Skills Lab: Creative Communities is a practical training academy for musicians of all genres who want to develop skills in creative music-making and leadership with a wide range of communities.
What do music leaders do?
Music leaders work with people of all ages and all walks of life. They use music making to encourage and support creative expression, wellbeing and confidence with the people they work with.
The world of music leadership is diverse and each music leader is unique – with their own musical journey, background, interests and passions, leading them to the communities they want to work with.
Who is Skills Lab for?
Would you like to develop your skills in leading creative music projects in a range of community settings and inspire people to explore their creative potential? Then this could be your opportunity! We’re looking for a diverse group of musicians and emerging music leaders from all music genres who are passionate about creating music with communities around them.
We particularly welcome underrepresented talent. We’d like to encourage musicians who are Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic and/ or D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent, and Musicians from lower income backgrounds.
“I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m buzzing with ideas! I was surprised how approachable things felt when broken down. I thought Music Leadership was something that was not possible for me …but this was really exciting and has encouraged me” (2019 Skills Lab participant)
How does Skills Lab work?
Skills Lab: Creative Communities is a training academy series that combines online and in-person learning. Each training day will focus on different community and educational settings and skillsets, and will be led by our creative leadership team – Abimaro Gunnell, Sam Glazer and James Redwood.
Each day features special guest leaders including Aga Serugo-Lugo, Gawain Hewitt, Paul Cree, Sarah Freestone, Zoe Palmer, Amina Hussain, and Freya Wynn-Jones.
Skills Lab will give you an opportunity to:
- develop skills and confidence to facilitate inclusive music workshops and lead creative music making activities which work in person and online
- learn new ideas and activities for sessions, including warm-up games, song materials, approaches and techniques
- reflect, deepen and build on your practice
- observe and explore different approaches to music leading
- increase skills and knowledge to pursue a career as a creative music leader
- connect and collaborate creatively with a network of musicians
- ask questions and share your experience with some of the UK’s best Creative Music Leaders
