"We are delighted to be joining forces with MediaTracks in 2023 for what we anticipate will be a fruitful partnership and one that will open doors to opportunities for our musicians, in areas of the industry they may not otherwise be exposed to. We recognise in MediaTracks a company who hold similar values to Carousel - primarily a desire to be artist-led - and we are both eager to start working with them and very excited to see the results" - Gareth Evans, Artistic Director at Carousel

Carousel is a UK-based charity that focuses on championing the rights of artists with a learning disability, for them to flourish and be celebrated. In film, music, performance, digital arts, and in their partnerships/training, Carousel is dedicated to making learning disabled creativity a valued part of the cultural landscape. A key player in the Brighton arts and cultural scene since 1982, and now internationally renowned, Carousel works in partnership with learning disabled artists providing training, production and leadership initiatives that enable those who are often overlooked by mainstream arts to develop and showcase their creative skills.

In 2022, Carousel celebrated its 40th anniversary with various impressive achievements: their radio platform got over 15,000 listeners from 65 countries; their first live event after lockdown, A Lark in The Park, welcomed nearly 200 guests; and over 40,000 viewers tuned in to the first series of Carousel TV via Latest TV. Similarly, MediaTracks celebrated its 25th anniversary during the same year, and commemorated its quarter-of-a-century with a relaunch of its website, the creation of its five labels (MT Electronic, MT Heritage, MT World, MT Records and MT Vocal), and the announcement of its five core values: excellence, creativity, humanity, innovation, and inclusion & diversity.

MediaTracks is an independent, family-owned production label that operates on a global scale. Being an artist-centred company, it focuses on building strong relationships with each composer and artist who works with them. Following their core values, MediaTracks has taken several initiatives to actively diversify the production music industry. These include the creation of the MT Apprentice scheme, the release of their 2022 diversity report, and a 20% increase in 2022 releases from diverse composers (e.g. female, non-conforming, ethnically diverse), among others. Their partnership with Carousel kickstarts the year 2023 with a drive for change and an exciting range of opportunities to be offered to young and talented musicians.

To initiate the partnership, MediaTracks is delivering a workshop to Carousel artists based in Brighton (and surrounding areas) on The Basics of Production Music, which will take place in late April (exact date TBC). This workshop is aimed at highlighting production music as a potential career path for young composers and artists and will involve guest speakers and interactive modules where composers will be asked to work in groups and tackle briefs from diverse musical genres. Likewise, Carousel will contribute to MediaTracks’ development by guiding the production music company on how to produce accessible material (written and audio-visual) for audiences with learning disabilities.

William Saunders, Creative Director at MediaTracks, highlighted the importance of these types of partnerships: "We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Carousel, which opens a world of new possibilities for artists with learning disabilities in the production music industry. With MediaTracks and Carousel joining forces, we are creating a platform for these talented musicians to showcase their skills and share their unique artistic visions with a wider audience. This is an exciting time for everyone involved and we can't wait to see what new musical opportunities will emerge."

We jointly launched the Paralympics album, a remarkable project featuring sports and adrenaline-themed music created by musicians with disabilities. This album aligns with the upcoming Paralympics and showcases the talents of artists facing various challenges.