ABSTRACT
The experiences of the various participants in the New Deal for Musicians (NDfM) within Scotland also highlight the role of devolution in new ways of thinking about popular policy, as in many ways there is a 'Scottish dimension' to the events. In essence, the NDfM is an extension of the general NDYP programme tailored to meet the needs of young musicians and the realities of the industries in which they are seeking to work. NDfM is administered via Jobcentre Plus, a UK-wide government department which runs the scheme through its local Job Centres where claimants register as unemployed and claim Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA). The Music Open Learning Provider (MOLPs) saw NDfM as beneficial in three ways, the quality of the learning materials, the time it gave to clients to pursue their music and the legitimation the scheme brought to young musicians. For many of the musicians NDfM was effectively operating as a state-sponsored music industries' information service.
