sound52 External Evaluation Round 3

‘sound52’ Lincolnshire Youth Music Action Zone Project

External Evaluation Report Third Round April 2005 – March 2006

By Matthew Blades

sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)

CONTENTS 1. Executive Summary & Context

p.2

2. The ‘sound52’ Programme

p.6

3. Third Round Benchmarks

p.7

4. Third Round Outcomes

p.7

5. Implementation Evidence to-date – First Notes 0-5 years

p.8

5.1 Research & Development in Pre-Natal & Post-Natal Work

p.8

5.2 Music Residencies

p.11

5.3 Pilot Projects with Childminding Sector

p.11

5.4 Development of First Notes Resource Pack

p.14

5.5 Sure Start

p.15

6. Implementation Evidence to-date – Second Sounds 6-11 years

p.15

6.1 Out of School Hours Music Activities

p.16

6.2 Additional Needs

p.17

6.3 Specialist Music Genre Workshops

p.18

6.4 Orchestral Experience

p.18

7. Implementation Evidence to-date – HeatUP! 12-18 years

p.19

7.1 Contemporary Popular Music

p.19

7.2 Producers

p.21

7.3 Vox

p.23

7.4 Junk Groove

p.23

7.5 Alternative Curriculum

p.24

7.6 Radio Programme Profile

p.25

7.7 Maintenance of Instruments

p.26

8. Training & Development

p.27

9. Management

p.30

10. Summary

p.31

Matthew Blades – May 2006

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)

1.

Executive Summary & Context

1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide documentary evidence of the external audit of ‘sound52’, a Youth Music Action Zone (YMAZ) project for Lincolnshire. This report documents an evaluation of key operational and strategic activities in the third round of ‘sound52’, between April 2005 and March 2006. The report is derived from evidence gathered during this period and it offers an overview of the issues arising from the various activities ‘sound52’ engaged in. The report comments on the direction or development of this activity and what, if any, impact there may be in the future delivery of the ‘sound52’ project overall.

1.2 In order to gather evidence to measure against the range statements outlined in the third round bid document, the following methodologies was adopted;      

Scrutiny of all relevant ‘sound52’ documentation.

Empirical literature review on participatory music projects, similar to ‘sound52’.

Meetings with soundLINCS staff members, who organise, plan and manage the YMAZ programme.

Site visits to various residency settings and session observations across the region, including sample visits to the ‘First Notes’, ‘Second Sounds’ and ‘HeatUp!’ elements of the YMAZ programme.

Face to face and telephone interviews with key opinion formers and stakeholders, who are supporting the YMAZ programme and its initiatives, in various ways.

Engagement with ongoing ‘sound52’ research work, such as conferences and facilitator sharing sessions.

1.3 This report has been framed in three ways. Firstly ‘sound52’ bears reference to Youth Music’s own mission statement; ‘To enable music making for children and young people, particularly those who have not had previous opportunities’ And ‘sound52’ is delivered in accordance with Youth Music’s four YMAZ objectives; 1. Access: Helping more young people to develop through music making, especially those whose access to music making is limited.

2. Breadth: Encouraging the widest range of musical styles and cultural traditions in music making.

3. Coverage: Improving provision for those who are isolated by geography, by lack of facilities, or by other circumstances.

4. Quality: Providing the highest quality of musical experience for young people in order to encourage enjoyment and further involvement.

Matthew Blades – May 2006

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)

1.4 Secondly, ‘sound52’ is very much aligned to Youth Music’s five national strategic objectives and priority areas, which are; 1. The Early Years 0-6 years age group 2. The Transition Age Group involving the shift from year 6 (primary) to year 7 (secondary) 3. Those ‘At Risk’ 4. Singing 5. Workforce Development 1.5 Thirdly, this report is framed by Lincolnshire’s current socio-cultural climate, which, at the time of writing, is enjoying a fantastic renaissance, marshalled by a number of lead arts organisations and formal networks of artist practitioners. soundLINCS is counted as an important, lead body in this local revival, and a key voice in alerting stakeholders with a renewed interest regionally in what the creative, cultural sector can achieve economically, artistically and socially across the East Midlands.

1.6 For example, soundLINCS is a fundamental partner in the growing cohesion between Lincolnshire County Council (LCC), the seven district, borough, and city councils across Lincolnshire, and the business support network for the East Midlands.

This is evidenced by how soundLINCS is delivering on LCC’s corporate objectives 2006/2009. As a key strategic organisation of LCC, soundLINCS, whether via the ‘sound52’ project ‘, or via the organisations wider community music remit, is assisting the Council to;     

Enrich people’s lifestyles across the county Achieve Excellence in the delivery of its work Improve access in a county with a rural and dispersed population Promote diversity across communities by engaging different socio-cultural and economic groups Increase security and safety within communities through the promotion of interdependence and connectedness

1.7 All of the above agencies are working together to improve economic performance in Lincolnshire. soundLINCS contribution is evidenced in various ways, particularly through the ‘sound52’ project, which is providing accessible, quality opportunities for young people. These opportunities not only engage young people in activities that extend their practice of music making, but which require them to apply innovation, initiative and resourcefulness, often packaged around their own cultural interests and creative aspirations.

1.8 As a result, new enterprise is emerging from ‘sound52’, and it is increasingly becoming a spring board project for formal collaborations, which may well serve as the foundation for a new generation of future small / medium music businesses. These collaborations not only involve facilitator and participant, but also participants working together independently. ‘sound52’ is encouraging these collaborations, which, through advances in sound technology, music production and marketing, are engaging new music audiences and attracting non-arts investment and sponsorship.

Matthew Blades – May 2006

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)

1.9 It is possible to align the support ‘sound52’ offers to these collaborations with the larger business support infrastructure provided by the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA). For example, EMDA’s framework for new business, particularly their New Business New Life programme, has similar ambitions to that of ‘sound52’;    

Raised awareness around starting a business The enhancement of start-up provision across the region The identification of potential business start-ups And developing a campaign of support around them.

1.10 The multiplier effect in this context is obvious. Collaborations develop further musical work of artistic merit, which can increase audiences and offer opportunities to sell work, which can attract new or additional levels of investment or support, through donated or sponsored resources, which cumulatively can work to increase the appreciation of, and participation in, music making.

1.11 soundLINCS is also forging significant relationships with agencies who are leading on education, social and learning support agendas. These include issues around healthy, safe, diverse and inclusive communities. For example, the ‘sound52’ project is helping all seven district councils to place participatory music as an expressive art across Lincolnshire. It is achieving this by extending the geographic coverage of its settings and residencies, and in so doing ‘sound52’ is bringing more young people together in more local communities than ever before.

1.12 This means the breadth of musical styles covered by the residencies, and the context of the settings in which this music is being created, are also extending. Building on previous experience, and with increasing intuitiveness, the various elements of the ‘sound52’ project now appear even more relevant to the participants own cultural background, circumstances and conditions. The arrangement of activity for both the settings and music sessions are often tuned to relate directly to the young people participating, and they are delivered through a creative musical genre they identify with.

1.13 ‘sound52’ success is evidenced by the positive feedback from those taking part, which continues to be consistent with the documented responses in previous audits. It is also evidenced by the scope of work undertaken during this round, which involved; 

31,784 children and young people engaging in ‘sound 52’ programmes.



3,041 early years and pre-school day care practitioners and 1,035 parents, child minders and carers, who worked with and alongside the children and young people.

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47 music facilitators, who were instrumental in the delivery of 401 residencies and settings across the county.

Matthew Blades – May 2006

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)

1.14 The tenet of belief across the ‘sound52’ project is that ‘community culture’ is a lived experience and not a concept. In consequence, the settings and residencies have often become a catalyst for young people to express alternative views, improve understanding across the different lifestyles represented or has inspired action on local issues.

Because the ‘sound52’ project is participatory and non-interventionist, community culture is working for itself; enriching the quality of young peoples lives, improving social well-being across generations as a result, and giving participants a sense of pride in ‘self’ and respect for others.

1.15 The ‘sound52’ project is providing connectivity, in a region where there exits a rural and dispersed population. The project is helping others to build on the strengths in education and assisting them in addressing weaknesses. It is providing a framework on which community musicians and music makers can structure their ambitions for artistic and personal development and build careers, and it is bringing together the business, learning and community support agencies, in a collaborative partnership, fitting of a regional strategy for economic development and social prosperity.

1.16 It is arguable then, on a regional level, the ‘sound52’ project is very much in tune with Lincolnshire’s broader economic development strategy, which is being lead and supported by the Government Office for the East Midlands and at the local level advanced by a number of agencies, including Lincolnshire Enterprise. This strategy has six underpinning drivers; 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Economic well-being Growth Sustainability Enterprise and opportunity Diversity Sustainable communities

1.17 Is it then a great time to be a musician in Lincolnshire? Evidence demonstrates the ‘sound52’ project has opened up new employment opportunities for facilitators and has brought together a significant group of community musicians, composers and producers.

These workers are growing in number and are now responsible for delivering a mass of music based activity with an increasing number of young people, who, for educational or economic reasons, or other forms of exclusion, have found themselves marginalised from access to cultural engagement with music, on many levels.

1.18 This growth in music activity, targeted at different groups, has brought about new challenges for the facilitators, not least has been learning to adapt and extend their skills on a continual basis. soundLINCS has been careful in preparing for these challenges.

Through the ‘sound52’ work force development programme the facilitators are able to engage with training opportunities, which help them meet the needs of the project, the musical aspirations of the young people and different contexts in which the young people find themselves. As a result, the facilitators are becoming more proficient at interdisciplinary working; moving between the role of composer, musician and producer, and tutor, mentor and educationalist.

Matthew Blades – May 2006

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)

1.19 This ability for inter-disciplinary working is beginning to have an effect on how other key workers, in community outreach, education and business, view the role of participatory music makers and facilitators. For example, they appear to attract a substantial following from the young people they work with, and gain their trust. These relationships bring positive benefits to the other practitioners working alongside the young people and facilitators. This evidence builds a strong case in support of continued training and work force development for the facilitators, and this issue re-emerges later in this report.

1.20 It is sometimes the case, in community based arts projects; the lead body struggles to deliver on ambitions because there is a lack of debate about the role of the artist practitioners involved. This is not the case with ‘sound52’. There is evidence that soundLINCS, their executive consortium and also the ‘sound52’ project staff have all considered carefully what the music facilitators are being asked to do, and the conditions in which they will work. There is a healthy level of democracy and debate across the project, which is based on direct feedback from the facilitators, through a well crafted process of reflective practice and self evaluation.

1.21 There are opportunities, throughout the residencies and settings, for music facilitators to see and learn from each others work. soundLINCS organise formal sharing sessions, where specific residency issues, or the wider implications of ‘sound52’ elements, can be discussed openly in detail. This ensures soundLINCS is in the best position possible to formulate either a bespoke response to individual circumstances, or offer general development where a common or shared issue arises.

1.22 In consequence, Lincolnshire seems to resound to the impact and success of ‘sound52’, which is provoking critical thought and discussion around a number of key regional themes and issues. ‘sound52’ stands as an example of how culture can drive not only social debate but also the economic agenda on a regional basis. It is no exaggeration to propose that soundLINCS are laying down a blue-print for participatory music projects of the future, on the basis ‘sound52’ is galvanising the community, learning and business support agencies to accord participatory music making the artistic, social and economic status it deserves.

2.

The ‘sound52’ programme

2.1 The ‘sound52’ programme exists to develop music-making opportunities for young people throughout Lincolnshire. soundLINCS is passionately committed to the belief that music-making is not only an enjoyable activity in its own right, but it also contributes significantly to enhancing learning, confidence, team-working and social development by those who take part.

2.2 The third round programme is conceived within ‘sound52’s continuing vision to; 

Create sustainable opportunities and strategic, value-based relationships, where music making is firmly embedded in operational practice.



Ensure the availability of a wide range of music making experiences for young people.

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)



3.

Enable progression routes both for young music-makers and for all those directly involved in supporting young people’s music-making Third Round Benchmarks

3.1 The strategic aims of the third round programme for ‘sound52’ are as follows; 

To continue to raise levels of awareness, understanding and enthusiasm for music-making with young people amongst strategic planners and decision makers, practitioners, parents and young people themselves.

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To consolidate and further strengthen the existing working partnerships at strategic level and to continue to create new strategic partnerships aimed at increasing the number and range of opportunities for young people to participate in music.

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To continue to build on ‘sound52’s ongoing development and advocacy work, continuing to establish soundLINCS as the pre-eminent music development agency, working exclusively for and with young people across Lincolnshire.

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To influence the range and type of music-making activities that are made available to young people across Lincolnshire.

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To respond flexibly in helping develop and sustain music-making opportunities, whilst remaining focused on ‘sound52’s vision and strategic aims

3.2 The specific range statements for this period of the third round programme extend and build on the work undertaken during the first and second rounds, as well as introducing new strands of activity and development initiatives, which follow later in this report.

4.

Third Round Outcomes

4.1 It is anticipated that implementation of the third round programme will deliver the following benefits and outcomes; 

Consolidation of the significant achievements of the first and second round programmes.

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The creation of new and additional music-making opportunities, for young people, in a range of settings throughout the county.

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Consolidation and further development of partnerships, built during the first and second round programmes.

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Enhanced awareness and understanding amongst practitioners, parents, strategic planners, decision-makers and young people themselves of the power of participatory music activities.

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)



Continued employment opportunities for musicians involved in the programme.

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Enhanced professional practice amongst musicians involved in the programme.

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Increased access to music for young people through the establishment and development of the organisational structures and facilities infrastructure.

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Enhanced breadth of coverage of music-making opportunities for young people across Lincolnshire.

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Sustained and enhanced quality of music-making experiences for young people.

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Contribution to addressing social issues across the county, including issues relating to health, education, social development, economic development and safer communities.

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Enhanced profiling opportunities for ‘sound52’ and Youth Music.

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The creation of bona fide career paths within the music industry for young people.

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The creation and development of a legacy of music-making opportunities for young people across the county.

The continuation of ground breaking initiatives in music-making for young people in respect of rural and geographical constraints.

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5.

Implementation Evidence to Date - First Notes 0-5 years

5.1 Research & Development in Pre-Natal and Post-Natal work 5.1.1 Building on their established links with such agencies as the Early Years Development & Childcare Partnership and with researchers at Lincoln and Northumbria Universities, ‘sound52’ is taking forward an initiative to focus on the emerging issues surrounding music making in pre-natal settings, with mothers of babies and children from 0-3 years.

5.1.2 Work on this element of the project reached a mile-stone in December 2005, with a one day conference at the Lincoln Drill Hall. Organised by ‘sound52’ and Sound Sense, and entitled Music Matters from an Early Age, the conference attracted interest from over sixty delegates from across the region. These delegates came from a variety of disciplines, including early years specialist teachers, academics, music facilitators, National Health Service representatives, nursery nurses and childminders, to name but a few.

Matthew Blades – May 2006

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)

5.1.3 The value and importance of music led creativity in the 0-3 years category receives remarkable support from both university and conservatoire institutions. The conference provided evidence of psychological research into music making during early years education. It also offered an insight into the impact engaging with music has on pre / post natal learning and cognitive development. Speakers throughout the conference offered primary and secondary evidence that inter-linked music making activities with the personal, social and intellectual development in babies and very young children.

5.1.4 The conference stands as a wonderful example of how soundLINCS, through the ‘sound52’ project, are telling us that to be human is by nature to be musical. They are leading on the agenda to heighten the importance of music making, as an essential ingredient for self-development and self-actualisation across age groups. ‘sound52’ is playing a crucial role in assisting academics and practitioners to make the case that musical experience in very early childhood has long-lasting effects. The conference argued with some force for mid-wives, child-minders, carers and parents alike to be better empowered to pursue the links between music and other forms of human behaviour and experience, with their children.

5.1.5 And empowerment is a significant issue for early year’s workers, according to the vast majority of feed back from visits to ‘First Notes’ settings. In many ways these workers have expressed a sense of disempowerment to engage children in the expressive arts, including music. In many instances this is attributed to the requirement to focus children’s activity on development and attainment through the foundation curriculum for the 3-6 years group.

5.1.6 This sense of disempowerment is further frustrated because early years workers feel they are not better prepared, or perhaps trained, to respond to what little flexibility exists in the foundation curriculum to involve children in the expressive arts and creative activity.

5.1.7 While on the one hand early years workers fully recognise the evidence which suggests the expressive arts, including music, is important in early childhood, and should therefore form a bigger part of pre-school day care, on the other hand it appears they have little scope to incorporate creativity to any serious degree. Moreover, it seems there is little provision through training, or on-going workforce development planning, that would up-skill them in ways to devise, construct or deliver an expressive arts programme, when and where opportunities arise. The situation was consistent across graduate and non-graduate staff feedback.

5.1.8 It is arguable then that the foundation curriculum does not allow for a full and complimentary expressive arts strand and young children might be losing out as a result.

Where opportunities can be created to engage young children in the expressive arts, the early years workers feel unprepared to use music, art or drama to develop the life skills in children, which the Music Matters from an Early Age conference suggested were important and valuable to their long-term development.

Matthew Blades – May 2006

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)

5.1.9 Finding solutions to the training and professional development issues of early year’s workers is recognised by the Care Workforce Development Council (CWDC), the sector skills council for the early year’s workforce, as central to improving the life chances of young people in early childhood. In this context, evidence of how soundLINCS have undertaken to develop music making skills in early years workers, particularly through the developmental framework offered by the bespoke ‘First Notes’ resource pack, stands as an excellent example of how the CWDC might meet its ambitions; to improve the quality of early years provision, encourage workforce training, help children achieve their full potential as well support the aspirations parents and families have for their children.

5.1.10 The ‘First Notes’ settings that were visited provided anecdotal evidence suggesting early years workers found the music residencies “absolutely brilliant” and “consistently good”. These comments were used to not only described outcomes for the young children participating, but where also made in relation to how the residencies had helped the workers themselves move forward in terms of their own learning, acquisition of new skills and improving practice.

5.1.11 Broadly speaking these benefits could be categorised as follows; 

The ‘First Notes’ sessions involve children! Apparently some foundation curriculum and INSET training often looks at problem based theory learning amongst adults without any follow-up practice with children themselves.

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The ‘First Notes’ sessions provide opportunities for technique or skills transfer between music facilitator and early years workers. Here the ‘First Notes’ resource pack is seen as a fundamental creative learning tool, in shaping the development of music making for the children, influencing the creative content of music making sessions and guiding the early years workers on how to build music making practice through, for example, rhythm and tempo.

The ‘First Notes’ sessions are essentially work place learning experiences for the early years workers, designed and delivered around their needs, in the environment where they practice and as such they highly prized for there ‘handson’ value.

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The ‘mini-melt’, the concluding performance at the end of a ‘First Notes’ residency, is seen as an important opportunity to engage parents in the activity their children have experienced and demonstrates how the early years workers have supported the children through the ‘sound52’ experience.

5.1.12 It is not within the remit of this evaluation to scope fully the depth or complexity of early years workforce professional development concerns, however, soundLINCS seem well placed to engage with employers, training providers, government agencies and the sector skills council to examine more fully the need to increase specific training for early years workers in the expressive arts, particularly music.

Matthew Blades – May 2006

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)

5.2 Music Residencies 5.2.1 Schools can and do provide the first introduction to making and playing music and soundLINCS has previously evidenced how music teaching in schools is undergoing a transformation. The ‘sound52’ project continues to contribute to this new music curriculum and soundLINCS is pushing, across all elements of the project, on the importance of creativity through playing music, understanding music and instrumentation through composition and the value of the shared experience, through participation in music-making.

5.2.1 Evidence of these efforts can be found across settings taking place in the ‘First Notes’ programme. These settings are helping to transform the learning of music in the early years 0-6 age group and the structure of the music sessions provide infrastructural support for music making in pre-school environments for young children.

5.2.3 The range statement (set by the third round bid document) suggested that music residencies across the ‘First Notes’ programme would deliver 150 settings to groups across the region This audit can report that the programme has delivered 260 settings, almost doubling the target.

5.2.4 Throughout the setting visits, it was clear the ‘First Notes’ programme has a significant impact on the young children joining in. Generally, the children demonstrated remarkable self-control, discipline and concentration. On the whole the children were very familiar with the instruments they were using. They could recall the names of most of the instruments available in the facilitators instrument kit. Not only that, the children could also explain how to hold the instruments correctly, how to play them and through their own perceptions describe the sound made by the instruments and using verbal imagery relate the sound of the instruments to other similar sounds. The sessions observed served as evidence that young children in the ‘First Notes’ programme were achieving an extra-ordinary level of creative ability and technical competence.

5.3 Pilot Projects with Childminding Sector 5.3.1 soundLINCS recognise the child-minding sector forms a significant and important part of the childcare infrastructure across Lincolnshire. The important role childminding plays, in the development and behaviour of children in early years, has been well documented through research into early years education. The contribution made by child-minders to early years learning, and cognitive development, was made apparent through the Music Matters from an Early Age conference, which was organised by ‘sound52’ during December 2005.

5.3.2 Following on from the conference, ‘sound52’ were quick to put together a framework of pilot residencies around the childminding sector, not only in order to extend the provision of ‘First Notes’ early years and nursery settings, but also to continue the momentum of debate generated by the conference. ‘sound52’ was particularly keen to extend discussions around issues of music making in the 0-3 years age category, directly with those who practice in the childminding sector.

Matthew Blades – May 2006

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)

5.3.3 To-date ‘sound52’ has delivered seven pilot residency ‘packages’, in various settings across the county. These commenced in late January 2006. The format of these residencies was specifically linked to the childminder gold star training award and included two workshops with up to 36 children (18 children in each workshop) from the 0-3 category. Twelve places were offered at each of the residencies and over a thousand childminders were contacted by ‘sound52’. In consequence, and through the promotion of the pilot framework, places on the residencies were soon filled. Two music facilitators were assigned to each residency, each working with six childminders in two groups.

5.3.4 It is evident, from feedback during the ‘Music Matters’ conference and elsewhere, that the ‘sound52’ childminding initiative is judged a timely intervention. The emerging pilot framework has attracted a number of additional partners to the ‘sound52’ project.

For example, the National Childminding Association (NCMA) has been keen to sit down with ‘sound52’ project staff to discuss the geographic spread of the residencies, as well as the format of the workshop sessions. In consequence, the NCMA felt comfortable enough with the direction and aims of the framework to offer a small grant to help fund the purchase instrument kits for participating childminders. The commitment of resources in this way, as it arises from a sector support agency, should be seen as a significant endorsement of ‘sound52’.

5.3.5 This endorsement has joined ‘sound52’ and key sector advocates together. But moreover, it has signalled to other key opinion formers, such as early years development partnerships and primary care trusts, that ‘sound52’, and the childminding element of the ‘’First Notes’ programme, has been instrumental in helping to galvanise the regional childminding sector around the message “Every Child Matters”. This at a time when childminders are enjoying a period of reflective evaluation about their work and the national agenda on children’s services is becoming apparent, as a result of the governments Children Act, 2004.

5.3.6 This is further evidence of soundLINCS, through the ‘sound52’ project, anticipating the significance of national strategies and then planning how they can be delivered through the conjoining of social, cultural and creative initiatives at the local level. Within the regional context, there is evidence too suggesting ‘sound52’ is very much in tune with Lincolnshire’s broader socio-cultural strategy for children and young people.

5.3.7 For example, there is potential demand for ‘sound52’ type programmes to underpin county wide initiatives such as Lincolnshire’s Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP). The CYPSP brings together organisations and groups whose joint aim is to improve the outcomes for children and young people. Their plan has been produced by a multi-agency team comprising of representations from Health, Children’s Social Services, Children’s Links, Sure Start, Connexions and education.

5.3.8 In many ways the CYPSP strategic objectives are not dissimilar to those benefits and outcomes expressed by soundLINCS through ‘sound52’. The crossover is particularly evident in terms of the work being undertaken as part of the child minding element. For example the CYPSP aims;

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)



To stimulate long term and sustainable improvement in children’s health and well being.

 

To provide opportunities, challenge and support for young people.

To invest in childcare, early education and work life balance so that families can secure the best start for their children.

To address social issues affecting children and young people across the county, including issues relating to health, education, social and economic development, and safer communities.



5.3.9 These aims are very much aligned to the five key functions of the Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme, which is targeted at transforming children’s services and serves to underpin the Governments Children Act, 2004. Roughly, the key functions identify the need for children and young people to;     

Be Healthy Stay Safe Enjoy and Achieve Make a Positive Contribution Achieve Economic Well-Being

5.3.10 The CYPSP programme represents major changes which are underway to reshape services for children across the county. To achieve change will require improved information sharing among partners, extensive workforce development, continued multi-agency working and the engagement of public, private and third sectors, including voluntary groups, community bodies and arguably creative organisations with a wider role in socio-cultural activity, such as participatory music-making.

5.3.11 Creative organisations, like soundLINCS, are in many ways crucial to the success of initiatives like CYPSP. Public service projects are often reliant on profound cultural change. This change not only affects the economic logic or political perspectives of the private and public sectors respectively, but it can have a significant impact on the people for whom the initiative is provided. In recent years creative organisations have been encouraged to be disposed towards helping people overcome such profound change. As a result they are increasingly adept at forming linkages between the expectations of financiers and policy makers, and the tensions and questions of end users. The ‘sound52’ project provides strong evidence of how the third sector can bring about these linkages, between different constituencies, with different emphasis.

5.3.12 CYPSP has received specialist advice on surveying opinion from Lincolnshire through Lincoln County Council’s corporate team. It is recommended that soundLINCS add its voice to those opinions currently being formed. The CYPSP should rightly be consulted on the impact ‘sound52’ has made across the socio-cultural landscape of Lincolnshire. They should be made aware of the possibilities represented by participatory music making and how these might articulate to the delivery of CYPSP strategic objectives. The CYPSP should be given examples of how and where soundLINCS is strategically aligned not only to CYPSP aims but also the five key functions of Every Child Matters.

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sound52 – Third round: External Evaluation Report (final report)

5.4 Development of First Notes Resource Pack 5.4.1 The ‘First Notes’ resource pack is an excellent example of how to devise, design produce and execute a learning development tool. The resource pack provides the music facilitator with a framework for identifying sets of sounds in a progressive sequence and offers guidance on session planning, through which the setting can be delivered. The pack offers childminders, day care and early years workers a wonderful array of supplementary games that help them to link the sound and musical encounters from facilitated sessions with their own material and music workshops. The resource pack is also designed to encourage young children themselves, particularly those at the upper end of the 0-5 year’s category, who increasingly seek out stimulus linking expressive learning, structural understanding and play together.

5.4.2 So without question the resource pack provides a truly pluralist music-making development framework and as such stands as a significant legacy to the ‘sound52’ project. The pack content is relevant, easy to understand and user friendly for young children, facilitators and educators alike. In this sense the resource pack might also serve as an example of best practice to others who are currently looking into creative tools or solutions, which promote or encourage participation through creativity.

5.4.3 For example, East Midlands Media and Derbyshire County Local Education Authority have teamed up to form the Derby Creative Enterprise Project. This project has been integrated within key stage 3 and 4 curriculum’s and involves a number of participating schools, each devising a vocational training module tailored around an expressive arts, or creative industry, discipline. The project co-ordinators hope to link this work together through a resource tool, in much the same way soundLINCS has done.

5.4.4 So it may be possible the soundLINCS experience in developing the resource pack may have some commercial value in other markets. In the meantime, soundLINCS is not standing still but aiming to build on their experience by moving the ‘First Notes’ resource pack on from a single-format tool to a multi-format entity.

5.4.5 The aspirations soundLINCS have expressed are breathtaking and involve plans to enhance the resource pack through the development of a bespoke publication, either a magazine or children’s comic, an accompanying interactive CD Rom and interactive board or video games.

5.4.6 New ideas such as these should be encouraged, because of the potential to help end-users expand their engagement with the resource pack further. But soundLINCS recognises they are not a marketing agency and understand that product development in the way outlined above will be massively complex and demanding of resources. For a small organisation such issues can throw up a number of infrastructural challenges, for which soundLINCS may not yet be prepared. In the meantime, the project team have decided to take a cautious and pragmatic approach, and to reflect further on the implications of; continued research and development of the resource pack, the management of any multi-media production, field testing the new resources and later the need for extended distribution systems.

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5.4.7 This approach means that soundLINCS are likely to undertake a short market research exercise first, which involves current users of the resource pack. It is envisaged this exercise will ascertain in which direction the product might be expanded, how this expansion would better serve the needs of the end users and where collaborators might be found to provide the additional, multi-format expertise.

5.5 Sure Start 5.5.1 The soundLINCS Executive Consortium is very much aware of the importance of fully engaging with cross sector partners in the creative industries, as well as with bodies operating on a wider regional level, who have an interdisciplinary connection to the cultural sector. Pilot projects with the child minding sector, outlined above, is good evidence of the Consortiums ambitions translating into action on the ground, not only at a strategic level regionally, but also on a National level, i.e. Every Child Matters.

5.5.2 In consequence, the ‘sound52’ project now engages other interdisciplinary agencies like the National Childminding Association, and the relationship between Sure Start and soundLINCS also continues to grow. With the on-set of the child minder pilot projects both parties are now sitting down not only to celebrate the significant achievements of both activities, but also to debate and examine how the benefits of each might interweave. Synergy in this way will involve a review of delivery mechanisms and the infrastructure for project development, as well as how committed funds from both could fully cement Sure Start and soundLINCS relationship together. It is recommended that this work continues.

6.

Implementation Evidence to Date - Second Sounds 6-11 years

6.1 Before examining the individual elements under ‘Second Sounds’, it is worth noting the overall benefits of the programme, which have become apparent from setting visits, which could be written up as follows; 

The young people feel they are been encouraged to use existing music making skills to increase their proficiency and understanding.



Participants feel they are accumulating a better understanding of sound and acquiring further music making skills as a result.



The young people suggest they are applying these new skills and their better understanding in an increasingly wide range of playing styles and instrumental contexts.

6.2 It is arguable the young people feel so concrete in these views because the ‘Second Sounds’ sessions are, by and large, designed to enable creative development through intimate groups working on specific music projects among themselves. This approach is taken on the basis group learning in music making is as constructive as individual music tuition. The young people feel it is easy to identify what input is required by them and what outcomes should be gained as a result. This type of group learning is dependent upon clarity of approach from the music facilitator and on the encouragement of collaboration amongst and between the participants.

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6.3 Evidence suggests this framework of learning has offered teachers and music facilitators opportunities to confluence thinking and ideas around both the school music curriculum and workshop based practice of out of school music activity. What is apparent is both ‘sound52’ and the facilitators demonstrate a great deal in common with the education sector and it’s practitioners. This is evidenced through examples of session development and the deployment of teaching and learning practice. For example, learning and teaching within the sessions aims to elicit creativity as much as imparting knowledge.

6.1 Out of school hours music activities/Phase 3 New Opportunities Fund (NOF) schools 6.1.1 The ‘Second Sounds’ programme continues to work with schools within the Phase 3 NOF schools project. The Out of Hours element is now consolidating music based activities with existing clients, in previously visited geographic areas. It is also broadening the strategic reach of ‘Second Sounds’ through extended provision of music making opportunities to new sub-regions and clients across the county.

6.1.2 This spread of music making opportunity, coupled to the geographic diversification of participation, is evidenced by the continued reach of Out of Hours music activity, which has included 48 music settings or residencies across Lincolnshire during round 3, raising the aspirations in young people taking part, their teachers at school, and parents.

6.1.3 What has emerged, from dialogue with teachers during settings visits, is the startling impact music making and playing is having on the young people, in and out of school. These observations are largely anecdotal and not supported by any scientific, technical evidence, but nonetheless they are provided by teachers who are well practiced in developing skills in young people and who have a sense from years of observation and interpretation how learning might be affecting young people psychologically.

6.1.4 For example, the teachers have observed how the experience of playing and making music is encouraging cooperation amongst the young people and fostering team work. “The group taking part in the session has to listen to one another and the facilitator. Competing behaviour is not compatible when your (sic) making or playing music”. As a result, beyond the music session, there is an implication less tension exists between the young people during other classes and in other social situations.

6.1.5 Other teachers suggested the young people, who have engaged with the Out of Hours element, show improvements in their ability to write, create art, produce designs and read. In curriculum terms, it seems participation in music making might be an aid to the improvement of learning in other creative areas. In socio-cultural terms, it seems participation itself helps young people develop and embodying a greater sense of self, which apparently can manifest itself through other related, expressions of creativity.

Spurred on perhaps by their initial experience with music making, it seems young people are increasingly confident and at ease to share that embodiment, in social interaction with us, and through public display and performance.

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6.1.6 These observations yield enough information to draw a parallel with, and echo, much of the evidence presented and debated during the Music Matters from an Early Age conference. There is evidence from the ‘Second Sounds’ programme to suggest that engagement in music making is arguably not only valuable in itself, but can contribute positively to the personal and social development of young people in the 6-11 years category.

6.2 Additional Needs 6.2.1 The ‘Second Sounds’ programme maintains its commitment to making music accessible to the widest possible range of young people, and continues to work with additional needs children in school and youth group settings, under the Additional Needs element.

6.2.2 The range statement (set by the third round bid document) suggested that the Additional Needs element would deliver 14 settings to groups across the region and provide 16 facilitated music sessions for each group. In the end, Additional Needs delivered 6 settings, each providing 7 sessions.

6.2.3 The format of these settings has been similar to that of the ‘Out of School Hours’ music residencies, which have operated within phase 3 NOF schools activity. However, Additional Needs specifically focused on facilitating music making around children with special needs or vulnerable young people at risk. While the NOF project has been successful in providing a set menu of different arts activity across schools, including music, the Additional Needs element has aimed at a bespoke menu of music making activities including, for example, percussion and composing. In this sense the NOF and ‘sound52’ projects are not competing with each other, indeed they are crosscollaborating on areas of useful emphasis to the music strands of both.

6.2.4 However, soundLINCS continues to be aware of, and cautious with regard to, the delicate issue of potential double funding. While the NOF and ‘sound52’ projects have been able to inform each others delivery, there is no evidence to suggest that through delivery duplication of funding in support of settings has occurred, between the NOF schools activity and the Second Sounds YMAZ programme.

6.2.5 In fact, the Executive Consortium, monitoring the ‘sound52’ programme, have worked closely with the project team to ensure probity between NOF and YMAZ activity is maintained. However, this careful management of the issues, combined with the finite number of schools and youth groups who could engage with Additional Needs, may have inadvertently resulted in the apparent shortfall between the number of delivered settings / sessions and those set out in the bid document range statement.

6.2.6 However, it does not follow that the shortfall in delivery means the Additional Needs element has met with mixed success, on the contrary. But what has followed is a healthy debate amongst ‘sound52’ project staff and the Executive Consortium, about the apportionment of extra settings, where requested, for tried and tested users, as set against the need to push ‘sound52’ programmes to new clients in new geographic areas.

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6.2.7 This sort of debate, about the co-existence of work for new users and for existing users, has been taking place in other parts of the cultural sector in the recent past, particularly across regional theatre. In view what is known about the audience development strategies which have resulted, and in terms of the internal debate amongst ‘sound52’ staff, it is recommended that soundLINCS considers returning to Youth Music with the intention of inviting a review of the development and deliverability the Additional Needs element.

6.3 Specialist music genre after school experience workshops 6.3.1 As part of its ongoing commitment to broadening the spectrum of music opportunities that are available to young people, ‘sound52’ envisaged setting up a number of pilot specialist music genre after school experience workshop, particularly in jazz and early music. This initiative was put together in response to articulated needs fed back to soundLINCS from the music sector. For example, Lincoln Early Music Festival does not currently have its own resources to devise, deliver and manage a related workshop programme envisaged by ‘sound52’ here.

6.3.2 While negotiations with the Lincoln Early Music Festival continue, to see what can be achieved through increased partnership working and possibilities exist to develop experience workshops with Age of Enlightenment, during round four, the shortfall in funding during round three has restricted the progress soundLINCS has made in establishing specialist music genre after school experience workshops as feature of ‘sound52’ provision.

6.4 Orchestral Experience 6.4.1 In their ongoing work with local schools, and the county music service, soundLINCS continues to seek out pathways to opportunities for school pupils to engage with the work of professional orchestras. soundLINCS is clear why this form of path finder approach is important; evidence suggests exposure to professional orchestras offers young people a living experience, to see and hear music making at a level from which they can make informed choices about their own choice of instrument.

6.4.2 With this in mind, ‘sound52’ sets out to promote the work of orchestras as an ensemble of possibilities. Not just in terms of the variety of instruments played, but in the different styles of music written for an orchestra and how together these link to the world of participatory music making. The Orchestral Experience element is encouraging young people to engage with classical music tradition and also to experiment with ways to interbreed that tradition with other forms of making music.

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6.4.3 There are two complimentary visions here; in the first we see orchestras engaging with schools and community groups as a music resource, encouraging young people to get actively involved in the creation of music, broadening their knowledge of orchestral repertoire, working alongside professional players and drawing on their experience from professional training and playing. In the other vision, we see orchestras developing educational projects, community outreach and participatory programmes, in order to familiarise young people with the complexity of ensemble music making in the classical tradition, as well as giving an insight into the working life and processes of professional musicians.

6.4.4 Supporting soundLINCS in this work will require other cross-cultural partnerships coming together, to share ideas and secure additional funding. The inducement to do so stands thus; professional orchestras and classical musicians will have opportunities to understand more about the diversity of contemporary youth music culture, whilst playing music to their own strengths and their orchestra’s interests, in a diversity of youth culture environments.

7.

Implementation Evidence to Date - HeatUp! 12-18 years

7.1 Contemporary Popular Music (CPM) 7.1.1 The ‘sound52’ project continues to expand the existing CPM element. It now encompasses an eclectic range of music making opportunities, aimed at bringing about a more fuller understanding to the field of mass contemporary popular music.

7.1.2 The range statement for CPM suggested ‘sound52’ would continue the development of rock and pop groups around the region, working towards the creation of the Area Music Project (AMP). Initially, it was envisaged that 14 groups would engage in 280 sessions across the county. In effect ‘sound52’ delivered 325 sessions to a total of 21 groups, far exceeding the initial target. The range statement also suggested ‘sound52’ would set-up a contract of development for existing groups (from Round 2), in order for them to move on towards the ‘development worker’ programme, and 4 groups, ready to move forward in this way, progressed onto the scheme.

7.1.3 Visits across the CPM element uncovered a range of interests and participation in contemporary popular music amongst the young people. Anecdotal evidence gained from them at setting visits, whether the young people were participating in the session or not, suggests almost all of them judge playing or at least listening to rock and pop music as a central feature of their lives. This evidence is consistent with much of what has been written about the dominance of contemporary popular music, as a form of music expression, and in its social role, in young people’s lives.

7.1.4 The CPM element provides invaluable opportunities to a high proportion of teenagers across the county, who are not only attracted to rock and pop music, but are keen to actively engage with it. As a result, different rock bands and pop groups, of all kinds, are emerging from the CPM, which has clearly become a focus of enthusiasm for the young singers and musicians taking part.

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7.1.5 For many of these young people, who have come to rely on CPM as a musical outlet for their enthusiasm, an important, passionate question has arisen; if ‘sound52’ were no longer available, what would replace CPM? In discussing the answer with them, it is clear they recognise the conduit for making music is not the only issue at stake; access to the development of musical skills and career sign-posting, highly prized by them, would also be at jeopardy.

7.1.6 A number of the CPM settings also acted as meeting houses for young people to express their social and artistic views, outside of the music session. These views painted a picture of a renewed surge of interest in the rock and pop genre, a genre based around electronic guitars, keyboards and drums. It was clear the young people felt the relative affordability of these instruments was driving their interest. The CPM sessions offered evidence of quite extraordinary levels of musical expressiveness and ability, using these types of instruments. Not only accessible, but apparently easily taught, the young people joining in with CPM are achieving artistic quality and musically complex results without years of formal musical training or expensive classical instruments.

7.1.7 CPM is also working alongside young people as they challenge and modify the convention of the rock concert, and the relationship between active band and passive audience. The extension of CPM through the existing ‘Burn52’ programme, moving towards future ‘Gig-swap’ events, is an example which supports this idea of the rock concert as a communal celebration of playing and listening, not only between the bands themselves, but involving the audience, who come to celebrate the creation of the music and interact with the message being performed.

7.1.8 So CPM is successfully engaging with a traditionally determined, autonomous teenage youth culture, with artistic urges to produce and perform new and original forms of music, and in so doing are continuing the art form of rock and pop but changing the vernacular culture of the instruments used, the music played and the message or reality being shared with the audience.

7.1.9 These changes are guiding the ‘sound52’ project into new explorations, such as the interface between CPM and ‘Girl-bands’. In response, soundLINCS have put a pragmatic and focused package of opportunities together, within the CPM element, so that young women can explore music making and / or recording on their own terms, investigate the profile of successful women musicians, writers, producers and engineers and align these profiles to current business and career opportunities in the music industry.

7.1.10 There are four strands to the ‘Girl-band’ package, all of which are participatorybased; Firstly, time is being spent with young women to look at their skills, techniques and overall musical practice. Secondly, young women are engaging with the production and the recording of music and sound. Thirdly, events are being run specifically to support the music of ‘girl-bands’ and finally young women are being encouraged to examine the interface between non-professional and professional activity, the commercial music industry and the possible development of their own music as a potential career endeavour.

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7.1.11 This type of skills development package for young women has much in common with the flagship Prowess Awards, supported by the East Midlands Development Agency. The Prowess Awards celebrate the achievements of businesses that have established standards of practice in women’s enterprise development. With this in mind, soundLINCS is encouraged to investigate how their work in identifying, improving and measuring enterprise skills for young women might be showcased further. For example, there may be potential to engage with regional ‘women in enterprise initiatives’ as a platform for mentoring ‘Girl-bands’ involved with ‘sound52’, as well as possible businessto-business support for soundLINCS themselves.

7.1.12 What is also emerging out of CPM, and indeed the ‘HeatUP!’ programme generally, is the notion of musical boundaries becoming contestable. Young people have expressed less interest in the idea of discreet musical genres, perhaps joined by a particular time or place in history, and are more keen to explore how one musical genre might work when overlapped with the meaning and style of an another.

7.1.13 In other words, traditional aesthetic standards or the critical understanding of a music genre are seen as constraints. Instead, the young people, who prefer to generate different outcomes and hybrid musical partnerships, are re-working standards and traditions via their own combinations of rock and pop, funk, jazz, techno, classical, dub, jungle and even bhangra. In a sense, ‘HeatUP’ is supporting the idea of musical interdisciplinarity in a unique way and acquiring extraordinary inter-cultural musical characteristics as a result, a great deal of which is down to the spontaneity of the young people taking part.

7.1.14 Evidence of this inquisitive, concentric musical creativity can also be found emerging from the Producers Pot element of the ‘HeatUP!’ programme. In both cases ‘sound52’ is supporting the young people through instrument training, improvisation workshops and explorations into music / sound technology. The picture being drawn is one of music facilitators coming together with highly active and charged young people in some sort of spontaneous creative combustion, which is indeed not far from the truth.

7.2 Producers 7.2.1 The Producers element of the ‘HeatUp!’ programme is now exploring the increasingly integrated worlds of music making, music recording and audio visual media.

It is examining what impact these developments are exerting on youth music culture.

Particularly in terms of how young people engage creatively with music production and reproduction technology, how they create ways to interact differently with music and customise it to their own needs.

7.2.2 The range statement suggested ‘sound52’ aimed to build on previous work in these areas and, to that end, 35 pilot ‘producers’ sessions were delivered across Lincolnshire. These sessions offered opportunities for young people to experience all three aspects of integrated music making; recording raw sounds, editing those sounds into loops and then creating original music from the loops.

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7.2.3 The continual evolution in producing and recording music, as a technology, art form and industry, is having a profound impact on the ‘HeatUp!’ programme. For example, the advent of alternative music-making methodologies, such as the ‘cut and mix’ culture, means young people are enjoying music manipulation and reproduction as both an act of social expression, DJing in clubs and at parties but also, according to feedback from them, as a private and individual past time. For an increasing number of young people, their private spaces have become music studios or centres, places for personal music subversion and performance.

7.2.4 Technique and technology is enabling the evolution of contemporary popular music into a hugely powerful artistic force of individualistic music makers amongst young people. ‘HeatUp!’ provides us with evidence young people increasingly represent themselves, their life styles and beliefs through their own versions or interpretations of existing music. Individual influence in the direction of musical outcome is in many ways as important as its performance.

7.2.5 The power to record, manipulate and reproduce music in this way, to separate out beats and rhythms into sound strands, is opening up new avenues for young people as DJ composers. These young people are providing evidence of a desire to move on from instruments and notes towards investigating music and the impact technology can make. This hybridisation of music-making, from instrument to machine, is likely to continue as a feature and growing force in the ‘HeatUp!’ programme.

7.2.6 soundLINCS has recognised the move from virtuosity through instrumentation towards the pursuit of artistry through mechanised music making might present some difficulties. Generational musical hierarchies, for example, rock and pop, are being challenged. The youth music culture engaged in ‘HeatUp!’ is becoming increasingly dynamic. The young people are adapting to continually shifting social and technological contexts, which is evident through their expression in dance music, electronica, drum and base, and rap / hip-hop.

7.2.7 In response, soundLINCS has had to be adaptable itself, in facilitating this dynamism and accommodating shifting contexts. There is evidence the Producers Pot element has done so in a pragmatically conscious way. For example, it continues to encourage young people to critically understand the role and purpose of conventional music making, playing and composing. It also features attention to technologically driven creative individualism. This means young people are invited to, at least, evaluate the shift in youth music culture, from the conventional to the apparent mass appeal for the alternative.

7.2.8 In all this it is apparent young people themselves are acknowledged by soundLINCS as the key opinion formers, conferring value on the direction of ‘HeatUp!’ The young people engaged in Producers Pot are pushing for the shape of future activity to fit into their social and cultural context. soundLINCS is to be commended for the careful management of these calls for a shift is emphasis, without losing track of the whole. In terms of steerage, ‘sound52’ project staff and programme facilitators have skilfully navigated a pathway through an evolving ‘HeatUp!’, while maintaining a course towards the programmes overall outcomes.

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7.3 Vox 7.3.1 soundLINCS have previously documented the difficulties they have encountered in engaging young people in the ‘sound52’ vocal programme. In this round they were determined to improve on past performance and through a diversification of the vocal programme, and with a fresh approach to marketing the ‘new’ offer, 13 settings took place, providing 176 sessions of rap, song-writing, gospel, and karaoke singing (to name but a few). Initial targets envisaged only 9 settings and 180 sessions. In the end, concerns about supply over demand were outweighed by requests for places on the Vox programme. What is particularly interesting on the demand side, were the number of requests for places from ‘girl’ groups and female singers, which is consistent with the emergence of ‘girl-bands’ through the CPM element.

7.4 Junk Groove 7.4.1 The Junk Groove element has been under further development in order to build on the challenging work already achieved. The range statement in round three of Junk Groove proposed working with 14 groups, participating in 233 sessions. In the end 16 groups took part in 280 sessions across the county. ‘sound52’ has also formed a partnership with Lincolnshire Dance and together they are investigating how Junk Groove might be linked in with the proliferation of local and national festivals.

7.4.2 This is an interesting new focus for the ‘sound52’ project. Festivals have long been, and are increasingly, an important feature in the showcase of local music-making and dance traditions and evidence for this can be found in the work of the British Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech, which has served as the umbrella body for over 300 festivals across the United Kingdom.

7.4.3 The Federation has given highlight to the collaborative value of festival activity. For example, they often rely on volunteers, amateurs and professionals working together in close harmony and can range from the local home-spun celebrations to fully managed national events. Inspiration is often cited as a big gain for those attending and the acquisition of new knowledge and skills for those participating, which can go on to raise standards generally across all levels of the creative sectors taking part.

7.4.4 But the Junk Groove element aims to do more with festivals than provide opportunities for show-casing what is happening in an area. In the ‘sound52’ tradition, the aim is to examine and demonstrate how festival activity, such as DJing, can reflect the aspirations and achievements of local people. This is evidenced by the inter-play between Junk Groove and DJ residencies, and how soundLINCS have creatively invested capacity, such as the purchase of DJ kits, so that junk Groove can accommodate DJing. This investment has been important to the success of Junk Groove, because DJing has helped soundLINCS promote Junk Groove as a youth culture concept

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7.4.5 For example, the ‘Diverse’ festival, a youth culture event, has been developed strategically to target specific groups within the East Lindsey community. In this case it is young people, but it could easily be those from disadvantaged social-economic backgrounds. In any case, the purpose is to deploy the popular appeal of festivals, provide access to participative programmes of activity of various kinds, including DJ sessions, stage events and extreme sports, as well as give the young people of East Lindsey an opportunity to celebrate and assert their particular lifestyles. At the time of writing there has also been a request for junk dance groups to perform at the Lincolnshire youth games in Grantham.

7.5 Alternative Curriculum 7.5.1 Lincolnshire has a variety of agencies that support young people at risk, or who are marginalised by personal behavioural difficulties or emotional problems. The Alternative Curriculum aims to strategically link these agencies to the ‘sound52’ project, by collaborating with them on the development of bespoke music residencies that might help to address the significant problems some young people face.

7.5.2 The Alternative Curriculum is a case in point and demonstrates how soundLINCS increasingly links the work of ‘sound52’ to the youth services agenda, as in the Youth Music ‘at risk’ priority and every child matters framework. For example, whether it be through the potential to help young offenders or in the general provision of social services, or urban regeneration, the Alternative Curriculum element offers working examples of how participatory music is a useful way of working with and collaborating with young people; music being a particularly useful medium because of it has such resonance with youth culture.

7.5.3 The range statement (set by the third round bid document) suggested that the Alternative Curriculum element would deliver 14 bespoke settings for disadvantaged groups across the region and provide 8 facilitated music sessions for each group. In fact the Alternative Curriculum has delivered settings for 22 groups, providing 8 sessions as a minimum for each group, but often extending that provision up to 16 sessions in a number of cases.

7.5.4 There is evidence across these settings, in Boston, Gainsborough, Allford and at ‘Solution 4’ in Horncastle, to name but a few, that the Alternative Curriculum is not only contributing to a new responsiveness amongst the support agencies but it is significantly moving the young people from a position of reticence to one of reflective engagement and commitment to activity they would ordinarily not have engaged with on any level previously.

7.5.5 This is best expressed through the testimony of a mother from Horncastle, whose daughter had participated with an Alternative Curriculum residency at school: “These kids are thinking about their experience and talking about it . . . in the past they didn’t seem to care or take any view at all”. This is a communication about the process of rebuilding relationships. By negotiating around the purpose of making music and sharing in the activities which follow, young people participating in the Alternative Curriculum are using their experiences to compare problems and compose new ways of dealing with them. Tensions are evident, but the news from Horncastle and elsewhere is that growth and change is the prize.

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7.5.6 The emotional shift for the young people, in personal reflection and relationship building, is characterised by the ambition and vision of the music facilitators, who are often cited as the drive behinde a residency. There are clearly many sides to their work in this context. As well as advocating for the value of music through participation, they are able to do this amongst disadvantaged individuals who might be initially predisposed against that inclination, and at the same time the facilitators devise education based activity in support of the needs of young people, at a level they can access.

7.5.7 The approach the facilitators take to these residencies is in many ways similar to that taken across the ‘HeatUp’ programme, in so far as there is a substantial dialogue with the young people about what they want to do during the sessions. However, there are distinct differences. For example, the facilitator makes a pre-residency visit to the setting not only to discuss technical issues with the youth worker, but also to plan educationally and artistically how the issues raised by the young people might be addressed.

7.5.8 soundLINCS have recognised community and cultural exchange on this level requires substantial technical and professional musical planning. It extends participation in music beyond simply the right to have a go, and as such soundLINCS have ensured to put in place a support framework for the facilitator. For example, the facilitator receives help with residency evaluations and can access advice and guidance from the ‘sound52’ project support team at any time. This occurs through a ‘direct-needs’ service operated by telephone and via the organised sharing sessions.

7.5.9 This is not to say there are no development issues for the facilitators. There is evidence from the facilitator self-evaluation documentation suggesting additional induction and on-going training is needed, particularly training with the ‘XL’ group and youth workers and it is recommended that these issues might form the basis of a discussion at one of ‘sound52’ sharing days.

7.5.10 In all of this, we should not forget to acknowledge the different organisational infrastructures which act as the settings for the residencies. Whether it be a school, youth club or arts centre, there is evidence these organisations make a significant contribution to the technical support and artistic value of the sessions and share in the sense of community that enables the music-making to happen.

7.5.11 It is also worth noting what has happened to the young people after their residency has concluded. Some have gone on to join other elements of the ‘HeatUp!’ programme that occur outside of the Alternative Curriculum framework, to form bands expressing distinct personal views or simply to enjoy being a member of a different activity These things are judged by the youth workers as significant developments for the young people. Evidence the Alternative Curriculum has given them more confidence to assert their views and the ability to do so in new, often broader, social contexts.

7.6 Radio Programme Profile 7.6.1 soundLINCS desire to investigate and develop independent radio programmes is in many ways driven by the same aims as other local, community based radio broadcast projects occurring around the UK, which have been focused on local capacity building in communications and media.

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7.6.2 The recently piloted Preston FM, a community radio project based in Preston, developed and delivered in partnership with OfCOM, the independent regulator and competition authority for the communications industry, stands as one example of how ‘sound52’ could both break down barriers, and raise awareness, between various audiences with differing tastes and musicians, representing different musical styles. The Preston FM project produced a diverse range of content in order to meet these challenges, including programmes focused towards particular segments of the community, which aimed to turn up the volume on the issues affecting them through a mix of music and discussion.

7.6.3 With this example in mind, it is easy to understand why soundLINCS believes the creativity, participatory and community elements of radio programme development will fit perfectly with the ethos of the ‘sound52’ project; providing opportunities, as it aims to do, for young people to express themselves musically and in so doing air feelings about their own youth culture.

7.6.4 Preston FM’s success can be measured by the impact it has had on those taking part. It has generated debate between listeners and presenters about music and music making, and has offered those participating in the production of programme content a whole raft on new experiences where none previously existed. These include sharing knowledge about radio media with local broadcasting practitioners and developing skills in the use of broadcasting technology.

7.6.5 Encouraged by success to be found elsewhere, soundLINCS is quickly preparing to move the ‘sound52’ radio programme element onto the next stage, and will be working alongside local independent radio stations, such as Lindum Radio and the Lincoln University radio project, in order to establish an infrastructural framework so that content production can commence. soundLINCS will also investigate further funding options to ensure the growth and sustainability of the radio project. soundLINCS are typically aspirational in terms of this future growth and envisage a permanent, licensed regional radio station, operated by young people. These plans will involve a dialogue with OfCOM, to see what advice and guidance might be available.

7.7 Maintenance of Instruments 7.7.1 There are a number of young people engaging with the ‘sound52’ project who do not have access to instruments or have the resources to acquire them. Nor do they have adequate opportunities to seek out advice or make the connections they need to fulfil their musical ambitions. It is worth noting here how soundLINCS continues to bring a practical solution to the issue of access.

7.7.2 For example, ‘sound52’ has undertaken to ensure the on-going maintenance of some 14 instrument kits, both acoustic and electric, placed across 14 different locations throughout Lincolnshire, including youth and arts centres. These instrument kits are not only a key resource for the music residency programme, where access to a full kit is assured for every session, but they are also, increasingly, important during other times, when young people wish to experiment with, develop and / or practice their music making skills in their own time. In this case, the instrument kits are deployed on a borrow / loan basis, through the youth worker or music facilitator. This ensures the instruments

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are used to there maximum and are available to young people who may not have access to an instrument outside of their residency programme.

7.7.3 A system of ‘user regulations’ is in place, to underpin the borrow / loan scheme, but interestingly there has been little call to over apply or police this system. Breakages, loss and thefts are very rare and the young people themselves have demonstrated a respect for the provision and a responsibility to protect the facility. It is arguable this is because the young people have recognised the provision as one that helps them to develop personally as musicians. As such, the facility of accessible, well maintained instruments has become one the young people feel they have an authentic sense of involvement and partnership in. In this sense, even something as potentially mundane as the managerialism of instrument provision and maintenance can be held up as an example of how ‘sound52’ service and facilitate a mass of different musical activity amongst the young people that guards, but does not overshadow, their freedom and creativity.

7.7.4 However, it is worth stating the deployment of instrument kits in this way is no small undertaking and requires a substantial amount of logistical planning and management. ‘sound52’ project staff and music facilitators work hard to ensure the instrument kits are available for music residency work, personal use by young people and in good working order for both. During this round, ‘sound52’ has put in place an coherent auditing system that achieves two objectives. Firstly, the audit has catalogued the instruments available and there condition, and secondly it has established a maintenance / refurbishment cycle that will keep the instruments functional.

8.

Training & Development

8.1.1 The ‘sound52’ programme has always laid considerable emphasis on the training and personal development of project staff, musicians and facilitators and soundLINCS has a history of commitment to work-force development, through the delivery of training, advisory support and mentoring 8.1.2 To-date soundLINCS has resourced ten days of work-force development around shared or common practice issues and the specific training needs of individuals.

Evidence from self-evaluation forms and a bespoke training needs questionnaire, submitted at the conclusion of every residency, demonstrates all colleagues across the programme continue to benefit from musical and organisational training. In terms of workforce development this value-added element of ‘sound52’ is ground breaking, because it is prioritising the needs of a largely freelance work force of independent practitioners, when HR practice or staff development, where it exists in the cultural sector, often overlooks such workers in favour of traditional full time employed staff.

8.1.3 soundLINCS have gone further. In recognising the need to undertake training and skills needs analysis on a broad basis, they have made a strategically farsighted decision to instate a professional development post within their team. The Training, Resource and Mapping Programme Leader (TRAMPL) will be looking specifically at training & development issues sector wide, including, for example, music facilitators, young people, early years and youth workers as well as soundLINCS own staff.

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8.1.4 However, soundLINCS faces the challenge of training needs analysis, professional development and the delivery of training largely alone. The organisation has had to be self-reliant and self-actualising, in juggling internal resources and capacity to instate the TRAMPL post, in writing and delivering an induction programme for new entrant musicians to the programme and in responding to the on-going continuing professional development concerns for existing music facilitators.

8.1.5 An audit of the provision for continued professional development county wide indicates why soundLINCS have encountered difficulties in sharing the burden for work force training. Even through further, higher and conservatoire education there are limited opportunities to access vocational, work-based training programmes that lead on professional development issues for music workers, or widen the scope of practitioner skills and knowledge to account for community and educational work, in which more and more musicians are engaged. Even access to INSET training for music teachers in schools is arguably patchy. Conversely, where INSET provision exists there is evidence to suggest the attendance of teachers has been poor.

8.1.6 These are complex issues, but evidence from training needs development projects in other areas of the creative, cultural sector suggests problems relating to infrastructural support, then provision and later up-take or attendance, are often the result of a mismatch. This mismatch often exists between what is actually needed, the content of what is offered and where or how it is provided. Confusion often results because in the journey from skills auditing or mapping, through the design and onto the delivery of training, initial questions surrounding workforce development issues are seemingly not asked of the right people, in the right context or way. As a result, providers build up false perceptions of what is wanted and practitioners feel disenfranchisement, invariably feeling they don’t get what they actually need.

8.1.7 In other words, when examining the relationship between work force development and participatory music making it will be crucial to consider who the training and development is for and important to be clear about what skills, competencies and knowledge is needed to ensure the sector moves forward. Feed back during this evaluation suggests this process has yet to be undertaken on a sector wide scale, on a county level.

8.1.8 It seems then there is a case for establishing some form of working group to investigate and examine these issues further and in more detail. Perhaps a collaboration between, for example, soundLINCS, the Lincolnshire Education Arts Forum (LEAF) and Arts Training Central (ATC), in Leicester, would provide a significant body of discipline based expertise to explore the potential synergies between training and workforce development, participatory music making and the education sector. The TRAMPL officer seems ideally placed to take up the steerage of such a working group.

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8.1.9 As it stands soundLINCS should be commended for identifying resources from its own funds to enable the formation of training plans and for providing the time and facilities needed to execute the current ‘sound52’ training programme. However, continued growth in this form of work force development will almost certainly present future funding implications. Resourcing the expansion of training is likely to involve additional staff, expertise, equipment and facilities costs and it would be wrong to expect soundLINCS to continue to solely resource this activity, when the remit, and arguably the responsibility for broad based workforce development falls to other sector development agencies, which might be better placed to assist.

8.1.10 It is recommended, therefore, that soundLINCS open up a dialogue with additional agencies, to broadcast the good practice currently in place, to advocate for the prioritisation of workforce development amongst musicians working in the ‘sound52’ context and to present arguments for the availability of resources to ensure the skills, competencies and knowledge needed across the sector are properly identified, nurtured and matured.

8.1.11 Such advocacy might also extend nationally, to the advancement of ‘musicleader.net’, the Youth Music web-based forum for facilitators, which offers a training bulletin board and on-line newsletter. At the time of writing it is understood that the East Midlands regional portal is not yet open through the ‘musicleader’ framework and a lead body is needed to manage and administrate the up-load and monitoring of information onto the wed-site.

8.1.12 It is unfortunate that, for example, London and the South East can promote their good practice in the East Midlands via the web-site, but the reverse is not possible, because the regions portal is not active. Given that projects locally can contribute to the national debate on the economic, artistic and social viability of participatory music, it is arguable that Youth Music should consider core funding a regional post to ensure the East Midlands portal is open soon, or at least re-initiate the tender process so that a suitable organisation can be found to undertake the work. At the time of writing it is understood that Youth Music and the Arts Council East Midlands will be commissioning a research project to establish a framework for the ‘musicleader.net’ service. It is recommended that soundLINCS submits its own application to the initiative.

8.1.13 ‘sound52’ is also organising a mapping project to investigate the on-going training needs of young people, who wish to continue an involvement with participatory music beyond their association with the project. The scope of this mapping is significant, in so far as it is; 

Examining the training needs of young people, within the specific context of musical practice in a participatory, community and / or educational setting and encouraging young people to consider professional development planning and life long learning.



Developing links with development agencies that ensures training provision for young people is relevant to their needs, identifies their preferred learning styles and helps them to set up long term individual action plans.

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9.



Encouraging higher and conservatoire education providers, and employers, to invest in vocational work based training & skills development programmes for young people.



Ensuring connectivity, by sign posting young people towards the existing range of education and training opportunities available, as well as advising them through mentoring and support materials, where necessary.



Providing robust data and information about access opportunities and progression routes for young people, by establishing links between work based training, national occupational standards and existing qualification frameworks.

Management

9.1 soundLINCS have done a great deal in round three to reorganise their management and staffing structure, in order to better accommodate the operational and delivery complexities of a project like ‘sound52’.

9.2 This reorganisation has included ‘time-out’ opportunities with staff, on a regular basis, to review programme plans, operational issues and project progress. This is evidenced by the review and reorganisation of office space, re-using redundant space, making better use of existing space and relocating storage or desk space so that communication and cross project working is more efficient and effective.

9.3 soundLINCS have recently up-graded their on-site Information & Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, which has been possible as a result of a successful bid to the LINCS-Online initiative. soundLINCS now boasts a new telephone and computer network, which has enabled not only the continued maintenance of current systems but allowed for the introduction for new administrative processes. These have made it easier for music facilitators and setting and residencies staff to contact and communicate with ‘sound52’ project staff.

9.4 As a consequence of the ICT up-grade, systems and technical delivery have become more streamlined. This is evidenced by improvements to the marketing approach and distribution system for promotional material. These improvements have maximised opportunities to promote ‘sound52’ and Youth Music more effectively, more often. There have also been marked improvements in procedures for the pay-roll cycle, accounting and invoicing, and the weekly team meeting.

9.5 Other important partnership working has also benefited from the improvements to planning and administrative procedures. For example, the Executive Consortium now operates around a time table for regular meetings, which involves a formalised agenda for programme monitoring, evaluation and review (MER). This has helped to consolidate the ‘sound52’ project in the operational plans of others. This is evidenced by the regular time table of meetings between ‘sound52’ project staff and the district arts officers from across the county.

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9.6 But, characteristically, soundLINCS are not complacent about these improvements.

They have set them against future requirements to support growth and realise they face new challenges and different issues. For example, at a macro, strategic level soundLINCS systems, operations and resources will continue to grow as the business continues to grow and develop. On a more micro, operational level, soundLINCS now employs more than five full time employees, which means a variety of different health and safety implications emerge.

9.7 The Director of soundLINCS will be spending time over the coming months to reflect on the joint issues of strategy and operation, and growth and development, in order to frame the future, and no doubt prepare for it.

10.

Summary

10.1 At the outset of this evaluation it was clear that soundLINCS had a wide range of aims and outcomes for the ‘sound52’ project. Each programme and element of ‘sound52’ has thrown up different issues and basis for evaluation. However, this diversity and complexity has not shrouded the project in any way, on the contrary, in many cases it has been possible to analyse and validate the structure and context of the project by the objective fact a great deal of the musical content delivered and produced was done so under observation, in the environment for which it was designed and intended.

10.2 The overall picture that emerges from the ‘sound52’ project is not simply of a region bristling with participatory music activity of all kinds, but of one that is undergoing change and in some cases self-improvement through music making as a central theme.

There is evidence of a multitude of different artistic and socio-cultural, technical and workforce development collaborations taking place, among different age groups, across genres, musical styles and in every strand of the project. It is a project about music making not simply for the love of music, but to stimulate the understanding of practice and engagement with music in others, and in that sense ‘sound52’ is truly far reaching and inspirational.

10.3 soundLINCS is now, in many ways, rooting its position as a regional music centre for training, education and performance, for Lincolnshire and arguably the East Midlands. This notion of a regional centre is characterised not only by the many components which run through ‘sound52’, whether it be music making, instrument loan schemes, sector research and workforce development, youth bands or other kind of ensemble, but by the individuals who often lead on these various strands of activity.

10.4 soundLINCS continues to ensure the ‘sound52’ project has access to a coherent team of project managers, local music facilitators, researchers, producers and instrument or sound technology tutors, who have, through the observation of settings and sessions, demonstrated vision and drive, ambition for young people, local pride and above all a wonderful enthusiasm for music making. This enthusiasm provides a platform from which young people are encouraged to value music making through participation and then launch into their own forms of music making and engagement with others.

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10.5 This work takes place in real communities where the young people exist, often including disadvantaged or marginalised neighbourhoods, as well as involving unrepresented groups. The young people engage with education based activity, in and out of school, which, when combined, offers examples of how making music can contribute to the development of social and cultural capital in these local communities. ‘sound52’ has become a reflection of young peoples social capital, their beliefs, values, knowledge and skills; it is a project which stands for the very ethos to be found in numerous political and social agendas today, across not just the East Midlands, but across the UK and as such this evaluation acknowledges soundLINCS as an important catalyst for cultural development.

Matthew Blades May 31st 2006

Matthew Blades – May 2006

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