Alternative Arrangement is a not-for-profit record label and promotion company, based in Stroud, working to support, highlight, and empower young creatives and musicians through providing support, opportunities to perform, and gain experience in live events.The community around us is the heart of our work: we truly are nothing without the people around us.
COMMUNITY TESTIMONIALS
"There's something happening here"
"Shows what's possible for the future"
"Amazing... we were greatful for the experience"
"Very impressed by how many people came to show support"
"One of my favourite gigs we’ve played so far"
UPCOMING EVENTS
ABOUT US
Alternative Arrangement is a not-for-profit record label and promotions company, based in Stroud, working to support and uplift youth arts & music from the grassroots up.We are a proudly youth-lead, youth owned company, and we believe that young people need support, and need community. We're growing up in a time when people are more divided than ever, atomised by social media, and isolated by the systematic closure of accessible third spaces. We recognise that this needs to change, and are taking it into our own hands to change it.
WHAT DO WE DO?
We specialise in DIY live music centred around showcasing youth artists and bands. We're organised by a small network of young people who bring these shows to life, with support from community olders who provide skill sharing and help obtaining equipment.
As well as this, we're looking to do more to support our community, such as running dedicated workshops for skill sharing and networking, as well as getting people talking about what change we want to see in the world around us.
OUR PROJECTS
SPECIAL EVENTS
Special gatherings to celebrate each other.
"THE ALTERNATIVE!" SHOWCASE SERIES
Our regular event series, centred around giving young grassroots musicians experience with performing live on stage, and bringing the community together to celebrate.
AWKWARD BEETS
Workshops, open mics, and jam nights aimed at increasing accessibility to music through intergenerational skill sharing. A place for our community to connect, learn, and build.
"WHAT IS HAPPENING" INTERVIEW SERIES
An interview series covering the state of all things music, reflecting on where we've come from, and looking to the future for inspiration.
SHADOWING & EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITIES
We offer opportunities to share community knowledge through getting involved in everything that goes on behind the scenes, including photography, stage tech, and event organising.
More coming soon...
WILLS ECHO ☿
(They/She) Founder, Event Co-ordination Lead
Wills Echo is an artist, musician, and community organiser, born and raised in Stroud, with a passion for grassroots celebration, music, and arts."For me, live music is all about the people who make it happen, from the people on stage, behind the scenes, to the people who turn up to support each other and make nights unforgettable. I strongly believe in the power of live music as a force for community building and collective growth, and also that there's something to be treasured and fostered in grassroots music."
"I read a book about revolution once and it declared: "If you want to change the world, get out a map of where you live, draw a one mile radius around your home. That's where you change the world" I remember not liking that, because it meant I had to do something. I'm slowly getting there, one painting at a time."
- Clay Sinclair
For all things Alternative Arrangement, get in touch through the form or, alternatively, send us an email via:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do you put on cover bands?
We absolutely do! For many bands, and especially newer musicians, covers are a great way to start out, get to grips playing together, and gain confidence performing on stage. Even for more experienced bands, it can be a really good exercise in honing in on your 'sound', taking someone elses song and making it your own.
Can anyone get involved?
Yes! While we are youth focused (which we define as 13-25), we believe that intergenerational work is really important, and work with people of all ages to put on shows. If you have a skill to share, or time to offer, we'd love to hear from you!
How can I help out?
There are tonnes of ways to support our work, from buying tickets and coming to support the artists at our shows, leaving donations to fund our projects, or getting involved behind the scenes to make it all happen. If you have ideas for projects we should run, skills or equipment you want to offer, then get in touch and let us know.
What are you trying to do?
We have two main goals: supporting grassroots arts & music, and bringing people together to build community. We're making a music scene to celebrate each other.
Are you anti-industry?
Wills: " Short answer: no we're not anti-industry, but we do think the industry needs to change.
I think its more that we're trying to be the change we want to see in the music industry. A lot of what we're doing aims to prepare for and teach about industry standards, and to equip artists and organisers with what they'll need to grow and move forwards. I think what's different is about our priorities, the 'why' we do this. Crowded community centres and sticky floors have seen more creativity and talent than a stadium ever will, and what we're trying to do is hold space for that, regardless of how far it goes or how 'marketable' it would be to a major label."
In 2027, we're looking to do more to build our scene. Whether you're a musician, visual artist, organiser, or just enjoy live music, we want to hear what you think, and work together to shape our future.
COMMUNITY SURVEY
We want to hear from you! What do you think of the current state of grassroots, third spaces, life as a young person, and what can we do about it? Let us know through our community survey, as well as our dedicated artists survey!
GET ON STAGE
We're looking to grow our roster of artists for our 2027 programme! Whether you're just starting out or looking to hone your stagecraft, we have a stage for you.
Any genre accepted.
SKILLSHARING
Throughout all of our projects, we aim to offer opportunities to young people to shadow our crew and learn more about how we work. Get in touch to find out more.
WORK WITH US
Coming soon...
Coming soon...
Coming soon...
THE ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENT