The Associates Scheme aims to support and enhance artistic community in the UK by developing and strengthening new and existing regional networks of composers and composer collectives. It forms part of Sound and Music’s New Music Network activity and is strategically important to our legacy in artist development.
What do we mean by Associates?
The Associates are alumni from across our programmes and awards who are supported by Sound and Music to coordinate and lead regular composer socials nationwide. You can view all the Sound and Music Associates here.
Composer Socials
The composer socials are informal, unstructured spaces for composers to connect, socialise, skill-share and problem solve. Composer socials are at the heart of the Associates Scheme and can be anywhere on a spectrum of entirely open and unstructured all the way to designed around pitching or training opportunities.
There are six regions where composer socials will take place this year:


To attend the Composer Social for Birmingham and West Midlands, register here.
Join the Birmingham + West Midlands Discord Server to stay in touch with your local community of composers.
The Associates for this region are Aidan Teplitzky, Simon Paton, Liz Dilnot Johnson.

To attend the Composer Social for Liverpool and North West, register here.
Join the Liverpool + North West Discord Server to stay in touch with your local community of composers.
The Associate for this region is Laura Campbell.

Hull and East Yorkshire - TBC July 2022
The dates for the next composer social in Hull are being confirmed.
Join the Hull + East Yorkshire Discord Server to be the first to get the new dates and to stay in touch with your local community of composers.
The Associate for this region is Stewart Baxter.

Sunderland and North East - TBC July 2022
Dates are being confirmed in the coming weeks.
Join the Sunderland + North East Discord Server to be the first to get the new dates and to stay in touch with your local community of composers.
The Associate for this region is David De La Haye.

Somerset and South West - TBC September 2022
The last Somerset Composer Social took place in June 2022. The next one will be September 2022.
Join the Somerset + South West Discord Server to stay in touch with your local community of composers and be the first to find out about the next event in your area.
The Associate for this region is Stephen Ives.