We have been working to kickstart a new network of out-of-school, youth music groups across Scotland, and would love to hear from you if you might like to get involved. We will be meeting online and supporting visits between different projects, and generally want to create more opportunities for people working in this field to get to know each other, share practice, and develop new projects and collaborations together.
We’re keen to involve of all sorts of youth music projects – people working in different kinds of community settings, across different genres of music, and with people of different ages and abilities. Your group could have just started up, or it could have been going for years; you could be one person doing everything or part of a larger group or organisation. If you would like to be involved, or are interested in finding out more, we’d love to hear from you.
As part of this network, the Youth Music Initiative have funded a number of bursaries for people to travel and visit other projects around the country, and we will be organising online meet-ups and training sessions too. You can find out more about the bursaries here.
It is free to join the network and apply for a bursary – click here to apply.
If you have any questions or would just like to have a chat or find out a bit more, please contact us at info@tinderboxcollective.org.
Here are some of the organisations and projects involved so far:
Ama-zing Harmonies
Ama-zing Harmonies is a singing group in North West Edinburgh founded in March 2017 by Ama Shallangwa. Our aim is to work in the community to enrich cultural understanding and inclusiveness by uniting people together with music and food. Through these activities we encourage networking and communal integration to break isolation and celebrate our diversity as well as what we have in common.
Arts in the City
Arts in the City is a project managed by Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, existing to help improve the life experiences and chances of care experienced individuals. The project does this by providing participatory opportunities in the Arts, sport and culture – developed and designed specifically for care experienced individuals; and signposting to appropriate provisions from third sector organisations. Note: Arts in the City are not available to visit as a project, but if you want to be in touch you can contact the project’s Development Worker, Deni Smith – Deni.Smith@Glasgow.gov.uk
Bowmar Soundspace
The Bowmar Soundspace is a community music and creative space based in the Bowmar Centre in Alloa and run by members of the Clacks CLD team. It is a recording studio and rehearsal space but also allows its young people and local community to explore crafts through the building and design of musical instruments and beginners coding and robotics.
DD8 Music
DD8 Music is a registered Scottish charity, dedicated to promoting involvement in musical activities to people of all ages in the Kirriemuir area. We run a rehearsal and recording studio in Kirriemuir. It is a space where people can have the freedom to experiment with music, and be encouraged to develop their talent.
Drake Music Scotland
Drake Music Scotland is the nation’s leading arts organisation providing music making opportunities for people with disabilities. Our expertise in inclusive music technology and specialist teaching methods support people of all ages and a wide range of disabilities to play, learn and compose music independently.
Dumfries Music Collective
Through our links to people and organisations in the Scottish music industry, we aim to provide opportunities to young people in the region. We do this through educational events like talks and workshops, and through live showcases that are often attended by music industry figures.
Fèisean nan Gàidheal
Fèisean nan Gàidheal supports community-based Gaelic arts tuition festivals – Fèisean – throughout Scotland which have a special focus on traditional music tuition. Young musicians also feature in the annual Blas Festival organised by the organisation as well as summer Cèilidh Trails. Since the establishment of the Youth Music Initiative, Fèisean nan Gàidheal has delivered traditional music classes in schools across several local authorities. This continues through its formal education service – Fèisgoil – which, in addition to music, provides Gaelic language and cultural activities for schools and a range of bodies.
Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra (FYJO)
Founded in 1976 by the energetic, award-winning jazz musician and composer Richard Michael OBE. Following his philosophy that “Mistakes are cool!” and that FYJO rehearsals are where it’s OK to get it wrong, FYJO has introduced hundreds of youngsters between the ages 8-24 to the particular musical freedom that jazz with its emphasis on improvisation offers.
Givin' it Laldie
Making Music in the Gorbals! Our music sessions are FREE and are open to everyone – no auditions, no experience and no ability to read music required! We use music to build and strengthen our community, to connect people and to lift lives and improve well being
Hear My Music
Hear My Music is a charity enabling people with complex needs and/or Autism to express themselves as individuals through inclusive participant-led music making.
Intercultural Youth Scotland
Intercultural Youth Scotland (IYS) is Scotland’s leading charity for young Black and People of Colour (BPoC).
Love Music
Music inclusion and education charity Love Music inspires and empowers people to be curious, creative and adventurous with music regardless of their skill base or background. Working with communities and young people, it offers a number of participation opportunities and projects including its Junior Choir for 8-12 year olds and Community Choir for all ages.
Make Music Day (Scotland)
International celebration and one-day festival of music! “Music will be everywhere and the concert will be nowhere!” Maurice Fleuret
Mull Music Makers
We run a free, year-round programme of violin/fiddle workshops for young people across the Isle of Mull, a remote island community with limited access to music tuition.
Oi Musica
Oi Musica uses the music of street bands to bring people and communities together. Youth and community Street Bands with brass & Drumming, Schools workshops. Based in Edinburgh.
Soundbase & Music Development Dundee
Music Development Dundee aims to bring a clearer focus for the creation, development and presentation of live music in Dundee, including Soundbase – a music-making project open to young musicians (of any genre) aged 12-18 supported by a team of professional musicians and guest artists to develop skills in song creation, guitar playing, drumming, keyboard, collaborative music making, playing with a band and performance and having fun!
Sound Lab
Face-to-face or online tuition workshops in any creative discipline. Always fun and always free – Singing, songwriting and vocals, DJ skills and production, Guitar Drums, Keyboard, Digital technology, and anything else you might want to learn!
Soundplay Projects
Soundplay uses technology, sound and art to make accessible interactive installations, objects and events. We work with people of all abilities to build in accessibility and inclusion using cutting edge technology, sensory materials and sound to create serious engagement through play.
St Andrews Music Participation (STAMP)
St Andrews Music Participation (StAMP) is a newly-created music education project in Fife run by the University of St Andrews Laidlaw Music Centre. Our main project is StAMP Brass which aims to support and invigorate the cultural heritage of brass playing in schools, in the community, and across the world. This project is a partnership between Fife Music Service, Fife Brass Bands and The Wallace Collection.
Stove Network
The Stove Network is an arts and community organisation in the heart of Dumfries High Street. Diverse programme stretching across music and literature, visual and public art, film and theatre, to town planning, architecture and design.
We use arts and creativity to encourage, to gather, learn and bring life back to our town centre. We see the arts not as something solely for an ‘arts audience’ but rather as a vital contribution to society on all fronts.
Tinderbox Collective
A creative community of young people, musicians, artists and youth workers based in Edinburgh. Alternative Orchestras, Youth Clubs, Music in Hospitals, Game Design & Creative Technology projects. Based in Edinburgh.
Tutti Music
Tutti Music is a community project which aims to offer local people the opportunity to learn a musical Instrument through attending organised classes/groups, and to encourage participation in the community through music. Group attendees are afforded the chance to loan an instrument from West Lothian Council’s Blackridge and Armadale Library for leisure at home. This project is a partnership between Blackridge & Armadale Management Committees, Greenrigg Community Council and West Lothian Council’s Customer & Community Services.
Granton Youth Mixtape Club
An open access and free of charge introduction to playing, singing, song-writing and performing for young people aged 11+. Youth work staff and music tutors work with young people learn a variety of instruments/vocal coaching/song-writing; as well as learning about the music industry. They also provide young people with the opportunity to visit an industry standard recording studio, as well as guide them into the world of love performance, and releasing their own music when they are ready for this. A friendly and supportive group using peer education to build and support skills and performance.