Pop star JADE and renowned designer Anthony Burrill have teamed up with Youth Music, the UK’s leading youth music charity, to create two striking T-shirt designs.
The t-shirts are in support of the charity’s Save the roots campaign – a £1m fundraising campaign to protect grassroots music projects across the country. Available via Everpress for £30, all profits will go directly to community-based projects where young people make, learn and share music. The tees are already being championed by supporters including Rizzle Kick’s Jordan Stephens and DJ Jodie Bryant.
Anthony Burrill’s designs feature his signature bold letterpress typography, while JADE’s designs are written in her own handwriting (which boyfriend Jorden Stephens has immortalized in a tattoo to mark his passion for the cause). Both t-shirts capture the campaign’s call to protect the grassroots areas that nurture emerging talent.
As Christmas approaches, Youth Music hopes the t-shirts will be embraced as meaningful gifts that give back and support opportunities for the next generation of music makers.
Jordan Stephens said: “Everyone has the right to be creative. We need to cultivate spaces for connection and that’s why I’m so passionate about this campaign. Just like my lovely girlfriend [Jade Thirlwall] whose handwriting I have tattooed on me and is on the t-shirt. Every T-shirt helps the future. Save the roots.”
The t-shirts aim to raise awareness of the bleak outlook for the grassroots music sector, which is currently at breaking point. Without urgent support, access to local music projects will continue to decline, particularly for young people from marginalized backgrounds.
- 41% of grassroots youth music projects at risk of closure – up from 24% in 2024
- 54% of youth music funded partners have waiting lists due to lack of resources – up from 50% in 2024
- Youth music is currently able to support fewer than one in five (18%) funding applications, leaving 260,000+ young people without access to music-making opportunities
- The financial position of 41% of Youth Music’s funded partners is expected to deteriorate over the next year, with 28% uncertain about their future
Youth music Save the roots The campaign is rallying the nation to save grassroots music, aiming to raise £1m, which the charity will match pound for pound to unlock £2m of vital support for over 18,000 young people.
Jodie Bryant said: “Grassroots music is the foundation of the entire music industry – it’s where some of the most exciting artists first discover who they want to be. Equally important, it’s where the original fans are born – the people who can change a musician’s career and stick with them for life. But when opportunities at this level become harder to find – to discover and nurture the new music, we need to protect more fans and the fans. make this possible, that’s why we need to save the roots!”
Shop Anthony Burrill’s t-shirt here and JADE’s t-shirt here.
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