UK-based music creators Chisara Agor, Gwen Siôn, Hang Linton and SCAPA have been selected by the British Council and PRS Foundation for the Musicians in Residence Programme 2025–26.
Alongside them, the programme welcomes international artists Duc Nguyen (Vietnam), Kevin Martinez (Mexico), Noshvia Wu (China) and Yin Yi (China) for creative exchange residencies in the UK.
The UK artists will take part in six-month hybrid residencies with partners in China, Vietnam and Mexico, including a two-week stay in their host country, while the international participants will be based in host cities across the UK - giving all artists the chance to immerse themselves in new cultures and music scenes.
With alumni including Imogen Heap, Love Ssega and Matthew Bourne, the programme supports the creation of new work by emerging artists and builds lasting international collaborations.
The four UK music creators are:
- Chisara Agor who will be hosted by Ibero 90.0 in Mexico City
Chisara Agor is an interdisciplinary artist, award-winning composer, producer, writer, dancer and actor based in London. Agor’s work blends music, the visual arts and theatre to explore themes of visibility, myth, ecology, and the chaos and contradictions of contemporary society and future worlds. - Gwen Siôn who will be hosted by Rare Sea in Vietnam
Gwen Siôn is a Cardiff-based award-winning composer, music producer and multidisciplinary artist working with sound, sculpture, DIY electronics, video and installation. She creates multi-instrumental, vocal and electronic compositions, and designs her own handmade electronic instruments and experimental sound devices by recycling found objects and natural materials. - Hang Linton who will be hosted by Indie Club in Vietnam
A fearless sonic force, Hang Linton is a boundary-pushing artist from Leeds, fusing avant-funk, dance-punk, psych-rock & breakbeats into a raw and unapologetic sound. Armed with a sampler, synths, and an unrelenting energy, Linton dismantles the polished and predictable, channelling the spirit of DIY counterculture with every performance. - SCAPA who will be hosted by Modern Sky in China
SCAPA is the multidisciplinary Manchester based creative making waves as a DJ, Producer and Immersive Audio Artist. With her love for video game composition holding a heavy presence throughout her tracks, SCAPA fuses synth focused sound design elements and electronic glitches to create her distinctive Afro-Electro aesthetic.
Music creator SCAPA said about being selected for the residency programme: “I’m ecstatic to be selected for this residency. It’s a rare opportunity to refine my spatial audio practice, expand my live performance techniques, and collaborate with Beijing’s underground scenes as I continue shaping my Afro-Electro sound. Modern Sky is a dream organisation, and I’m grateful for the chance to learn from such forward-thinking industry professionals.”
The four international music creators are:
- Quyếch (Vietnam) who will be hosted by Aberystwyth Arts Centre in Aberystwyth
Duc Nguyen is a Vietnamese songwriter and producer who founded and directs Quyech, a music project based in Hanoi, Vietnam. Beginning as a band writing for a single vocalist, Quyech has since evolved into a flexible collaborative practice in which each work is built meticulously around the strengths of the performers involved.
- Niño Árbol (Mexico) who will be hosted by The Night With… in Glasgow
Mexican artist Kevin Martínez, known as Niño Árbol, is one of the most prominent electronic music projects in Latin America. As a producer, he has released music characterized by syncopated rhythms, mantra-like textures, and a refined, intelligent sonic aesthetic that stimulates the mind and resonates deeply.
- Noshvia Wu (China) who will be hosted by Metal in Liverpool
Noshvia Wu is a singer-songwriter, producer, and sound artist. She moves fluidly across songwriting, acoustic composition, computer music, and interactive media, viewing sound as a transcendent medium for integrating visual and performative elements. She creates immersive experiences that resonate across personal and collective dimensions.
- Yin Yi (China) who will be hosted by Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC) in Belfast
Yin Yi is a musician, artist, and curator. His music career began in a slowcore band, now he focuses on hybrid music based on field recording and acoustic instruments. His observation and reflection on public space is both acute and deep, and his works are both avant-garde and critical. For Yin Yi, art is a recipe of self-healing and a touchstone for thoughts and action.
The residencies build on the long-running partnership between PRS Foundation and the British Council, which has previously supported artists working in countries including China, Brazil and the UAE.
Since launching in 2011, alumni from the programme include Imogen Heap, Anna Meredith, Matthew Bourne, Jamie Woon, Emmy the Great, Arun Ghosh, Bella Hardy, Love Ssega, Emma-Jean Thackray, Jasmin Kent Rodgman and many more.
Read more about the UK residencies here.
Joel Mills, Director of Music at the British Council, said: “I’m really thrilled that British Council is working once again with PRS Foundation on an international Musicians-in Residence programme. We are so excited to announce this year’s artists who will take part in the programme, hosted by organisations in China, Vietnam and Mexico – and the UK. Each will welcome artists to connect with their local creative communities. The programme offers music creators the space to experiment, collaborate and form lasting international relationships. They show how cultural exchange creates opportunities for artists and audiences alike, and to support UK artists overseas while also welcoming international creators to immerse themselves in the UK music scene.”
Joe Frankland, CEO at PRS Foundation, said: “Huge congratulations to the music creators selected for this year’s Musician in Residence programme, and a huge thank you to the hosts in China, Mexico and Vietnam. Making overseas cultural connections and breaking into new territories is so important for the development of music creator careers and the wider music ecosystem. We’re proud to be investing in the future and breaking down barriers to international progression for UK-based music creators. Together with our friends at British Council this partnership initiative over the years has had huge direct impacts for participants, from albums receiving award nominations, repeat performances of works in host countries and exciting collaborations. We’re very much looking forward to seeing the outcomes of this year’s residencies.”