live music now

What live music now does

Live Music Now is a UK registered charity (No. 273596) and private limited company founded in 1977 that delivers participatory live music programmes to people in healthcare, social care, and educational settings across England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, reaching over 55,000 beneficiaries annually. The organisation trains and employs a network of 320 professional musicians, selected for both performance excellence and participatory communication skills, who deliver programmes through a direct-to-institution model serving NHS trusts, care home operators, special schools, community venues, and local authorities. Its portfolio is organised around two core service areas — Music in Health (including Live Music in Care, Live Music in Hospitals, and the Lullaby Project for perinatal mental health) and Music in Education (including Interactive Concerts, Musicians in Residence, Count Me In!, and All Together Now) — supported by an Online Video Library and the Musicians' Development Programme. The underlying "technology" is a participatory music delivery methodology underpinned by academic research, the Sounds of Intent framework (used for inclusive music-making in specialist schools), and accreditation as a Trinity College London centre.

The business model is hybrid and characteristic of the UK charitable sector. Live Music Now operates without core funding and applies a Full Cost Recovery fee model to its service delivery, charging healthcare and care providers for programmes while supplementing income through charitable donations (including legacy giving), project-based grant funding from trusts and government bodies (Arts Councils, National Lottery, Sobell Foundation, Mayfield Valley Arts Trust, AHRC), and corporate partnerships. Named funders include the National Lottery Community Fund (£69,975 People's Projects Award, 2023), National Lottery Awards for All (£20,000, 2025), Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Creative Scotland, and The Connect Fund (2026). The go-to-market is direct sales/institutional partnership with no retail or digital distribution; musicians are deployed physically to client sites, and awareness is generated through case studies, social media, webinars, and earned media. Geographic operations span three registered offices (Rochester HQ, Cardiff for Cymru, Liverpool), with a sister organisation (Live Music Now Scotland) covering Scotland independently.

Name

live music now

Legal name

Live Music Now Limited

Website

https://livemusicnow.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Live Music Now is a UK charity founded in 1977 that trains and employs 320 professional musicians to deliver participatory live music programmes in hospitals, care homes, special schools, and community settings across England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, reaching over 55,000 people annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Music Services

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Therapy (Educational/Developmental Programs) (EDAMANAK)

Keywords

• Live music programmes
• Creative health services
• Music in healthcare
• Inclusive music education
• Community music delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Service Fees (Full Cost Recovery): High-quality professional live music in healthcare settings is offered as a paid service. As a charity without core funding, they follow a Full Cost Recovery model to keep work sustainable and impactful. Fees include VAT and cover skilled musicians delivering evidence-based music programmes.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, including legacy giving. Fundraising activities and events organized by supporters and alumni.
3. Grant Funding: Project-based grant funding from trusts, foundations, and government bodies including Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Sobell Foundation, Mayfield Valley Arts Trust, Creative Scotland, National Lottery, and government health/wellbeing initiatives.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Business partnerships providing funding and support in exchange for association with the charity's social impact programmes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Live Music Now delivers evidence-based, participatory live music programmes in healthcare settings, care homes, schools, and community venues across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. The charity trains and employs 320 professional musicians who deliver programmes such as Live Music in Care, Live Music in Hospitals, the Lullaby Project, Interactive Concerts, Musicians in Residence, Count Me In!, and community concerts. Programmes are sold to institutional clients (NHS trusts, care home chains, schools, local authorities) on a Full Cost Recovery basis and supported by grants, donations and corporate partnerships.

Product overview

Live Music Now is a UK-based charity providing live music programs across two core service areas: Music in Health (delivering evidence-based music interventions in care homes, hospitals, hospices, and community settings) and Music in Education (inclusive music programs for disabled and autistic children and young people in schools). The organization trains and employs 320 professional musicians who deliver programs including Live Music in Care, Live Music in Hospitals, the Lullaby Project, Interactive Concerts, Musicians in Residence, and Count Me In! across England, Northern Ireland, and Wales. The portfolio includes an Online Video Library for virtual access to performances and a Musicians' Development Programme for training professional musicians.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Music in Health
• Music in Education
• Live Music in Care
• Live Music in Hospitals and Healthcare
• Lullaby Project
• Live Music in Communities (Songs and Scones)
• Interactive Concerts
• Musical Mondays
• Musicians in Residence
• Count Me In!
• Inspire
• All Together Now
• Online Video Library
• Musicians' Development Programme
• Lullaby Project Cymru

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of teachers scored Live Music Now 4 or 5 out of 5 for pupil engagement
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Sounds of Intent CharitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership for Count Me In! programme using the Sounds of Intent framework for inclusive music-making in specialist schools.
• Carnegie Hall (Lullaby Project model)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021The Lullaby Project model was originally developed by Carnegie Hall in New York. Live Music Now adopted this model and has been delivering Lullaby Projects since 2021, training staff and delivering programmes based on Carnegie Hall's methodology for pairing professional musicians with new parents experiencing mental health challenges.
• Flying Start (Neath Port Talbot)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership for delivery of Lullaby Projects in Glyneath and Afan Valley, providing referrals for families and supporting perinatal mental health services.
• Swansea Bay University Health BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership for Lullaby Project at Tonna Hospital's specialist Perinatal Inpatient Mental Health Unit, with health workers co-facilitating sessions.
• Cardiff Flying StartcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Past Lullaby project partnership in Ely, Cardiff for supporting new parents and families.
• National Care ForummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with National Care Forum as part of national Creative Health initiatives, working with care home operators.
• Culture Health and Wellbeing AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive collaboration with Culture Health and Wellbeing Alliance as part of national Creative Health initiatives.
• Integrated Care BoardsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Integrated Care Boards across England for delivery of creative health programmes in healthcare settings.
• Age CymrumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Age Cymru for Music and Culture in Care event, bringing together care home activity coordinators and caregivers.
• Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museum Wales)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Music and Culture in Care event held at St Fagans National Museum of Welsh Life, Cardiff.
• Rhondda Cynon Taf Cultural ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership resulting in monthly 'Songs and Scones' participatory concerts at the Coliseum in Aberdare.
• Trinity College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Music Now is an accredited centre for Trinity College Awards and Certificates in Musical Development, providing quality framework for music programmes.
• Live Music Now ScotlandmajorOthersIndependent sister organisation operating in Scotland, with Live Music Now covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• University of South WalesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Tuning In to Autism project and research on expanding access to music for autistic learners.
• University of RoehamptonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with University of Roehampton for Tuning In to Autism project manager role.
• Care EnglandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Care England as part of national Creative Health initiatives.

Scale indicators11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• LSO Discovery: Learning and community arm of the London Symphony Orchestra delivering music education and health-related programmes. Comparable UK-based orchestral outreach to schools, families and community settings.
• Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (Learning): Major UK orchestra with substantial Learning programme delivering participatory music in schools, care homes and community/health settings. Comparable beneficiary types and participatory musician-led delivery.
• Carnegie Hall (Lullaby Project): US institution that originated the Lullaby Project model now adopted by LMN. Operates broad education, community and creative-health programming - overlaps with LMN's Lullaby and creative-health verticals at portfolio rather than specialist scale.

Direct peers

• Spitalfields Music: UK charity producing participatory music programmes for schools, families and community/health audiences in London and beyond. Comparable outreach model, professional musician deployment, and creative health focus.
• Orchestras Live: UK-wide organisation promoting orchestral music in communities, schools and care settings through partnerships with orchestras. Directly comparable mission of delivering live music to underserved audiences.
• Nordoff Robbins: UK music therapy charity training and deploying professional music therapists in healthcare, education and community settings. Closely comparable mission, beneficiary base and clinical/therapeutic music delivery model to LMN.
• Wigmore Hall Learning: Learning and engagement arm of Wigmore Hall running participatory music projects for children, young people, schools and community/health audiences. Comparable professional-musician-led educational delivery.
• Soundabout: UK charity supporting children and young people with learning disabilities and autism through music. Strongly comparable to LMN's Count Me In!, Sounds of Intent and specialist schools programmes.
• Live Music Now Scotland: Independent sister organisation of Live Music Now covering Scotland, sharing the same founder/legacy, business model, and mission of delivering live music to healthcare, care and education settings in the UK.

Others

• National Centre for Creative Health: UK umbrella body advancing creative health practice and policy across the NHS and care sector. LMN engages as a delivery partner; useful comparability reference for the ecosystem LMN operates in rather than direct competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/livemusicnowuk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/livemusicnowonline
• Facebookfacebook.com/livemusicnow
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/live-music-now
• Instagraminstagram.com/livemusicnowuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about live music now