Create Define Release (CDR)

Music Production Educationcreatedefinerelease.com

Create Define Release (CDR) is a London-based Community Interest Company, founded in 2001, that delivers music production education, workshops, and community programming for aspiring and practicing producers across the UK, with sister programs targeting youth and underrepresented groups in the producer community.

Company typePrivate
Founded2001
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What Create Define Release (CDR) does

Create Define Release (CDR) is a UK-registered Community Interest Company (CIC) founded in 2001 by Tony Nwachukwu, headquartered in London, that operates as a music production education and community organization. Since 2001 it has run over 600 sessions and engaged more than 7,500 workshop participants, delivering programs spanning production workshops (CDR Sessions, openCDR), a structured membership community (Music Producer Club), targeted demographic programs (Process for women, non-binary, and trans+ producers; Out The Box with Secretsundaze), a youth pathway program (Pathways), and a youth-focused program in partnership with the Stratford Youth Zone.

The organization operates from a base of 14 employees and is funded through a mix of Arts Council England grants, donations, and merchandise sales, supplemented by in-kind and partnership contributions from established venues, labels, and studios including Brownswood, Corsica Studios, Rye Wax, Strongroom, UD Studios, and Ten87 Studios. CDR's technology stack is centered on Ableton Live and music hardware from Digit Music, with program delivery occurring across physical venues and through touring events that have touched London, Manchester, Bristol, and international stops in Melbourne, Berlin, Johannesburg, and Paris.

Its business model is non-commercial: CDR does not pursue revenue maximization but rather operates as a non-profit community interest company, with financial sustainability tied to Arts Council England funding cycles, philanthropic donations, and modest merchandise revenue. Its primary participants are aspiring and practicing music producers, with secondary beneficiaries including young people, underserved demographic groups within the producer community, and partner institutions that receive programming, training, and access to professional networks.

Create Define Release (CDR) firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Create Define Release (CDR)
Legal name: Create Define Release CIC
Website: https://createdefinerelease.com
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2001
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: Create Define Release (CDR) is a London-based Community Interest Company, founded in 2001, that delivers music production education, workshops, and community programming for aspiring and practicing producers across the UK, with sister programs targeting youth and underrepresented groups in the producer community.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Create Define Release (CDR) industry classification

Industry

Product category: Music Production Education
NAICS: Sound Recording Industries (5122), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)
SIC: Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
akta.pro primary industry: Sample Library & Sound Design Creation (for production use) (MPAIAHAM)

Keywords

Music production education
Community music programmes
Electronic music workshops
Artist development programmes
Music industry events

Where Create Define Release (CDR) is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: London
HQ country: United Kingdom
HQ region: Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

Create Define Release (CDR) business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

Public Funding and Grants: CDR receives public funding from Arts Council England to support educational programmes including Music Producer Club
Donations and Support: CDR operates a 'Pay It Forward' programme and accepts donations to support their community mission of building an equitable music ecosystem
Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling CDR merchandise
Educational Programme Delivery: Delivery of music production programmes in schools, youth centres, and venues across the UK, supported by public funding

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Freemium	Monthly	Free community programmes for young people
Other	Pay-as-you-go	Donation-supported content

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Create Define Release (CDR) product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Create Define Release (CDR) is a UK Community Interest Company that delivers free music production education programmes, artist talks, hands-on workshops, studio access, and community events targeted at emerging and established electronic music producers. It runs multiple named programmes (CDR Sessions, openCDR, Music Producer Club, Process, Out The Box, Pathways, Archive, Pay It Forward) for individual producers, young people, and underrepresented groups including women and non-binary makers.

Product overview

Create Define Release (CDR) is a community-focused music production organisation offering a portfolio of interconnected programmes for producers at all stages of their careers. The core offering includes CDR Sessions (artist/producer talks), openCDR (track submission platform), and educational programmes: Music Producer Club (MPC) for youth aged 12-18, Process for women and non-binary makers, and Out The Box for professional studio mixing experience. The Pathways programme provides long-term artist development. Additional offerings include an Archive of past talks, a Shop for merchandise, and Pay It Forward fundraising. All programmes aim to build an equitable music ecosystem through education, mentorship, and community access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

CDR Sessions Live and recorded artist talks featuring established electronic music producers and artists sharing practice, career journey, and creative insight, targeted at individual producers and the broader electronic music community.
openCDR Free community meetup for music producers to network, share work, and engage with the CDR community in an informal setting.
Music Producer Club (MPC) Structured after-school music production programme aimed at school-age young people, delivering hands-on production education and creative development, typically delivered through partner schools and youth organisations.
Process Workshop series focused on women and non-binary electronic music makers, providing dedicated production training and community in response to underrepresentation in the field.
Out The Box Studio programme giving producers access to professional mixing environments and guided mixing practice, targeted at emerging and established producers seeking studio experience.
Pathways Artist development support helping producers progress their craft and careers, typically through structured mentorship, performance opportunities, and progression pathways.
Archive Video archive of past CDR talks, interviews, and educational content, providing on-demand access to programming for producers and the wider public.
Pay It Forward Donation and scholarship mechanism enabling supporters and beneficiaries to fund free access to CDR's programmes for those who otherwise could not afford to participate.

Quantifiable outcome

600+ CDR sessions hosted since 2001
+2 more outcomes

Companies that use Create Define Release (CDR)

Customer profile

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Create Define Release (CDR) technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Create Define Release (CDR) partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

SaffronmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2023Collaboration with Bristol-based Saffron organisation for series of three collaborative Artist Talks featuring Yushh, Grove, and Shanti Celeste at Dareshack and The Love Inn in Bristol. Shared commitment to expanding access to music making.
Rye WaxmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023South East London record store and nightclub partnered with CDR for youth mentorship programme. Tony Nwachukwu conducted masterclass with Irish-Saudi Moving Still on mixed heritage influence on music.
Resident AdvisormajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Collaboration with Resident Advisor and Afrorack for joint MPC session at Stratford Youth Zone. RA facilitated bringing Afrorack to the UK to work with CDR on music production education.
AfrorackmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Chicago-based audio arts organization providing children and young adults of color access to modular synthesizers. Joint MPC session with CDR at Stratford Youth Zone for hands-on hardware and synthesizer experience.
We Out Here FestivalmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020CDR hosted a stage at We Out Here Festival's Online & On Air event with workshops, talks, panels and DJ sets. Included MPC workshop, synthesis workshop, A-Z panels on Garage/Jazz/Broken Beat, and BRIT-ish Soul Panel.
SecretsundazecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Monthly studio session collaboration 'Out The Box' with Secretsundaze Studios. Opens studio doors for producers to hear tracks on analog studio system and receive feedback.
Contact TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManchester venue hosting Music Producer Club sessions for young people aged 12-18. CDR programme delivered at this partner location.
Stratford Youth ZonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth centre venue for weekly MPC sessions with latest cohort of 13-25 year olds. Also hosted summer school collaborations and Afrorack partnership session.
The Art HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEast London venue hosting Music Producer Club Live event bringing together MPC participants, families, educators, and wider CDR community.
Strongroom, UD, Ten87 StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon studios partnering with CDR for Out The Box programme, offering producers direct experience working with professional mix engineers in professional studio environments.
Digit MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMidlands partnership enabling delivery of MPC to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. Partnership includes innovative tool 'Cmpsr' for young people with different access needs.
Brownswood's Future BubblersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTadi The Great selected for Future Bubblers programme, with CDR session track 'Cut Thru' played at Jazz Cafe showcase and receiving airplay on Worldwide FM.
Corsica StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon venue hosting regular CDR Artist Talks and openCDR sessions. Primary venue for CDR events in London.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Create Define Release (CDR) competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

Help Musicians: Major UK charity supporting musicians across careers with grants, health, and welfare services. Comparable to CDR in charitable UK music support model, but operating at a larger scale with broader scope.
Point Blank Music School: Commercial London-based electronic music production school offering paid courses in Ableton, DJing, and production. Comparable curriculum to CDR's MPC but as a commercial, fee-paying institution rather than free community programme.
PRS Foundation: UK music charity distributing grants to songwriters, composers, and organisations. Comparable to CDR as a UK music ecosystem funder, though at significantly larger scale and via grantmaking rather than direct delivery.

Direct peers

Brighter Sound: Manchester-based music education charity delivering creative music projects for young people and emerging artists. Directly comparable to CDR's Manchester MPC delivery and regional artist development model.
Tomorrow's Warriors: UK charity nurturing young Black and emerging talent in jazz and contemporary music. Comparable to CDR in mission-driven UK music education for underrepresented groups, with similar partnership-driven programme delivery.
Brownswood Recordings: UK independent label (Gilles Peterson) running Future Bubblers talent development programme. Direct peer and CDR partner, with comparable artist development remit for emerging electronic talent.
Youth Music: UK charity funding music-making opportunities for young people aged 0-25. Directly comparable to CDR's MPC programme in mission and beneficiary age range, both rely on public/grant funding and operate UK-wide.
Sound Connections: UK charity supporting young people's music-making and workforce development. Comparable to CDR in supporting emerging musicians through community programmes and partnerships with youth-facing organisations.
Saffron: Bristol-based music organisation expanding access to music-making, especially for women and non-binary producers. Direct peer to CDR, and CDR's documented Bristol partner.

Others

Resident Advisor: Global electronic music platform covering events, news, and label services. Direct partner with CDR via Afrorack MPC sessions; adjacent as a media/distribution partner rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Create Define Release (CDR) financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Create Define Release (CDR) leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Create Define Release (CDR) funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

Create Define Release (CDR) M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Create Define Release (CDR)

What does Create Define Release (CDR) do?

Is Create Define Release (CDR) a public or private company?

Create Define Release (CDR) is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was Create Define Release (CDR) founded?

Create Define Release (CDR) was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is Create Define Release (CDR) based?

Create Define Release (CDR) is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.

How does Create Define Release (CDR) make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Public Funding and Grants are the primary driver. The others are donations and Support, merchandise Sales and educational Programme Delivery.

Who are Create Define Release (CDR)'s main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Help Musicians, Point Blank Music School and PRS Foundation. Direct peers are Brighter Sound, Tomorrow's Warriors, Brownswood Recordings, Youth Music, Sound Connections and Saffron. Resident Advisor is listed as an others.

Does Create Define Release (CDR) have an API?

No public API is recorded for Create Define Release (CDR).

What industry is Create Define Release (CDR) in?

Create Define Release (CDR)'s product category is Music Production Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAHAM, Sample Library & Sound Design Creation (for production use). Its NAICS code is 5122 and its SIC code is 7812.