Camden Songwriting Circle Q&A: Striving for Community, Support & Inclusivity in a Disconnected Music Industry
Scene Report Q&A: Camden Songwriting Circle
Emerging out of a lack of community and support in the UK music landscape, The Camden Songwriting Circle started with the aim to bring musicians together through a love of their craft…songwriting.
Following on from our Event Review of one of their Songwriting Circles in 2024, we had a chat with co-founder and organiser Melanie to get the story on this brilliant creative community in North London.
How did Camden Songwriting Circle begin? Can you talk us through organising the first Songwriting or Feedback Session?
“Camden Songwriting Circle (CSC) started in May 2023, born out of my own frustration with how cliquey and inaccessible the music industry can be, especially for songwriters and artists trying to develop their careers.”
I had a group chat with a few close friends from music uni, where we’d challenge each other to write a song a week and share feedback. While it was a great way to grow creatively, I wanted to take that same sense of collaboration out of the digital world and into real life, with a bigger community of musicians.
So, I reached out to the group to see if anyone was interested in helping me make this idea a reality, and Caroline jumped on board. Together, we kicked things off at the Rose & Crown, a venue local to us. We decided to keep the event free and open to everyone, to remove the barriers that often exist in the industry. Two years later, the community has grown and thrived in ways we never imagined, and it’s been amazing to watch!
What makes North London a great place to hold Songwriting sessions?
North London, like the rest of London, is packed with creative energy, and Camden has this amazing history as a hub for alternative music and culture. We wanted to create something local, but not just for the alternative crowd.
“It was about diversifying the Camden music scene and offering a space for songwriters from all genres to come together.”
How has the local community engaged with CSC?
At first, it was just the London community, but now we’ve had people travel from all over the UK and even the world, wanting to be part of something like this. The engagement has been incredible. Every session is a mix of different genres and personalities, and it’s always inspiring.
“There’s always something to learn from each event, whether you’re performing or just there to listen and connect.”
If you could hold one Songwriting Session anywhere else in the world, where would it be and why?
The obvious answer would be Dublin, where our sister circle takes place thanks to Luke Clerkin, one of the original attendees of our events who wanted to take a piece of CSC back home, to what is now the Dublin Songwriting Circle.
But if I’m thinking beyond that, Toronto would be my pick. It’s my hometown, and there’s such a huge need for more creative spaces there, especially with arts funding constantly being cut.
“I really believe in the power of community, and I’d love to create something like CSC in a city that has so much untapped creative potential.”
What is the main challenge of organising CSC events? And how have you overcome it?
“The biggest challenge has been finding the time and financial resources to keep these events going.”
The industry as a whole is struggling, and people just don’t have the budgets to throw around, which is why we’ve kept the events free, or very affordable. But, at the same time, we still want to support and pay the amazing volunteers who help run these events.
We’re always looking for alternative ways to get support, whether it’s through Camden Council or sponsors, and we’ve been super fortunate to have our community willing to pitch in as we grow. If anyone reading this feels like supporting us, please get in touch!
How has CSC changed since its beginning? What has improved? Have there been any surprise developments?
We’ve definitely fine-tuned a lot of things over the years to make the events run more smoothly. For instance, we initially had 20 performance slots, but we quickly realized it was too many and had some of the audience leaving early. So, we scaled it back to 15, and it’s worked out perfectly. We’ve really figured out the balance between audience engagement and giving performers enough time to shine.
One of the biggest surprises has been the level of interest and support we’ve received. When we started, we had no idea how much impact CSC would have, and it’s been humbling to see it grow.
“There are times when we get a bit burnt out, but when we hear how our events have helped people or inspired new collaborations, it reminds us why we do it.”
What is the mission of CSC, what would you like musicians to get out of it? How can new artists get involved?
“Our mission is simple: to create a safe, supportive space for musicians to meet, learn, grow, and collaborate.”
Whether it’s through our feedback sessions, where we workshop new material, or our showcase events, where we feature performances and have audience Q&As, the goal is always to foster connections.
We’ve been lucky enough to see artists who’ve performed at our events go on to collaborate in different ways, whether that’s through sessions, gigs, or co-writes. That’s exactly what we’re aiming for.
If musicians want to get involved, they can sign up for feedback sessions in person when our doors open at 7pm. To be considered for our curated lineups, they can fill out a submission form through the link in our bio. And, of course, showing up to the events and being a part of the community always helps, as we love highlighting community members at the showcases!
What has been the most memorable Songwriting Circle you’ve done, and why?
It’s hard to pick just one, but our fundraising event in February 2025, in collaboration with Burnt Toast Presents for Music Minds Matter, stands out as a highlight. We had some incredible musicians perform, including Blair Davie (music), Hattie Oates (music), Emilia Tarrant and Margarita Helene (music). We received donations for the raffle from so many local community spaces and community members. We had some amazing prizes ranging from free rehearsal spaces, songwriting courses and more, with all the money earned going to support mental health for musicians.
“We were able to raise over £500, and it felt so rewarding to give back in such a meaningful way.”
What is missing from the music industry right now? Has CSC tried to fill any gaps?
The commercial music industry is definitely lacking community and transparency. There’s so much gatekeeping and a lack of information that can leave emerging artists feeling lost or exploited. At CSC, we’re trying to break down those walls and create a space where musicians can share, learn, and grow together.
“Instead of competing with each other, we aim to uplift everyone, and I think that’s the gap we’re filling.”
We didn’t see a lot of other events like this when we started, but now we’re seeing a positive shift in the industry, with more events popping up that emphasize collaboration and openness. We’re so excited to be part of that change.
What do you have planned for CSC in 2026, and what are your goals for the future?
“In 2026, we’re aiming for even more. More events, more venues, more community!”
We want to expand both in person and online, offering new opportunities for musicians to connect and showcase their work. We’re also planning to increase the diversity of our locations and the types of events we run, so stay tuned. You can hear all about it in SoundScout Magazine (our mini-site here) and on our social media pages (@camdensongwritingcircle).
See all upcoming CSC events here.
