Photo credit BBC/Mark Allan
BBC Radio and Music’s Open Music training scheme will return for a third edition in 2026.
This next programme begins with six Insight Days staged across the UK from December 2025 to February 2026, marking the first time the scheme has gone on the road.
Events in Cardiff, Birmingham, Glasgow, Salford, London and Belfast are designed to reach more people who are passionate about classical and orchestral music and curious about how the BBC brings it to audiences.
Each session will introduce attendees to industry professionals and, in some locations, offer hands-on experience in technical and radio production. This will include planning and producing a mock radio programme, giving potential trainees a realistic insight into BBC workflows and expectations.
The Insight Days form part of the wider 2026 BBC Open Music scheme, which runs from Spring to Autumn and supports early-career creatives who want to build skills in broadcasting, production and music.
Applications open in December, with selected participants later gaining the chance to support broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 in Autumn 2026, offering real-world experience at the heart of the network’s classical output.
Previous editions have led former trainees to roles across the BBC and wider industry, including radio production, presenting, communications and sound engineering, supported by mentoring from presenters such as Mary Anne Hobbs, Linton Stephens and Katie Derham, and from staff teams across Radio 3, BBC Introducing, Radio 1Xtra and the BBC Concert Orchestra.
More info on BBC Open Music and the Insight Days here: bbc.co.uk/openmusic