In Motion is a transformative 18-month artist development programme for composers and music creators of all backgrounds and genres who find themselves at pivotal points in their careers.
We support composers to design and embark on the next chapter of their creative and professional journey, providing the space, personalised support and funding to realise their ambitions. Built on our expertise and position in the sector, the programme is shaped directly in response to the needs and strengths of the artists we work with to help them make positive and lasting changes in their practice.
- In 2025, we received 450 applications and selected 10 composers for In Motion and eight composers for the Seed Award.
- In 2024, we received 355 applications and selected 10 composers for In Motion and eight composers for the Seed Award
In Motion is made possible with the generous support of Arts Council England, PRS Foundation, Jerwood Foundation, Garrick Club Charitable Trust, Michael Guest Charitable Trust, Marchus Trust and Creative Scotland.
Download information about In Motion in EasyRead format (PDF)
Applications are now open
Deadline: Monday 3 November 2025, 23:59 UTC.
What happens on In Motion?
In Motion is an artist development programme for composers which takes place between April 2026 and October 2027.
Over 18 months, we will support you to develop clarity around your goals for your artistic and professional development. You will receive an artist bursary and a production grant to help with researching and producing your work, accompanied by one-to-one support and group sessions throughout the programme.
We will support you to choose your own pathway, build on your strengths and work on areas of growth, and work towards your artistic development through planning and developing a new creative project with a public-facing outcome at the end of the programme.
As a composer on the programme, you will receive:
- An artist bursary of £1,800
- A production grant of up to £4,000 towards a creative project
- Regular 1:1 sessions with a dedicated team member
- Coaching and mentoring sessions
- Group sessions and workshops
Throughout, you will develop your practice, confidence, resilience and creative identity, and explore new avenues and aspirations for your work. You will also have an opportunity to support and inspire the next generation of young composers on our In the Making programme.
Who are we looking for?
For In Motion, we are looking for composers and music creators based in the UK working in any genre or discipline who want to take step change in their artistic practice.
We use the term composer to describe anyone who creates new work using music or sound, whether you perform it yourself or write for others, or whether you work with software, use notation, improvise, or in other ways.
For this programme, you will be curious and want to experiment with new ways in how you make work and sustain your career. You must demonstrate a capacity to self-reflect and take initiative for your own learning and development in order to best benefit from the 1:1 and group support we offer on the programme. You will also be able to demonstrate an ability to lead a creative process over a long period of time.
The focus of the programme is on what we call a step change: a significant development or shift in your artistic or professional practice that will make a big difference to you as an artist in achieving your goals and building a sustainable career.
For example, you might want to:
- Develop an area of work that’s completely new to you, or create work outside a ‘pigeonhole’
- Engage new audiences and communities for your work
- Explore areas of your solo practice more deeply
- Bring together previously different areas of your practice
- Explore and understand how to work with your own access needs
- Explore what success means to you in your work
- Explore your working processes more deeply
- Develop work on a larger scale
- Take risks in a supportive setting
- Work with new collaborators or art forms
How do I apply?
We are currently accepting applications to In Motion 2026. The deadline to receive applications is Monday 3 November 2025, 23:59 UTC.
The application form is also available to download in Large Print and Dyslexia Friendly format (.docx file).
Please ensure you read the programme details page and our Application Guidance document thoroughly before applying:
- Application Guidance document (.pdf)
- Application Guidance - Large Print and Dyslexia Friendly (.docx)
You can apply online (Airtable form) where you will have the option to submit answers either written directly into the form, or as a short video or audio. As part of our commitment to access support, we offer alternative ways of applying.
Please get in touch with Grace Bailey (Grace.Bailey@SoundandMusic.org) if you would like to discuss what reasonable adjustments we can make to the application process or would like to request the application materials or form in a different format.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to apply you must:
- Be over 18 years old at the point of applying
- Not be a student (full-time or part-time, in any subject, including PhDs) or planning to start studies between now and November 2027
- Have lived in the UK for the last two years
- Be planning to remain UK-resident with permission to stay until November 2027
- Be able to provide two recordings of your original compositions
- Not have previously received a Sound and Music award, grant, or commission in the last six months
- Not currently be, or have previously been on one of our artist development programmes in the last six months
How does the application process work?
The application process is in two phases:
Phase 1
The first phase has three questions and is a public open call to any composers and music creators interested in being considered for the programme. We will assess applications in the first phase and invite a longlist of up to 40 applicants to progress onto the next phase.
In this first application, you will:
- submit your personal information, including your bio (750 characters)
- tell us a bit about where you are now (1,250 characters)
- tell us what step change you want to undertake (1,250 characters)
- tell us what will be different about your practice at the end of the programme (1,250 characters)
- share two links to examples of your work
Phase 2
If you are longlisted, we will invite you to submit answers to three more questions. The panel will then assess your responses across both phases and select a shortlist of 18 applicants to interview before we make a final selection.
Applicants who are invited for interviews after the second phase will either be offered a place on In Motion or the Seed Award.
We offer feedback to all applicants. Unsuccessful applicants in Phase 1 will receive limited feedback and generic reflections from the process, and any longlisted and unsuccessful applicants will receive detailed feedback.
Selection panel
Each year, we rotate the panel as part of our Fair Access Principles, and each application is reviewed by a combination of internal team members and external panellists. In Phase 1, each application is reviewed by a minimum of two panellists. Longlisted applications in Phase 2 are reviewed by a minimum of four panellists.
The selection panel for In Motion 2026 consists of Chisara Agor, Suk-Jun Kim, Sarah Lianne Lewis, Bróna McVittie, James Perry and Provhat Rahman.
Key dates
- Monday 6 October 2025: Applications open
- Wednesday 15 October 2025: Deadline to request access support for applying to the programme
- Monday 3 November 2025, 23:59 GMT: Deadline to submit applications
- Wednesday 17 December 2025: We will let you know the outcome of your application. If your application is progressed, you will be invited to submit a second part to your application
- Monday 26 January 2026: Deadline to submit the second part of your application, if your application is progressed
- Monday 9 March 2026: We will let you know the outcome of the second application. If your application is progressed, you will be invited to do an interview with four members of the panel
- Monday 16–Tuesday 17 March 2026: Interviews for shortlisted applicants (online)
- Friday 20 March 2026: We will let you know the final outcome of your interview and application, and whether you are offered a place on In Motion or a Seed Award
- April / May 2026: In Motion 2026 induction takes place
Access support
We want to ensure our programmes and processes are as inclusive and as accessible to as many applicants as possible.
We offer access support both to support you with applying to the programme and, for selected artist, with participating in the programme activities.
Important note: If you would like to arrange a session with an access support worker as part of applying for In Motion 2026, you need to let us know by 15 October 2025. If we receive a request for an access support worker after that date, we cannot guarantee we will be able to book a dedicated access support worker for this application round.
If you would like to inquire about or arrange access support with applying to In Motion, please contact Grace Bailey (Grace.Bailey@SoundandMusic.org).
Questions?
You can read more details about In Motion to get a clear picture of what is involved for composers on our programme.
We are hosting two information sessions open to all with information about the application process and the programme. If you would like to find out if this is the right programme for you or are interested in applying, we’d love to see you in one of the sessions below:
- Monday 13 October 2025 at 12:30–1:30pm (Online): Webinar open to all composers – Sign up for the open webinar here
- Tuesday 14 October 2025 from 12:30–1:30pm (Online): Open to composers identifying as d/Deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent – Sign up for the d/Deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent session here
If you have any additional questions or would like to get in touch about In Motion, you can contact Grace Bailey (Grace.Bailey@SoundandMusic.org)
In Motion is a unique artist development programme. As an organisation, we put artists at the heart of everything we do, and we continually evolve and change our approaches to best support the changing needs of artists today. In Motion is the result of over a decade of experience and we are excited to be opening up applications to a new cohort.
Thank you to our funders
See also
The In Motion 2025 artists represent a powerful mix of voices, visions and practices, each bringing something wholly distinctive to the programme. They work across disciplines and borders—blending field recordings with electronics, voice with sculpture, poetry with punk and folklore with ritual.
The In Motion 2024 cohort hail from all over the UK, working across a wide range of genres including jazz, electronic, classical, experimental, folk, soul and punk. Together their work will create a rich tapestry reflecting many of the most exciting elements of new music today.
All applicants to our In Motion programme who have been shortlisted and interviewed are awarded a targeted package of support, including coaching sessions and a small grant.