A music programme in Derry has been giving young people the chance to pursue their music goals for the past 16 years.
The Nerve Centre's Music Hothouse project is led by industry professionals, and has given many musicians in the city a start in their careers.
Participants are given the opportunity to create their own musical creations after being shown the ropes in music creation, performance, and recording workshops.
Those involved also get the chance to create an original track, which will be released online through the centre's Soundcloud.
Running from July 5 - 9, it's ideally suited to those aged between 11 and 18, with registration open to those living in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The Nerve Centre is Northern Ireland's leading creative media arts centre. Established in Derry in 1990, its aim was to provide a creative outlet for youth culture and the many young people who feel excluded from the arts sector.
The centre's Head of Music, Martin McGill, said the Music Hothouse programme is a "creative catalyst" for young people across Northern Ireland.
He continued: "The programme has been delivering professional, industry linked music creation and performance development to hundreds of young musicians for over 15 years.
"Alumni have been bossing the NI Music Awards - live artist, album, breakthrough and singles categories for the last few years showing that music as a creative career can be a reality."
We caught up with some past participants of the Music Hothouse who have gone on to scale musical heights in the years since.
Hannah Richardson
The lead singer and guitarist of Cherym got her start at the Nerve Centre's Music Hothouse back in 2013.
It gave her the opportunity, at the age of 15, to play the last ever Glasgowbury Music Festival in Draperstown as part of their showcase gig.
Eight years on, the pop-punk trio have a record deal and have received widespread support from BBC Radio 1, X Radio, BBC Radio 6, and have performed at festivals such as Electric Picnic.
Of her experience on the Music Hothouse programme, Hannah said: "It helped me to understand how playing with other musicians can expand your musical knowledge, helped me get a better grasp on my songwriting ability at the time, and only made me more passionate about perusing music as a full time job.
"Listening to the likes of Glenn Rosborough, Paddy Nash and Rory O Doherty speak about gigging, songwriting, and rehearsing made me realise that being a full time musician was, and is very possible."
Roisin Donald
The multi-instrumentalist, best known by stage name ROE, said the Music Hothouse programme was a "massive part of what made me want to become a musician."
In the years since, she has went on to play at Glastonbury and supported world-class musicians such as Snow Patrol, Kodaline, and Robbie Williams on tour.
Speaking to MyDerry about her experience on the Nerve Centre's programme, she said: "The opportunity to work with professionals and other young people wanting to get into music was such a fun and necessary experience for me when it came to figuring out what I wanted. It’s such an important programme and I’ll always be grateful to have been involved because it’s was the start of a career that I love."
Paul Connolly
Best known as the lead singer of Derry band The Wood Burning Savages, Paul said the Hothouse programme is "close to my heart."
The group recently beat the likes of Snow Patrol to win the NI Music Prize for Album of the Year, and also took home the Best Northern Irish Live Act award, with BBC Radio 6 Music’s Tom Robinson describing Paul as “one of the next generation’s great rock frontmen.”
Recalling his experience on the Music Hothouse programme, and many others at the Nerve Centre he attended as a teenager, Paul said: "Years later as a touring musician it’s always great fun to act as a tutor on this project and help young people channel their immense creativity into creating their own songs and playing live.
"This project equips young people with the ability to express themselves, work together as part of a group and at its core it’s a great way for our participants to have fun and make new friends with other students, all are welcome and very often the music they create celebrates them.
"So in a city like Derry which has a history of being hugely underfunded and very often overlooked by government, it instills a sense of pride and confidence that few other things can."
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You can find out more about the Nerve Centre's Music Hothouse programme by clicking here.
