CHARITIES, CICS, AND ORGANISATIONS AT PIRATE
National Portfolio Organisation
Introducing: Small Green Shoots
Small Green Shoots represents a new type of apprenticeship. They focus not just on jobs, but on careers, offering an alternative to the conventional education and training system for entry into the job market. They create pathways for disadvantaged young people aged 18-25, providing access to the music and creative industries through paid training and secondment programmes with industry partners.
PROJECT
A key part of their programme includes personal and skills development, which incorporates studio time, opening up opportunities to write, record, and produce music.
Community Interest Company
Introducing: Saffron Records
Founded in Bristol in 2015, Saffron operates as a non-profit organisation that offers training in music production, sound engineering, radio broadcasting, and DJing, along with an artist development programme and record label. Saffron aims to advance gender equality in the music tech sector by creating a safe space for women, non-binary individuals, and other minority genders to learn and build confidence. They strive to occupy traditionally male-dominated music tech spaces and become visible role models for others.
PROJECT
Through in-person events, Saffron effectively welcomes individuals from minority genders into an inclusive and collaborative community where they can thrive. At Pirate, they offer beginner courses in DJing (Mix Nights) and a mentoring programme, providing many participants with their first experiences in making and performing music.
Charity
Introducing: HvH ARTS
The costs of studying the arts can be prohibitive for many young people, and careers in the arts remain largely the domain of the privileged. HvH ARTS provides free courses to help break down these barriers. As a registered charity, they offer free after-school, weekend, and holiday tuition in over 20 diverse arts and media programmes to children and young people aged 5-21 within social housing estates and schools around Queens Crescent in Camden. This area falls within the 10% most deprived LSOAs in England (Income Deprivation Affecting Children 2019), with 46% of children living in poverty (Child Poverty Action Group 2018).
PROJECT
HvH ARTS developed The Music Mentoring Project (TMMP) to support young people at risk and those who are gifted and talented in music by providing professional tutors and the chance to learn and develop new skills. This summer, young people in the TMMP programme had the opportunity to perform at events across the country, including Camden Inspire, The Scoop, and Wilderness Festival.
Community Interest Company
Introducing: Everybody Loves Music
Everybody Loves Music offers a range of support services focused on personal development and community engagement through music. They collaborate with schools to provide one-to-one support, open events, and taster workshops that utilise music as a tool for learning and self-expression. They also design and deliver tailored projects for vulnerable groups, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and individuals in the youth justice system.
PROJECT
Everybody Loves Music has witnessed young people become involved with the police and youth justice services, where their music and lyrics have been used as evidence against them. Their group of young leaders, some from youth justice services, has identified a need for a project titled Losing Lives With Lyrics, aimed at raising community awareness about the dangers of harmful lyrics that can put young people at risk.
Community Interest Company
Introducing: HQ CAN
HQ CAN’s mission is to develop the regional and national creative arts scene by enabling as many practitioners as possible to fulfil their potential. They address the barriers many creatives face in converting their craft into a profession, guided by their service users and responsive to their needs. They use music and the arts as a vehicle to improve mental health and confidence while providing the skills and support necessary for individuals to gain employment.
PROJECT
HQ CAN is running group sessions at Pirate to create demos and participate in cyphers and live streams in various genres such as Grime, Hip Hop, and Drill. They aim to increase well-being and knowledge of the music industry while providing a platform for artists based in Leicester. Over 50% of participants in all their projects come from diverse and underrepresented groups, reflecting Leicester’s diverse population.
Community Interest Company
Introducing: The Music Box Yorkshire
The Music Box Yorkshire is a not-for-profit company providing regular, positive, accessible, motivational, and educational music tuition, lessons, projects, and workshops to people in the West Yorkshire area. They work with individuals from various backgrounds, uniting people of different races, ages, religions, socioeconomic statuses, and those with special behavioural and/or educational needs.
PROJECT
The Music Box Yorkshire will deliver projects at Pirate Studios, including DJing, Music Production, and Rock Band initiatives, offering practice sessions to students facing challenges in their lives, such as social anxiety, mental health needs, special educational needs, and disabilities. Their current core offering includes a series of weekly projects, such as two youth DJ groups, two adult DJ groups, three youth rock bands, one adult rock band, two youth guitar groups, and a youth choir.
Community Interest Company
Introducing: Yeah Youth
Young Educational Arts Hub (YEAH) is a creative project engaging young people through interactive workshops within urban music genres. Yeah Youth UK provides opportunities for young artists to grow and develop their creative skills. They focus on nurturing music skills, providing exciting opportunities, and sparking creativity through mentoring while informing young people about potential careers in the arts and entertainment industry. Their unique style of delivery has encouraged over 1,500 self-registered young people to participate in their weekly projects.
PROJECT
Yeah Youth is running a 8-week project featuring DJ workshops, rap workshops, music production, and podcasting, where young participants will collaborate to create one EP, host one rap cypher, and produce one podcast focused on London youth culture and the emerging music scene, facilitated by artist mentors. Participants will acquire skills to create independently, establish networks with peers, and understand their role in the next generation of the music scene.
Charity
Introducing: Young Urban Arts Foundation (YUAF)
YUAF connects disadvantaged young people aged 11-19 with empowering opportunities to learn, grow, be heard, seen, and celebrated through music production, rap, spoken word, lyric/songwriting, DJing, and podcasting. Their strength lies in building trusting relationships and creating a supportive community for young people to flourish. When ready, they assist young people in accessing training, work experience, and employment through their industry and educational partners via 'YUAF' (intensive group upskilling and industry experience for Global Majority, LGBTQ+, disabled, and low-income 16-19s); 'Pathways' (individualised aftercare support for vulnerable young people to overcome barriers, develop confidence, and access opportunities); and YUAF Young Leaders.
PROJECT
Support from the Studios For All Fund will enhance young people’s participation in YUAF’s aftercare programmes: 121 Creative Development, Pathways, and YUAF Futures. The young people they work with come from high-needs, marginalised backgrounds (Global Majority, LGBTQ+, disabled, low-income) and often face barriers to access.
Charity
Introducing: Rich Mix
Rich Mix welcomes the communities of the world in East London to create, enjoy, and share culture. Open since 2006, they are a charity connecting some of the city’s most adventurous and diverse audiences to a vital, exciting, and ambitious programme of contemporary culture. Every pound they make in their cinema, on their bars, and through their space hire goes straight back into supporting their work in the community and transforming lives through creativity.
PROJECT
Rich Mix has a youth programme called New Creatives with a weekly cohort of young people who are creatives and artists, including young filmmakers (BTS) and music artists (Music Makers) who are taught by facilitators to create personal outcomes within their creative goals. Their facilitators currently run a portable setup at the venue, so they will offer the young people a proper and professional space for their sessions at Pirate, enhancing their overall experience.
Community Interest Company
Introducing: Make Your Mark
Make Your Mark runs a development and educational platform called GRD Floor. The goal is to improve access and education for up-and-coming artists and others wanting to work in music production, culminating in a live show at the end of each cohort. GRD Floor provides classes in areas such as songwriting and production, and for production teams, offers workshops like CV writing and interview preparation.
PROJECT
As part of their project, Make Your Mark wants participants to create at least one exclusive song for each event. They will use Pirate Studios to provide access to professional equipment in Pirate’s recording studios and rehearsal spaces, helping create the highest quality sound product in a creative-focused environment. The impact GRD Floor aims to achieve is both upskilling and showcasing new talent to the industry.
Local Authority
Introducing: Plymouth Youth Music Service
Plymouth Youth Music Service offers a variety of music opportunities for young people in Plymouth schools and local communities. They have highly skilled tutors who specialise in various instruments and genres, tailoring lessons to meet the needs and interests of each student.
PROJECT
Plymouth Youth Music Service will introduce modern music opportunities such as DJing, podcasting, and music production to those young people who do not necessarily see themselves fitting into bands, choirs, and orchestras. They will offer a safe space for young people to explore music and express themselves through sound, fostering a sense of belonging among participants and connecting them with peers who share similar interests.
