Our focus is on helping young people and early-career creatives develop the skills, knowledge and networks they need to have a successful career in music and live events. We provide education programmes and hands-on training as well as access to subsidised workspace and rehearsal facilities at our thriving cultural hub in Wandsworth, home to a community of more than 50 individual creatives.

NEKO is a responsive charity and, like many, we recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic represents the biggest threat to the UK’s cultural infrastructure, institutions, and workforce in a generation. And while the focus has been on offering much needed financial aid, it is important that the music and live events industry emerges better and more resilient than ever before. For NEKO Trust, this equates to improving diversity and inclusion across the industry. 

Through NEKO Futures, we offer two unique opportunities for current and future generations of live music professionals to obtain the skills, knowledge, experience and networks they need to develop their careers. NEKO 18 is a programme for creative people with an idea and a collaborative nature who will benefit from building a peer network of like-minded creative professionals. It is a three-month long programme that includes knowledge sharing with peers and experienced industry professionals, shadowing and commissioning opportunities with resident and associated NEKO artists, focussed creative retreats, and mentorship from programme ambassadors.

NEKO's partnership with Gallowglass FUTURE CREW focuses on helping young adults to become knowledgeable crew who understand how the industry operates and how touring fits into it. It will enable career progression in a wide range of touring production fields whilst also giving young people the security and rewards of a solid future in the industry.