New initiative supports youth programs and long-term community growth.
Photo credit: CDR – Youtube
London-based community music organisation Create Define Release (CDR) has announced the launch of ‘Pay It Forward’, its first-ever public fundraising campaign, marking a new chapter in its 20-year history.
Founded in 2002, CDR has supported over 20,000 artists through workshops, events, and development programmes across the UK and EU. The new campaign invites its extended network to help sustain the organisation’s independence while expanding its reach and accessibility.
“Pay It Forward is an invitation to invest in what comes next,” says CDR Founder and CEO Tony Nwachukwu. “Public funding has helped us build stability and plan with greater confidence, but stability alone doesn’t allow our community to fully grow, adapt, or respond to the changing needs of the artists it aims to serve.”
Framed around ideas of shared knowledge and creative continuity, the initiative will support the national expansion of CDR’s youth programme Music Producer Club, the construction of a new community music studio, and the organisation’s long-term sustainability.
“From the beginning, CDR has been about creating the kind of environment I wished had existed when I was finding my way,” adds Nwachukwu. “One rooted in openness, care, and shared learning. This campaign is about ensuring that sense of possibility continues for the next generation.”
Supporters can contribute through one-time or recurring donations, helping fund accessible programming and future-facing projects across the UK and beyond.
More information and donations are available here.
