10 Music Opportunities for Women in Manchester & Greater Manchester
Your next opportunity could be one application 🦋
If you're a woman building a career in music in Manchester, it can sometimes feel like opportunities are happening everywhere except where you are.
The challenge isn't always a lack of talent.
Sometimes it's knowing where to look.
So we've put together a list of opportunities and organisations worth knowing if you're an emerging artist, producer, songwriter or creative in Greater Manchester.
1. Social Butterfly International
Let's start with home.
Social Butterfly International is a creative community supporting women in music and the wider creative industries through artist development, events, workshops, networking and performance opportunities.
Our current Artist Development Programme is supporting five women through 12 weeks of songwriting, vocal production, collaboration and creative development.
We're building spaces where women can develop and find their people.
2. Brighter Sound — ELEVATE
ELEVATE is a year-long development programme for Greater Manchester artists at a critical point in their progression.
The programme connects artists with mentoring, networks, recording and live performance opportunities. The 2026 application deadline has now passed, but it's an organisation worth following for future opportunities.
3. Factory Sounds
Factory Sounds is Factory International's annual programme supporting and raising the profile of the Greater Manchester music industry.
Its 2026 cohort includes musicians and other music professionals, with 15 people selected for the programme.
4. Manchester Music Careers
Not sure what direction you actually want to take in music?
Manchester Music Careers has a directory covering artists, producers, songwriters, live events, music education, arts management and more, alongside resources for CVs, portfolios, funding and networking.
5. Sound Roots Artist Mentoring Pathway
Sound Roots' Artist Mentoring Pathway supports emerging musicians with skills, networks and experience to develop sustainable careers.
Applications for its 2027/28 cohort are currently open, with a deadline of 25 September 2026.
6. MOBO Fringe Manchester Talent Programme
The 2026 Manchester Talent Programme brought together emerging Greater Manchester artists for workshops, mentoring, networking and live performance opportunities.
Even when a particular opportunity closes, organisations such as MOBO are worth following for future calls.
7. Abbey Road Equalise
Abbey Road Equalise brought free recording workshops to Manchester for aspiring female and non-binary engineers and producers.
The 2026 Manchester programme focused on hands-on recording experience, studio etiquette, networking and learning from female engineers.
8. Greater Manchester Music Careers
The wider Greater Manchester music ecosystem includes opportunities across performance, production, songwriting, technology, live events and arts management.
If you're serious about making music your career, don't only search for “artist opportunities.”
Look at the industry around the artist too.
9. Manchester Music City
Manchester Music City connects organisations across the city's music ecosystem including venues, festivals, promoters, labels, educators, charities and creative organisations.
It's useful for understanding who is actually making things happen in Manchester's music scene.
10. Build your own opportunities
This might be the most important one.
Don't wait until someone gives you an opportunity.
Host the songwriting session.
Start the collective.
Organise the listening party.
Create the content series.
Collaborate with another artist.
Invite women you admire into the room.
You can be the opportunity.
Your next move
Don't save this article and forget about it.
Pick one opportunity and take action this week.
Apply.
Email someone.
Attend an event.
Introduce yourself.
Make something.
Looking for more opportunities? Want community, creativity and connection?
That's exactly what Social Butterfly is building.
Come for the music. Stay for the community. 🦋
Your weekend assignment
Find one creative event in Manchester you've never been to and go.
And yes, you can go alone.🦋