Always on
This project successfully funded on 12th January 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
YSWN Rewired: creating new music and sound art
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Aim
Supporting more women and gender-diverse musicians and sound artists to make bold and inventive new creative work in Yorkshire.
Who are we?
We’re Yorkshire Sound Women Network (YSWN), a non-profit community interest company based in West Yorkshire whose mission is to connect more women and gender-diverse people with the world of audio technology.
By that, we mean everything from recording studios, DJ-ing and sound design to someone using a laptop to make their own music at home.
We exist because women and gender-diverse (trans and non-binary) people are massively underrepresented in the audio world – for example, recent research showed that just 6.5% of the producers behind high-profile tracks were female. Due to barriers and lack of opportunities, too often women and gender-diverse people miss out on the chance to learn and flourish in these areas, and that means the world misses out on hearing their creative voices too.
Our work includes running workshops and music technology clubs for young people, building grassroots communities, offering training, and campaigning to improve the industry from within. We also directly support musicians and artists working with sound, funding them to make new work, gain skills and take creative risks.
What do we want to do?
YSWN turned 10 this year and to celebrate, we’re launching Rewired: an open callout for women and gender-diverse musicians and sound artists in Yorkshire to make bold and inventive new work using audio technology. Our selected artists will receive a fee allowing them the time to experiment, upskill and take their work up a level, as well as practical support from YSWN’s network of artists and audio professionals.
We’ve run several projects devoted to new music and sound art in the past, including Sound Pioneers and Changing Gear, and artists who we’ve worked with have told us that it makes a real difference to their careers – as well as getting more music and art out there for everyone to enjoy.
We already have grant funding from Arts Council England to support one large commission and three smaller micro-commissions, but… we want to think big! So we’re crowdfunding with the aim of making Rewired even better, adding another large commission to the callout, maybe more, so that more people can bring their ideas to life.
The new work that’s produced will be showcased at an event taking place in Yorkshire next spring – a real celebration of women and gender diverse people being creative and claiming audio technology for themselves. You’re all invited to join us then, but why wait? Be part of Rewired now as we spark inspiration across Yorkshire.
Rewards
As well as helping us reach our goal of supporting more artists, if you pledge towards Rewired you can be the first to get your hands on some exclusive new YSWN merchandise, enjoy behind the scenes insights from the selected artists or even bag a 1-2-1 skills tutorial with one of our audio technology experts.
Rewards include:
• Tote bags and mugs featuring a unique new illustration celebrating the YSWN community, hand-drawn by our co-founder Eddie Dobson.
• A4 art prints and A5 postcards featuring Eddie’s illustration – the inspiration your creative or studio space needs on its wall.
• Meet the artists online talk – a webinar exclusively for crowdfunder supporters featuring the selected Rewired artists discussing their creative process and answering your questions.
• Our popular T-shirts*, ethically manufactured from 100% organic cotton and screen-printed with the YSWN logo on the front and links on the reverse using eco-friendly water-based inks.
• YSWN lanyards and stickers – a great way to show your support in a range of settings.
• A bespoke online tutorial in Ableton, podcasting or sound design, delivered by one of our expert freelance Associates.
• A one-hour Volume Up CPD session exploring how your organisation can take steps towards gender equity, plus tailored support to achieve Volume Up accreditation.
• Advance booking access for our Rewired showcase event next spring.
• A ‘thank-you’ on the YSWN website and in the Rewired event programme.
*T-shirts: the T-shirts come in two styles, fitted and straight, and limited stocks of each size are available for both (fitted: S-XL sizes, straight M-L sizes). If you select the Zap Pack, Leading Light, Volume Control and Max Power tiers, we will contact you to find our your requested size and if it is no longer in stock, the A4 art print will be offered as an alternative.
The Leading Light, Volume Control and Max Power reward tiers include a bespoke 1-2-1 skills session delivered online by a YSWN Associate, one of our pool of freelance audio professionals. Choose from Ableton, Podcasting or Sound Design – if you select these tiers, we will get in touch to discuss your requirements and agree the details.
Please note that the artists for the Rewired commissions will be selected by a panel on the merit of their work, entirely independently of any participation they may have had in the crowdfunding campaign.
Timeline
Dec 2025-Jan 2026: Rewired artist callout
Jan 2026: Artists are selected and start work on their commissions
Feb 2026: Merchandise (totes, mugs, prints etc) is sent out to supporters
May 2026: Rewired showcase event and meet the artists webinar
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made