In 2020 we shared our plans to improve our equality and inclusion working practices and initiatives across our company, with the drive to change and make a positive impact around improving racial equity.

We know that ED&I is a continuous process and it presents us with an opportunity to be the change we want to see both within our company, amongst our peers and fans. ED&I brings together different ideas, different ways of thinking, and most importantly, our different lived experiences – all these produce outstanding results for an inclusive environment.

Since summer 2020, we have created ongoing self-development within our team that incorporates ED&I in our working practices across the company to support an inclusive culture which embraces differences. This has been achieved through education, conversation, and by enlisting an experienced and established trainer to provide internal diversity training to support our whole team. Our mission is to incorporate ED&I in everything we do to ensure that it is embedded throughout the company. We have formed an internal ED&I team to better understand where the challenges, touch points and gaps are so that our journey within the ED&I space is more inclusive.  

We recognise that a diverse workforce needs an inclusive environment to flourish, therefore, we continue to seek invaluable advice and critique from artists, peers, industry executives and organisations.  

 

Chris, Josh, Craig and the Hospital Team

Mentorship Schemes

As part of our commitment to breaking down barriers to entry and diversifying our industry, we launched a Women In Drum & Bass Production mentorship back in 2019, which has expanded into two further schemes - New Business Development & New Artist Development. Each scheme runs throughout the calendar year from January to December, offering 12 months of free support from all departments of Hospital Records and Hospitality DnB Events. We are now accepting applications for 2024, for details of each individual scheme, please see below. We welcome UK-based and international applicants for all schemes, who are over 18+.

New Business Development Scheme

The Business Support Scheme for independent music businesses consists of:

  • Monthly mentoring and educational sessions from the label & events team in Marketing, Digital, DJ bookings, Music Business, Finance, Design, Publishing and other relevant areas of the Business. .

  • Access to Hospital Records partners, creatives & network

  • Full access to Hospital Records’ studio (Dependent on availability) & Office space

We are currently working with underground Drum & Bass record label Phase Records as part of our 2023 mentorship programme.

Applications for 2024 are now open, apply here

Testimonials from previous Mentees: 

“The past year has been tough but a really nice part of it was to gain access to this business scheme. Hospital Records haven’t just given me help, knowledge, skills & perspective. They’ve given me a brand new network of friends, creatives & other people like myself. 


The company has always helped when I've needed it as well as extending arms to help with opportunities. Even though the year wasn’t meant to be like this - it’s been one I will never forget & I really see this being the start of a strong & healthy long term relationship both for myself & for Pick ‘n’ Mix as well” - TJ, Pick ‘N’ Mix

 

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New Artist Development Scheme

 The Artist development scheme has a focus on production and consists of:

  • Regular Sessions with the Hospital team

  • A&R session with a Hospital artist

  • Educational sessions from the label team in: Marketing, Digital, DJ bookings, Music Business, Finance, Design and Publishing.

  • Full access to Hospital Records’ studio (Dependent on availability) & Office space

 

Our applicant for 2023 is SoundGyal Saf; an emerging DJ and Producer.

Applications for 2024 are now open, apply here

Testimonials from previous mentees:

“The Artist Development Scheme has been amazing. I applied for it fully believing I wouldn’t get it and then an email landed in my inbox. I thought it was going to be one of those “Thank you for applying, but unfortunately you weren’t successful” kind of emails. Hospital Records is one of those labels that I’ve always looked up to and hoped to work with one day and this gave me that opportunity, far sooner than I’ve ever expected. I was told I would be treated like an artist and Hospital delivered on that.

Being able to work with members of the team and go down to the HQ to understand the inner workings of Hospital and things to consider as an artist has given me valuable insight. Working with the A&R team alongside Raff aka Nurve from Education and Bass has levelled up my music production big time. I’ve still got a lot of work to do, but I have gained a lot of knowledge in such a short amount of time.

The best moment for me had to be my set at Hospitality in the Woods, it was definitely the biggest show I’ve ever played at as a DJ, and my first Drum and Bass set ever, with technical support from Lens and confidence-building words from Degs, I was able to go up there and smash my set, it was a memorable experience that I will never forget and it something I definitely want to do more of.

Working with Hospital has lit a fire under me and it’s shown me what is possible. It has given me a wealth of knowledge, new contacts, and a lot of new friends. Everyone has been so helpful and supportive throughout this whole experience, I’m sad that it’s over but I’m grateful that it even happened. I love my job (I work in Formula 1) but at the end of the day music is my calling and this has been the biggest boost towards that goal” – Myl

“This past year on the ‘Artist Development Scheme’ has been so educational and I have enjoyed it thoroughly. When I first applied I was sceptical that I would have been picked, but I was approached to join and was happily shocked when I was asked to join the program.

Since then, I’ve met the majority of the Hospital staff and all of them have been amazing and really made sure that I felt welcome, but they also went above and beyond to show me the ins and outs of each department and I couldn’t thank them enough for the amount of information and tools they’ve given to me.

This artist scheme has helped me really want to make it in this industry and boosted my confidence massively, I now feel ready to release on more established labels and I know I’ll continue to have this amazing relationship with Hospital and all the team, can’t thank them enough everything they’ve helped me” - Kanobie 



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Women In Drum & Bass Production Mentorship

This scheme is for female-identifying artists and consists of the following: 

  • Regular A&R Sessions with the Hospital team

  • A&R session with a Hospital artist

  •  Educational sessions from the Hospital Records team in: Marketing & Promotions, Digital, Events, DJ bookings, Music Business, Finance, Design and Publishing.

  • Full access to Hospital Records studio (dependent on availability) + office space

As part of our previous mentorships, we have worked with Stay-C from Johannesburg, Bristol-based producer and singer Viridity and Anaïs; a Bristol based dnb DJ & producer. We are currently working with [IVY] a DJ & Producer originally from France and nominated as one of UKF’s Ones To Watch 2022.

Applications for 2024 are now open, apply here

Testimonials from previous mentees:

“This mentorship has pushed me to focus on music and look at it in such a different way. It’s developed me as a producer and also educated me in the industry. Before I was very unsure on how best to navigate the next steps when trying to progress as an artist.

Having the support and information from Hospital gave me guidance with the aspects of music that I was really struggling with. I’m so grateful to have met such great people and been given incredible opportunities through the program and really can’t recommend it enough.” – Viridity

 

“This mentorship has been the single biggest game changer in my drum & bass career. Never before have I paid this much effort into my tunes and getting them to sound as good as they can. The Hospital team has been incredible in giving me tactical advice for an artist in the industry from cultivating your uniqueness to digital marketing to publishing and beyond. It feels wonderful to be supported in this way - so many doors have opened as a result of this mentorship” - Stay-C

 

“My mentorship with Hospital has been extremely helpful; in learning how to conduct myself and sell myself as an individual whilst also maintaining the fun side of music too. Receiving A&R feedback on my production from well experienced people in the label was so useful in knowing what to change in my music to ensure it is an industry standard piece of music. Over the year of learning this way, I can now say that my music quality has improved and I have trained myself to take in consideration all the feedback that was received over the year. On top of this, being able to have meetings with any of the head of departments was extremely useful. Personal Social media breakdown? Covered. Meeting with the merchandise team? Also covered. 

In summary, the mentorship is completely what you make of it. You put in what you get out of it. If you want to succeed and be part of an amazing team all you have to do is put the work in and it’s such a great reward” - Anaïs



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Women In Drum & Bass Community

  • Since March 2019, we have formed an online community for Women In Drum & Bass and have hosted regular events both online and in-person providing support, advice and information to female-identifying artists, event promoters, industry professionals or fans of drum & bass.  

  • We aim to work towards greater gender balance within the Drum & Bass community alongside other equality initiatives such as EQ50, Unorthodox: LGBTQ+, Normal Not Novelty and many more.

  • We aim to bring together female-identifying drum and bass producers, vocalists, DJs, fans & industry members every year through small & large scale events

  • In 2021 we held our biggest WIDNB event to date, providing a range of interactive panels, discussions, production classes & DJ workshops. 

  • We are currently working on our next event Hospital Records x Keep It Real x AIM: Women In Drum & Bass. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased here.

  • To get involved with our community, join our Facebook group here

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Education & Resources

  • We continue to work internally to educate ourselves, we also have a responsibility to encourage our fans to do the same. We have a dedicated ED&I team, who are constantly working on practices and initiatives across our company. We welcome any recommendations via info@hospitalrecords.com, please use the subject header ‘Anti-Racist Educational Resources’

  • We recognise the continued need for education for all members of our community, both internally & externally. We do not tolerate any form of racist, prejudicial or hateful dialogue in any areas of our business or on any of our public channels.

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Equality & Inclusion Training

  • We work with established diversity specialists to conduct internal diversity training and support, to ensure our team is confident in anti-racist, and diversity & inclusion practices (Creative Access, Black Lives In Music,  Access Media, Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, Michelle Raymond of the People’s Partner)

  • We have an annual budget for equality and inclusion training moving forwards. Over the past 3 years, this has included Allyship Training, Executive Training, Management & Diversity Training.

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