What DD8 Music does

DD8 Music is a community-based Scottish registered charity (SC047601), founded in 2006 and headquartered in Kirriemuir, Angus, that delivers free and low-cost music and creative programmes to young people aged 10–25+. The charity operates a physical studio at 29 Bellies Brae in Kirriemuir, supplemented by satellite locations at the Guide Hall (Friday Youth Group) and the bandstand at The Den (Live in the Den festival), with programming recently extended into Forfar through the Beyond The Stage project. Its core delivery comprises structured programmes — Guitar Group, Bass Group, DJ Discovery, Camera Club, Open Studio, Youth Media Takeover, One Track Challenge songwriting workshops, Creative Workshops, and the Beyond The Stage personal development project — all coordinated via a Youth Board ('The Overlords') and a five-person operational staff (Charity Manager, Youth Service Manager, Head of Music Development, Youth Development Worker, Volunteer Co-ordinator) supported by trustees and volunteers.

The business model is a charitable, multi-stream funding structure rather than a commercial SaaS or product model: unrestricted income derives from donations and Crowdfunder campaigns; restricted grant funding supports specific programmes (Young Start National Lottery Community Fund for Beyond The Stage; Amazon Regional Creatives Fund for Youth Media Takeover; Eilidh's Trust for One Track Challenge); annual flagship festival Bonfest (20th anniversary in 2026) generates ticket revenue through Skiddle plus raffle and merchandise sales; tiered Corporate Partnerships with local firms (Winter & Simpson, Gill Financial, Henderson Gray, Thrums Hotel) provide sponsorship and advertising inventory; and a Project Prospectus lets schools, businesses, and community groups book music and creative projects on a professional-services basis. An online Virtual Gift Shop sells Bonfest calendars (£10), limited 20th anniversary patches (£10, 100 units), and memorabilia worldwide. Most core services to young people are free; commercial monetization is concentrated in ticketing, merchandise, raffles, and corporate/B2B project bookings.

Name

DD8 Music

Legal name

DD8 Music

Website

https://dd8music.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DD8 Music is a Scottish registered charity in Kirriemuir, Angus delivering free music education, DJ, photography, songwriting, and media programmes to young people aged 10–25+ across Angus, funded by donations, grants, the annual Bonfest festival, corporate partnerships, and bookable project services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Music Education & Community Arts Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7) (EDAMANAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Songwriting & Composition (Topliners, Co-writers, Camps) (MPAIABAA)

Keywords

• Community music charity
• Youth music education
• Creative arts programs
• Music workshops
• Community fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Kirriemuir

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Festival Revenue (Bonfest): Bonfest is DD8 Music's flagship annual fundraiser with all profits going directly to the charity's running costs. Tickets are sold through Skiddle platform.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Accepts monthly or one-off donations from supporters via Crowdfunder. Also benefits from grants and trust funding.
3. Merchandise Sales: Virtual Gift Shop sells Bonfest calendars, patches, memorabilia, and raffle tickets. All profits support the charity.
4. Raffle and Fundraising Events: Bonfest Raffle offering memorabilia prizes at £5 per ticket. Draw opens June 28, closes July 17, 2026.
5. Project Booking Services: Offers bookable music and creative projects for schools, businesses, and community groups through a Project Prospectus.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DD8 Music is a registered Scottish charity (SC047601) based in Kirriemuir, Angus, that delivers free and low-cost music and creative arts programs to young people aged 10-25+. It runs structured tuition (guitar, bass, DJ, drums, audio production), photography, media production, songwriting workshops, youth drop-in sessions, and the flagship Bonfest annual fundraiser festival.

Product overview

DD8 Music is a community-based charity (Scottish Charity No: SC047601) located in Kirriemuir, Angus that operates as a unified organization providing music and creative programs. The portfolio centers on DD8 Studio as the core facility, supplemented by structured programs including Guitar Group, Bass Group, DJ Discovery, Camera Club, Youth Media Takeover, Beyond The Stage, and Youth Group. Annual events include Bonfest (flagship festival celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026), Live in the Den, and DD8 Showcase. Additional offerings include Creative Workshops, Songwriting Projects like One Track Challenge, Virtual Gift Shop merchandise, Bonfest Raffle memorabilia, Corporate Partnership packages, and a Project Prospectus for schools and community groups to book programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bonfest: Annual flagship music festival fundraiser organized by DD8 Music, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026. All profits go directly towards the charity's running costs.
• Live in the Den
• DD8 Showcase

Products and services

• Bonfest Annual music festival and primary fundraising event for the charity, held in Kirriemuir and showcasing local talent with all profits supporting DD8 Music's running costs.
• DD8 Studio

Quantifiable outcome

• 20 years of continuous operation and community service
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Winter & SimpsoncoreOthersFamily printing business offering high-quality print services. Listed as a Corporate Partner, providing advertising opportunities at Bonfest Festival while supporting the local community charity.
• Gill FinancialcoreOthersMontrose-based Independent Financial Adviser firm serving Angus residents for over 20 years. Silver Corporate Partner offering holistic Financial Planning services.
• Thrums HotelminorOthersFamily-run hotel in Kirriemuir offering comfortable accommodation. Bronze Corporate Partner providing year-round hospitality and local accommodation options for festival attendees.
• Henderson Gray Marquee HirecoreOthersScotland's leading marquee and event infrastructure company delivering temporary structures for festivals and events. Supports live music and community events as a Corporate Partner.
• Planet YouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitially piloted the Youth Media Takeover initiative before it was further developed with Amazon Regional Creatives Fund support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Youth Music: National UK charity investing in music-making projects for children and young people experiencing disadvantage. Directly comparable as a UK youth music charity operating through grants and partnerships.
• Drake Music: UK charity pioneering music, disability, and technology to increase accessibility for young people. Directly comparable as a UK music and creative education charity serving young people with subsidised or free programmes.
• Tomorrow's Warriors: UK music education charity developing talented young musicians, particularly from underrepresented backgrounds. Directly comparable as a UK youth music development charity with educational and artistic outcomes.
• Awards for Young Musicians: UK charity supporting the progression of talented young musicians from any background through grants and development opportunities. Directly comparable as a UK charity supporting young people's musical development.
• Sistema Scotland: Scottish charity running the Big Noise programme, providing free music education to disadvantaged children across Scotland. Directly comparable as a UK-based, grant-funded music education charity serving young people with a community-based delivery model.
• Music for Youth: UK charity providing music-making opportunities and performance platforms for young musicians. Directly comparable as a UK youth music charity delivering programmes and events.

Others

• Creative Scotland: Scottish public body that distributes funding for arts, screen, and creative industries. Adjacent comparable as a Scottish funding ecosystem participant that DD8 Music may engage with for grants and partnerships.
• Musicians Without Borders: International non-profit using music to connect communities and support peacebuilding, with programmes for young people. Adjacent comparable as a music-for-social-impact charity serving young people through community-led programmes.

Broad incumbents

• Nordoff Robbins: UK's largest music therapy charity, with a broader national footprint and professional clinical delivery. Comparable as a UK music charity serving young people with a more established national presence and professional service delivery model.

Regional players

• Scottish Youth Theatre: Scotland's national youth theatre company providing performing arts opportunities for young people aged 3-25. Regionally comparable as a Scottish creative-arts charity serving young people with workshops and performances.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DD8Music
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dd8-music

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 DD8 Music