Pop
New Mastercard programme aims to break barriers for young Mancunians in music
To mark 28 years sponsoring the BRIT Awards, Mastercard is doing its bit to help young Mancunians into the music business.
Mastercard is marking 28 years as a BRIT Awards headline sponsor with a new youth initiative, Manchester Legends — a programme created to help local young people explore careers in music.
The project follows the company’s first Mic Drops scheme launched last year.
Working with well‑known Manchester artists, the programme highlights the city’s long‑standing musical influence.
DJ Paulette helped kick things off with a surprise set and an honest talk about her career for students at Stretford High School, stressing that the industry offers far more than performing roles.
The launch comes alongside new Mastercard research showing that many young people struggle to access creative careers.
The findings point to unclear entry routes, financial barriers and regional inequality.
Manchester Legends aims to counter some of these challenges by offering in‑person sessions throughout February and March, introducing young people to the wide range of jobs behind the scenes — from engineering and production to photography, design and songwriting.
The research also shows that a significant number of 14–21‑year‑olds have never been to a live gig, and more than half don’t know where to start when considering a music career. Confidence, cost and lack of guidance were identified as the biggest obstacles.
Charlie Carrington, SVP of Marketing and Communications at Mastercard, said the programme is designed to give young people “real access to expertise, practical advice and inspiration,” emphasising Manchester’s cultural importance.
DJ Paulette added that creative careers rarely follow a straight line: “Not every ‘no’ means stop. Stay curious and keep going.”
As part of the wider campaign, Mastercard is also supporting local record shops. Between February 23 and March 15, customers using Mastercard at participating stores — including Piccadilly Records, Eastern Block, Vinyl Revival and Vinyl Exchange — can enter a draw to win prepaid cards to spend in‑store.
The initiative follows Mastercard’s recent support for Manchester’s small business community, including a pop‑up market hosted with Mary Portas last autumn.
The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard take place on February 28 at Manchester's Co-op Live Arena.
