by Author Millie Raw Mackenzie

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Music and children in rurally isolated communities: call for existing research and case studies

NYMAZ is embarking on a research project evidencing the impact of participatory music on children and young people in rurally isolated communities. Has your organisation produced any reports or pieces of evidence relating to this that could inform our research, or could you signpost us to other relevant research? Would your organisation be willing to volunteer as a case study? Please get in touch!

As part of our Musical Inclusion programme for North Yorkshire, NYMAZ is undertaking a study of music and rural isolation, with the aim of evidencing ways in which participatory music making can make a positive impact on the lives of children and young people living in rural areas. We are aware that issues of rural isolation impact on the work of many organisations and individuals in the nonformal music sector nationally, and are keen to hear from you, wherever you are based. We are pleased to be able to welcome François Matarasso, author of Use or Ornament? and Only Connect, as an advisor to the project.

In the first phase of the project, we are gathering existing evidence and research. Has your organisation written, or come across, any reports about music and rural isolation? Would you be happy to share with us any evaluation reports or statistics from your own music projects in rurally isolated areas?

For the second phase of the project, we are inviting music organisations who work with rurally isolated communities to volunteer as case studies. Being a case study organisation would entail NYMAZ:

  • Visiting your organisation or project for one day;
  • Conducting interviews with your staff and music leaders;
  • Observing one of your workshops for children/young people.

We intend to complete the majority of case study visits between 22 September and 10 October 2014.

We would be really grateful to hear from you before Tuesday 26 August 2014 if you have any relevant reports or evidence to share, or if you would be willing to volunteer your organisation as a case study. You can e-mail me at millie@nymaz.org.uk, or leave a comment on this blog.

Thank you!