skip to main content

DIY Guide to Mentoring in Music Released

Mentoring in Music is a comprehensive DIY guide to mentoring that gives you the tools you need to create opportunities to get mentoring or be a mentor.

Published: 20 August 2021 | 6:13 PM
Photograph of a band playing, in what appears to be underground archways, with red lights shining.
The creator Frank Hamilton hoped the guide would help new entrants to the industry navigate the best path to finding the right mentor. Photo credit: Shutterstock

The guide includes information on what mentoring is, its benefits, and information on the roles of mentee and mentor.

It includes a step by step guide covering:

  • Finding a mentor
  • Setting SMARTER goals
  • The mentoring process
  • What happens after a mentoring arrangement ends

It also includes examples of mentoring agreements – which cover things like frequency of meetings, timescale of the relationship, rules and expectations, alongside useful resources for mentors and mentees.

Download the Mentoring in Music Guide.

By and for young people in the music industry

The guide was created by artist and Bedroom Indie label owner Frank Hamilton, and the UK Music Futures Group.

Frank, known for his pioneering One Song A Week project and critically acclaimed follow up album ‘Songs To Make Life Slightly Less Awkward’, said he hoped the guide would help new entrants to the industry navigate the best path to finding the right mentor.

He also hopes that the guide will also encourage those working in all parts of the industry to lend their skills and expertise to advise others by becoming a mentor.

“If this guide helps just one person to understand the process and make it seem more achievable, then I’ve done what I set out to do.

“In truth I hope it can inspire many to seek out their own mentoring arrangements and improve their chances of success, both personally and professionally,” he said.

Get MU membership today

From gig players to part-time teachers and professional instrumentalists, MU members can access specialist insurance for musicians. This includes Public Liability, Instrument and Equipment Insurance, Accident Insurance, Tax Investigation Insurance, and Professional Indemnity Insurance for music teachers.

Explore our member services

  • Get public liability insurance for musicians
  • Access expert legal support
  • Be represented in your profession
  • Access expert career advice, resources, and training events
  • Connect, network, and get to know the community of musicians

Learn about all membership benefits

Get MU membership today

Continue reading

The MU Members' Assembly, sat in a semi-circle around the front desk and large monitor screens. Some people are making notes and others are typing on laptops.

MU Members’ Assembly Explores Regional Identity and Representation

Last week, the MU Members’ Assembly met to review regional and national representation within the Union. The meeting brought together members from across the UK to discuss how regional identity shapes their experiences and how the MU can best support musicians in different areas.

Published: 26 March 2026

Read more about MU Members’ Assembly Explores Regional Identity and Representation
Bridget at a Green Party march in New Zealand.

Bridget Walsh on the Intersection of Music and Climate Justice

From community organising to creative resistance, MU Climate Emergency Action Group co-chair Bridget Walsh explores how climate justice and the struggle against oppression are deeply intertwined - and why that matters this Women’s History Month.

Published: 25 March 2026

Read more about Bridget Walsh on the Intersection of Music and Climate Justice