Yeah! Music Ltd

What Yeah! Music Ltd does

Oh Yeah Music Centre is a registered charity (Charity Number: 100904) founded in 2007 and headquartered at 15-21 Gordon Street, Belfast. It operates Northern Ireland's dedicated music hub, combining physical venue infrastructure — rehearsal rooms, a main performance stage equipped with Setmixer live-capture multitrack recording, and meeting facilities — with a portfolio of talent development, youth, and community programmes. Core products include the 9-month Scratch My Progress talent development programme (over 500 alumni), the Volume Control and Elevate youth programmes, the annual Sound of Belfast Festival (running since 2013), the NI Music Prize awards (running since 2013, joined the National Music Prize Network in 2025), community outreach for older adults, and the Belfast Music Recommends Spotify playlist curated with Belfast City Council.

The organisation serves emerging musicians and artists (primary), youth aged 14-25, older adults including those with dementia, music industry tenants requiring workspace, and the general public attending events and tours. Revenue is drawn from public grants (Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council), industry funding (PRS Foundation, PPL, IMRO, Ed Sheeran Foundation, LIVE Trust), venue and rehearsal room hire, event ticketing, and merchandise. Distribution is community-led, anchored by Belfast Music Tours in partnership with Creative Tours Belfast, the Sound of Belfast Festival, and the Spotify playlist.

Oh Yeah is led by CEO Charlotte Dryden with a small dedicated team, supported by an alliance of core partners (PRS Foundation, PPL, Belfast City Council, Arts Council NI, Musicians Union, IMRO, PRS for Music) and high-profile patrons including Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody. In 2024 it became the first Northern Ireland venue to win the Music Week Grassroots Venue: Spirit Of The Scene Award and was selected as a Lord Mayor of Belfast charity.

Name

Yeah! Music Ltd

Legal name

Oh Yeah Music Centre

Website

https://ohyeahbelfast.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oh Yeah Music Centre is a Belfast-based registered charity operating Northern Ireland's dedicated music hub, providing rehearsal rooms, a live-capture venue, talent development programmes (Scratch My Progress, Volume Control), the Sound of Belfast Festival, and the NI Music Prize to emerging musicians, youth, industry tenants, and the wider community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Venue & Community Arts Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Sound Recording Studios (512240), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rehearsal & Pre-Production Studios (Rehearsal Rooms, Backline) (MPAIAHAK), Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Music venue hire
• Talent development programmes
• Music industry support
• Live music events
• Community music outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Room and Venue Hire: Revenue from hiring out rehearsal rooms, main venue, and meeting room spaces to musicians and organizations.
2. Grants and Public Funding: Core funding from Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council, PRS Foundation, PPL, and other public funding bodies to support talent development and community programmes.
3. Events and Festival Revenue: Revenue from ticket sales and events including Sound of Belfast Festival, NI Music Prize, and other concerts and performances.
4. Merchandise and Retail: Sale of Oh Yeah merchandise through online shop and Starr Records physical store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Yeah! Music Ltd operates Oh Yeah Music Centre, Northern Ireland's dedicated music hub in Belfast. The centre hires out rehearsal rooms, a main performance venue with Setmixer live-capture recording, and a meeting room; runs a 9-month Scratch My Progress talent development programme offering free studio time, mentoring, and PR support to emerging artists; delivers youth programmes (Volume Control, Elevate); hosts the annual Sound of Belfast Festival and NI Music Prize awards; operates Belfast Music Walking Tours; and runs community outreach for older adults and families.

Product overview

Oh Yeah Music Centre is Northern Ireland's dedicated music hub based in Belfast, operating as a charitable organization (Charity Number: 100904) that champions, supports, and showcases local musical talent. The centre provides physical venue offerings including Rehearsal Rooms and a Main Venue with professional Setmixer live-capture recording capabilities. Its talent development ecosystem comprises Scratch My Progress (a 9-month mentoring programme), Volume Control (youth industry training), and youth programmes including Elevate after-school club. The centre curates major annual events including the Sound of Belfast Festival and the NI Music Prize, while also operating community outreach initiatives and the Belfast Music Recommends Spotify playlist for artist discovery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sound of Belfast Festival: Annual music festival celebrating Belfast's status as a UNESCO City of Music, featuring events across multiple venues.
• NI Music Prize
• Scratch My Progress
• Volume Control
• Elevate
• Acoustic Picnic
• Women's Work
• Belfast Music Recommends
• Breaking Into Music

Products and services

• Rehearsal Rooms
• Main Venue
• Meeting Room (DMCW)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 artists have passed through Scratch My Progress programme, with graduates achieving record deals, management, publishing, and global streaming success.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LIVE TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2026Phase One funding recipient for Volume Control Enhanced programme. LIVE Trust is dedicated to protecting, expanding and supporting grassroots music across the UK.
• PRS FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey funding partner for Scratch My Progress talent development programme, providing essential support for emerging artists in Northern Ireland. Also brought the UK-wide Talent Development conference to Belfast in 2024.
• PPL UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary sponsor of NI Music Prize Album of the Year award (£3,000 prize). Ongoing support for Scratch My Progress programme and music industry talent development in Northern Ireland.
• Belfast City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey public funder and partner, supporting Scratch My Progress, Sound of Belfast Festival, and Belfast Music Tours. Recognized as part of UNESCO City of Music designation.
• Arts Council of Northern IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government funder of Oh Yeah Music Centre, supporting all major programmes including Scratch My Progress, Sound of Belfast, and community outreach initiatives.
• Musicians UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharlene Hegarty, former Oh Yeah Talent Development Manager, is now Musicians Union's first permanent regional officer for Northern Ireland. She continues to base herself at Oh Yeah.
• IMROcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for NI Music Prize and presenter of Outstanding Contribution to Music award. Provided £3,000 support for the Gerry Anderson Music Bursary.
• PRS for MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenter of Oh Yeah Legend Award at NI Music Prize. Supporting recognition of Northern Ireland's music legends including Eric Bell in 2024.
• Belfast City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Oh Yeah to curate the Belfast Music Recommends playlist on Spotify, showcasing Northern Irish artists to over 500 followers.
• Output FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIreland's biggest one-day music conference partnering with Sound of Belfast 2024, featuring the annual Scratch My Progress showcase.
• University of AtypicalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Sound of Belfast 2024 to deliver Sounds Atypical - an intimate gig showcasing Belfast's d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent musicians.
• Tutti CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurated the Women's Work showcase at Sound of Belfast 2024, providing platform for female and gender-expansive artists.
• Show Some Love LtdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Out Loud event at Sound of Belfast 2024, a night dedicated to rising queer artists at Show Some Love Greenhouse.
• Creative Tours BelfastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership delivering Belfast Music Walking Tours and Punk Music Walking Tours, with monthly performances at Oh Yeah Centre. Dolores Vischer brings tour guests weekly.
• Community Foundation for Northern IrelandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Jig of Life project and The Gerry Anderson Music Bursary campaign, supporting older carers and emerging musicians.
• Venue Sustainability ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOh Yeah participating in Belfast Reusable Cup Scheme - first multi-venue scheme of its kind in UK and Ireland, aiming to remove 2 million plastic cups annually.
• Snow Patrol (Gary Lightbody)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder and patron of Oh Yeah, Gary Lightbody actively supports the centre and advocates for arts investment in Northern Ireland.
• National Music Prize NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork comprising Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, Welsh Music Prize, and NI Music Prize to champion musical talent, promote cultural exchange and strengthen music sectors across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brudenell Social Club: Iconic Leeds grassroots music venue hosting emerging and established artists, with community-led programming and room hire — directly comparable to Oh Yeah as a UK grassroots venue hub.
• Sage Gateshead: Music venue and education charity in the North East combining performance spaces with talent development and learning programmes — directly comparable as a regional music hub with educational programming.
• Sound Connections: London-based charity developing emerging music talent and supporting grassroots music makers — comparable as a talent-development non-profit serving a regional music ecosystem.
• The Trades Club: Hebden Bridge grassroots music venue and social enterprise hosting live music and community programmes — a similar small-scale, community-led UK grassroots venue.
• Band on the Wall: Manchester grassroots music venue and charity with rehearsal spaces, live programming and community engagement programmes — structurally and operationally analogous to Oh Yeah Music Centre.
• Generator: Newcastle-based music development charity providing talent development, rehearsal, and industry support to emerging artists — the closest peer to Oh Yeah's talent development and hub model outside Northern Ireland.

Regional players

• The Empire Music Hall: Belfast live music venue competing for the same regional gigs and audiences as Oh Yeah's main venue, though without the talent development and charity focus.
• Limelight Belfast: Long-standing Belfast live music venue operating in the same city as Oh Yeah; comparable for live music and ticket-based revenue but a pure commercial operator.

Others

• Music Venue Trust: UK charity advocating for and supporting grassroots music venues like Oh Yeah — relevant as the sector body that channels policy and funding support to comparable venues.

Emerging players

• Birmingham Music Coalition: Regional music development organisation providing talent development, networking, and industry support — a comparable emerging player in the UK regional music infrastructure space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ohyeahbelfast
• Facebookfacebook.com/ohyeahbelfast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohyeahcentre
• Instagraminstagram.com/ohyeahbelfast

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Yeah! Music Ltd