Market Harborough Music Hub, Brickwork Studios: Where Local Music Flourishes

Matin Whiteman's Brickwork Studios

For Martin Whitman, music has never just been a career; it’s been a lifestyle and an attitude that runs through everything he does. From the age of five, when his parents scraped together enough to buy him a small violin, he was captivated by sound. What began as a love of playing gradually evolved into a fascination with how music is made, recorded and shared. Today, that passion lives on through Brickwork Studios, the Community Interest Company he co-founded in Market Harborough, now celebrating its tenth year.

Martin’s journey into the music world took a slightly unexpected turn. Although he was offered places at both the Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he chose instead to follow a growing interest in studio recording and electronic sound. Moving to London at just 18, he worked his way into the industry from the ground up, taking on day jobs before securing a role as a studio manager, and gradually building his skills as an engineer and producer.

The rehearsal studio at Brickwork Studio

Alongside this, Martin began creating his own studio in a garage in Camden, where he lived. He worked with unsigned bands who couldn’t afford larger studios. It was here that a pivotal opportunity arose. When Lo Fidelity Allstars came in to record, Martin’s creative approach to sound caught their attention. Even after the band signed to Sony and were approached by high-profile producers, they chose to continue working with him. What followed was an extraordinary chapter: recording their album in Brighton, touring internationally, and performing on major stages, including Glastonbury and venues across the United States.

After years working in the industry, including building a studio complex in Brighton and collaborating with well-known artists, Martin and his wife made the decision to return to the Midlands to be closer to family. It was here that the idea for Brickwork Studios began to take shape. Together with Mike Heaps, Martin set out to create something more than just a recording space; a creative hub rooted in community, where people of all ages and backgrounds could access professional facilities.

Martin Whiteman in the control room

Since opening in 2016, Brickwork Studios has become exactly that. Built as a Community Interest Company, its purpose is not profit, but accessibility, offering affordable rehearsal space, recording services and sound support while reinvesting any surplus back into the community. The building itself is something of a feat, with metre-thick concrete walls designed to contain sound so effectively it’s been jokingly described as a “bomb shelter.” Its name reflects the site’s history as a former brickworks, a connection that still resonates today.

Martin’s work at the studio is as varied as the musicians who walk through its doors. A single week might include recording a string quartet, producing voiceovers, working with indie bands or supporting emerging drill artists. Evenings bring rehearsals, lessons and collaboration, with around a dozen bands regularly using the space. Alongside this, Somewhere Records, a volunteer-led label run largely by young people, provides a platform for new and original music, something Martin feels strongly about supporting.

For Martin, Brickwork Studios is more than a workplace. It’s his life's work, an evolving space where creativity is shared, nurtured and celebrated. As it enters its second decade, his vision remains clear: to keep building a place where music belongs to everyone, and where the next generation of artists can find their voice.

Creative Harborough is delighted to have Martin and Brickwork Studios as a member of our creative community. The passion, generosity and commitment to supporting others that sit at the heart his work, makes a real difference to the local creative landscape. We look forward to seeing how Brickwork Studios and Somwhere Records continues to grow, and inspire the many musicians and collaborations that emerge from its walls.

To reach Martin and Brickwork Studios, go to: https://www.brickworkstudios.co.uk/

For Somewhere Records, go to: https://www.somewhererecords.co.uk/