UnMute Roster Application Portal

An Initiative to Empower Disabled Musicians and Improve Access to Live Performance Opportunities

Developed with support from:

Musicians' Union

Email submission:

If you would like to email us with the information stated in the form below, please email music@continentaldrifts.co.uk

Application Support:

If you are experiencing issues with the application portal, please contact us at music@continentaldrifts.co.uk

Continental Drifts and Global Local want to work with the disabled community to improve access to music and live events performance industries opportunities at UK events and festivals.

Scroll down below or follow the links for more information about our Application Process and Agency Principles

As of Friday 14th March 2025, our committee is now reviewing the first batch of applications sent in the last 2 months. We will get back to all by mid-April 2025.

If you are sending your application after 14th March, it will be reviewed at the end of Summer 2025.

Application Process

This application process was created in consultation with artists from the disabled community, inspired by Attitude Is Everything as part of their #FestivalsForAll campaign, specifically using the guiding principles from their Accessible Employment Guide

Once your application is submitted you will receive confirmation that this has been completed. Applications will be reviewed and we will consider a variety of factors aligned with our usual intake processes. This includes things like the quality and artistry of your work as well as the suitability of your music for the type of events and clients who we work with; there is nothing specific we are looking for in terms of genre or performance style. Due to the anticipated volume of applications, we will only be able to contact artists who have been successful in applying

Our Aims & Objectives

  • Continental Drifts and Global Local aim to increase the number of disabled people participating in music performances by working with key stakeholders and partners within the community, to raise awareness of the barriers to performance that disabled people face, and to demonstrate how these challenges can be overcome. 

  • Continental Drifts and Global Local aim to celebrate and highlight the best quality acts from the disabled community, with a focus on a wide-ranging outreach strategy.

Who are we?

Global Local is a project run by Continental Drifts and funded by Arts Council England. It is our mission to provide under-represented artists and communities with fairer access to the UK event industry and festivals circuit. We use our funding to support projects and contribute money towards the booking of our diverse acts at independent events.

Our Agency Principles

As an agency, we represent artists from various backgrounds and communities. We establish and choose the most suitable acts on an event case-by-case basis.

We act as ‘non-exclusive’ agents, which means that if you are selected to join our roster, you will still be able to get booked by clients approaching you directly. If you would rather direct enquiries to us, we will be happy to support you with your bookings if we have the capacity. Being ‘non-exclusive’ also means we cannot guarantee the amount of bookings we can secure for our act each year. 

When booking/ programming acts, we add a commission (a variable percentage for each event) on top of the Artist’s fee. This commission will cover our time, paperwork (invoices + contracts approved by lawyers and protecting our artists for various unexpected causes) and the logistics/ communication needed pre and post-event to cover our artists’ requirements and access needs.

FAQs

  • Continental Drifts work across event management, licensing, health and safety, experiential brand activation, artist booking and programming.

  • The application process is simple and accessible. All you need to provide is:

    - Your artist name

    - A link to your work (video/audio) or a download link to your files

    - A contact email

    You can submit via the online portal or email. We offer multiple formats for accessibility, including including PDF, large print, audio and quick explainer versions.

    If you have any questions you can also reach our office via phone from 11am to 4pm, Monday-Friday on 020 8054 1335 ext.4

  • The roster is open to anyone who identifies as disabled or has a long-term health condition. We welcome applications from all artists regardless of genre or style of performance.

  • In the “share your work” question, you can submit links to work as PDF, video, or audio recordings. You can also send us your application via email.

  • You’ll receive confirmation once your application has been submitted, and the team hope to have reviewed all submissions within six weeks.

  • We look at the quality and artistry of your work, as well as how suitable your music is for the type of events and clients we work with. We do not have specific genre preferences and welcome all kinds of performances.

  • Once your application is received, we will review it in line with our intake processes. If selected, we will contact you to move forward with a welcome pack and discuss your professional journey in a personalised way.

  • Yes, we follow a fair process, ensuring that at least one artist with lived experience is part of every intake. We also strive for diverse representation and reach out to underrepresented communities to ensure inclusivity in our programming. The application process has been designed in cooperation with numerous disabled artists across the Attitude is Everything Next Stage program and the Musician’s Union Disabled Artists Network.

  • Our recruitment process is ongoing, with online submissions open 24/7.

    The roster team meets regularly to review applications. The first roster selection will take place in early 2025, with support available from the same year.

  • We offer full transparency in our contracts and fees and work closely with artists to understand any additional challenges or costs. We aim to make necessary adjustments to facilitate your performance, including coordinating with event organisers to meet your specific access needs.

    You will also be part of our Global Local community and can get access to support and advice from Continental Drifts regarding your professional journey, as well as other projects we do with our artists (example collaboration or masterclasses).

  • Due to the anticipated volume of applications, we regret that we cannot provide feedback to all applicants. However, successful applicants will be contacted for the next steps, and we will keep you updated on future opportunities.

  • We’re committed to making this as accessible as possible and have developed this with disabled people but we’re always open to feedback and suggestions to make your experience as smooth as possible.

For any further queries, please visit our website or reach out to our contact team directly.

We look forward to reviewing your application.