Creative Careers Centre

RCM students performing at 10 Downing Street

The Royal College of Music is a world leader in career development for musicians. Through the Creative Careers Centre, we support students to become confident and versatile communicators, in professional engagements and beyond.

Renowned for its forward-thinking and holistic approach to developing the careers of young musicians, the Creative Careers Centre offers a broad range of services to support musicians in bridging the gap between student and professional life. For many students, it plays a vital role in building a successful, lifelong career in music.

The Creative Careers team can advise on the services above and help you access the most relevant support at each stage of your studies or early career.

We partner with leading consultants, arts organisations and local communities, delivering unique career-building opportunities and a direct route to the music industry. We enable musicians to discover their professional identity, gain hands-on experience and new skills, develop an entrepreneurial mind-set and build a fulfilling professional portfolio.

‘The Creative Careers Centre is an invaluable resource, perfectly aligned with the realities and opportunities of being a 21st-century musician and creative entrepreneur. Learning from the Creative Careers Centre team was one of the most transformative and enduring aspects of my training at the RCM, shaping my career in ways that continue to resonate today.'

Lizzie Holmes, Soprano and Founder of DEBUT

What you’ll get from Creative Careers

Careers advice and guidance

One‑to‑one sessions on applications, CVs, biographies, programmes and professional materials
Guidance on self‑management, self‑employment, finance, tax and entrepreneurship

Opportunities and experience

Professional performance and teaching opportunities in London and beyond
Weekly e‑bulletins featuring opportunities from a wide range of clients

Learning and development

Careers workshops, lectures and special events
Resources and directories covering all areas of the music profession

Specialist programmes

RCM Accelerate: grant funding and mentoring for new creative projects, social enterprises, or business ideas; or to take an existing initiative to the next level
RCM Teaching Service: matching student tutors with members of the public in the UK and worldwide

Advice for prospective students

Careers, connections and collaborations at the Royal College of Music

Discover why London is a great place to study and develop your musical career.

RCM Accelerate

RCM Accelerate supports graduating RCM students to kickstart a new creative project, social enterprise or business idea, or to take an existing initiative to the next level. Successful applicants receive grant funding and mentoring support. The scheme promotes proactivity, creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset.

Graduates from the scheme have included:

Cristiana Achim: founded a new business, Piano Travel, supporting the career development of pianists.
Liam Dougherty: developed a new work for a festival in which an old piano was transformed into an electronic sound installation.
Helen Kuby: established a health and wellbeing education programme for young musicians who wouldn’t ordinarily have access to such valuable support.
Hannah Seymour: Co-founded EMPOWER: Women Changing Music, an initiative dedicated to promoting fairness and gender equality in the music industry.
Rieko Makita: In collaboration with two Royal College of Art graduates, developed a multidisciplinary show with live piano, electronics, and digital visuals, exploring storytelling through sound and image.

Following registration, students wishing to find out more about RCM Accelerate can visit the Creative Careers Centre pages on Learn.rcm.

Creative services for professional development

Concert opportunities

We find opportunities for you to perform at concerts and projects throughout the year, providing vital performance and programming experience and raising your profile.

Professional Engagements Service

RCM musicians are hired by organisations and members of the public to perform at events, or to work as freelance orchestral and session players at some of London’s most prestigious venues.

RCM Teaching Services

Professional teaching opportunities that connect RCM students with learners in London and worldwide, supporting career development and practical experience.

If you are looking to hire an RCM musician for teaching or for another professional engagement, click below for information.

Hire an RCM musician

International students on Student Visas

The Creative Careers Centre is experienced at helping international students manage their workload, as well as navigating the UK Government’s Student Visa restrictions. We will help you find the widest possible range of career strengthening experiences, both with the RCM and further afield.

Get in touch with the Creative Careers team

The Creative Careers team can advise on the services above and help you access the most relevant support at each stage of your studies or early career.

Diana Roberts

Head of Creative Careers Centre and Entrepreneurship Tutor

droberts@rcm.ac.uk

Laurence Astill

Creative Careers Centre Administrator

l.astill@rcm.ac.uk

Emmi Martin