LIMF Academy Celebrates 10 Years of Nurturing Liverpool’s Music Talent – LCR Music Board Hails Its Lasting Impact

A decade of developing some of Liverpool City Region’s most exciting new music talent has been celebrated with the release of a landmark report into the impact of the LIMF Academy.

The LCR Music Board welcomes the report’s findings and pays tribute to the vital role LIMF Academy has played in the city’s music ecosystem since its launch in 2014. As a long-standing supporter of the programme, the Board recognises the Academy as an inclusive and industry-facing pipeline for emerging talent.

The new independent report reveals that nearly 80% of LIMF Academy alumni are continuing their careers in music, with almost 40% having secured professional representation and a quarter having signed label or distribution deals. Participants also outperform their peers in online plays by a factor of more than nine to one.

As well as building musical careers, LIMF Academy has remained committed to diversity, with more than a third of its participants identifying as non-white and 44% as non-male.

Kevin McManus, Head of UNESCO City of Music, said:

“It’s hard to imagine Liverpool’s music scene without LIMF Academy. It’s an exemplar—an inclusive, industry-focused programme that has become a key pipeline of emerging talent.”

The LCR Music Board supported LIMF Academy through Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) backing between 2020 and 2022, recognising its value as a talent incubator. This support accounted for over 7% of the Academy’s income during that time.

More widely, LCR Music Board facilitated £1.2 million of SIF funding to strengthen the region’s music ecosystem. Of this, 24% of successful grants supported early-stage musicians—helping careers continue to develop and not stagnate. LIMF Academy’s track record proves the value of targeted investment at the start of artists’ journeys.

The report also highlights the success of collaborative projects such as LIMF Academy Orchestrated, which paired LIMF artists with the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra to perform original work in a prestigious orchestral setting.

Artists who’ve emerged from the Academy include:

• Jalen Ngonda – US-born singer-songwriter now based in Liverpool, lauded by Elton John and Snoop Dogg.
• Ni Maxine – Neo-jazz artist and Youth Music Award-winner, praised for sold-out performances and collaborations with Corinne Bailey Rae.
• KOJ – Breakout UK rapper gaining national attention.
• Michael Aldag – Social media star turned Universal-signed artist, with multiple European tours.
• Jazmine Johnson – Over 10 million streams and a publishing deal with Ultra Music.

Ni Maxine, a 2021/22 alumnus, said:

“Being part of the Academy boosted my confidence and made me believe that I could have a career in the music industry… Funding supported me to work towards my goals.”

The Academy was created by Creative Director Yaw Owusu and is delivered by Liverpool City Council. Looking ahead, the programme is seeking new partnerships to ensure its future sustainability and expansion.

“This programme was built to break down barriers—financial, social, and structural—and to give emerging music creators from the region the tools, knowledge, and confidence to thrive,” said Owusu. “This report is a celebration of their journeys… and a call to continue investing in the future of music.”

The LCR Music Board continues to work with partners across the city region to back initiatives like LIMF Academy that drive forward equity, opportunity, and innovation in music.

Download the full report: LIMF Academy 10 Year Report (PDF)