Yes We are!

About Yes We Are!

Yes We Are! is a programme developed by The Ivors Academy Trust in partnership with the LIMF Academy to empower young female music creators to fully embrace their craft– whether that be as a songwriter or composer, producer, engineer or performer.

At present - women and girls are underrepresented in all facets of the music industry. Women represent less than a third of top-selling artists, only 14% of songwriters and less than 3% of producers and engineers.

Yes We Are! aims to tackle this issue, and is specifically designed to help women and girls learn, grow and develop their careers in a safe, collaborative environment lead by expert female songwriters and producers.

Round 1 - 2025/2026

12 young female music creators based in the Liverpool City Region received guided collaborative song creation and recording sessions at Kempston Street Studios in Liverpool - led by songwriter, producer and writer Lapsley and Ivor Novello Award winning songwriter Michelle Escoffery, supported by engineer Amelia Danby. The participants collectively created 9 songs, with 4 being taken forward for mixing and mastering.

The programme concluded with a bespoke industry networking day in London featuring insightful panel discussions from key organisations (PPL, PRSF, Youth Music, Soundcloud and more) and inspiring female role models (Lapsley, Jin Jin, and more), the Kindred showcase at Southbank Centre in London, where 2 participants got to perform, and a songwriter's circle in Liverpool.

Round 2 - 2026/2027

More information about the second round of Yes We Are will be released shortly, including information about how to apply, so make sure you stay in the loop for updates.