sharing and artistic activities to tackle structural inequalities and sustain YSWN’s growth for the future.

We partnered with Screen Industries Growth Network (SIGN) to offer two online courses in working with audio technology and the moving image. The eight-week courses at beginner and more experienced level covered sound and video editing as well as career and industry advice.

Six early-career women and gender-minority composers had the chance to develop new works using state-of-the-art electronic music studio facilities at the University of Huddersfield and University of Hull. Specialist mentoring and support and high-profile performance opportunities accompanied each residency.

An eight-episode podcast series where host Caro C chats to a range of women and gender minority audio professionals. Covering everything from film location recording to DIY electronics, whatever your level of experience with music technology, you’re welcome to join Audio Club!

Keeping the YSWN community connected and inspired during lockdown, this series of 12 monthly online seminars mixed skills-boosting sessions with artists sharing the secrets of their creative practice. Speakers featured included Supriya Nagarajan, Kelly Jayne Jones, Mariam Rezaei and Sarah Angliss.

A free six-week online course for ages 11-16 exploring recording, sound editing and the creation of geolocated soundwalks. Delivered in partnership with Lawrence Batley Theatre and the Our Biennale youth cultural festival.

Reaching the next generation of women working with music technology through after-school clubs, outreach workshops and placements. Hands-on activities delivered in person and online nurtured new skills, experience and enjoyment.

Three varied and original artistic projects devised and delivered by YSWN-affiliated regional groups in Sheffield, Huddersfield and Calderdale. From concerts and sound art installations to DJ workshops, the projects were shaped by each group’s identity.

A series of three themed day-long events in Huddersfield, Bradford and Leeds combining practical workshops, careers talks and advice from leading industry professionals, aimed at all women and people of minority genders with an interest in audio.

YSWN established three paid trainee opportunities for young women aged 19-25 years old who were resident in Kirklees, offering valuable hands-on work experience with recording studios and music venues in West Yorkshire.

To coincide with an exhibition by Mark Fell, YSWN collaborated with Focal Point Gallery and creative producers Metal on a musicians’ residency. Two freelance YSWN Associates gave workshops and created new sound works and a performance.

YSWN partnered with music charity Sound And Music to deliver an electronic music production summer school through a series of innovative free workshops, offering girls, women and non-binary people aged 11-22 hands-on learning in areas including sound design, DJing and making electronic instruments.

YSWN researched and produced its own industry-facing advocacy tools highlighting gender disparity in audio. We surveyed music studios in Yorkshire and produced an infographics document and video on inequality in the sector, including recommendations and calls to action that have informed our subsequent work.