From the Other x Factory Academy

The Promoter Academy

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Venue: Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ

September 2025 - February 2026

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Accessibility features available for this event: Wheelchair Access

An early-career guide to building your future in music promotion

The Promoter Academy is a tailored six-month development program designed to refine your skills, deepen your knowledge, and build a strong understanding of how to create, manage, and grow your own promotional platforms – whether live events, festivals, record labels, or club nights.

With guidance from a carefully selected group of mentors and specialist masterclasses facilitated by SFTOC & Factory Academy, the programme is shaped around you - centring the work you do and the career you want to build. Combining hands-on learning with supported guidance, the course works towards you pitching for a stage at Sounds from the Other City 2026, giving you an experience to be part of one of Greater Manchester’s most important independent music festivals.

This opportunity is for early-career promoters looking to deepen their knowledge and develop the confidence to make promotion a sustainable career. It offers space to sharpen your craft in producing exciting, innovative music events. Across six months, we’ll explore the importance of collaboration, the power of branding, how to budget and secure funding and how to pitch and network with confidence.

Application deadline: 21 September

Image: Breige Cobane

About From the Other

From the Other was formed in 2023, bringing together the people behind grassroots festivals Sounds from the Other City and Fat Out, and artist development and residency programme Samarbeta. FTO’s work ranges from local placemaking events like Swinton Sounds in Salford to international creative productions such as BLOOM. Their projects connect partners across the music industry, public sector, and digital arts landscape. Through these collaborations, they aim to create long-term benefits for everyone they co-create with.

Who can apply?

Anyone living in Greater Manchester, aged 19 or over and currently unemployed or earning under £20,888. Some experience in promoting music events or working in the events industry required.

We are actively seeking individuals who bring diverse perspectives and backgrounds to the Promoter Academy. We are looking for people who are in the early stages of being part of the music industry with a keen interest in promoting music for live venues, clubs, and festivals.

We welcome applications from individuals who may not traditionally be represented in the event community, including but not limited to women, people from Black and Global Majority backgrounds, individuals from LGBTQ+ communities, and individuals with disabilities.

We believe that a diverse team enriches our creative environment, fosters innovation, and enhances our ability to connect with audiences from all walks of life. We encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply and join us in shaping the future of event production.