Power & Influence of music events on young performers.
Our young people have capitalised on our networks and signposting to maximisie the additional music offerings in the immediate region. The value of the confidence our programme created has been instrumental in overcoming opportunity limiting circumstances.
Last year we worked with Youth Music and the Birmingham Youth Offending Team to develop employable skills for teenage young offenders, using music and event management.
The Blastbeat Education Programme supports young musicians to develop wider life skills, financial literacy and grow confidence through music making and event management. Programme encourages young people to find other local artists to perform with them. They find venues and promote their event to local people. These activities also help young musicians expanded their social connections in the real world.
After engaging with a group of young people under the youth offending register last year, we are pleased to share some broad outcomes and anecdotal reflections.
The 2015 cohort had 4 girls between 17 and 19 that had a lot of social anxiety. This limited their social circles and limited their personal and career growth. They engaged in our programme because it was something they were interested in. They hadn't performed much or at all due to their social anxiety. A year on they tell us they have continued to perform more. Their music engagement has increased their social connections. By having something to leave home for, they have engaged more with people and have slowly overcome the limitations of their social anxieties. They have performed on Capital Radio 1 Xtra, The Drum, Birmingham City Council Arts Program - Gallery 37. Their engagement with the Blastbeat programme, kick started the opening of their networks, which helped them access more performance opportunities. We have been able to give them access to opportunities through an electronic press kit (EPK) which is like an online musical CV for events managers, agents or venues to know what type of artist they are booking. The other opportunities came from confidence to approach people and also the new networks gained.
One young person used the programme to try and make new friends and have a new circle of friends. His motivation was that his exposure to new people helped him take a look at his choices and want to improve his circle of influence. The group on average reported that they had few opportunities to perform in the previous year before engaging in our programme. In 2016 the group average rose to 3 performances in front of audiences of 30 people or more this year.
Since January 2016, we have had on average 4 young people weekly seeking to join our programme or perform at one of our events/ events being made by other young people in our network. This is an indication of the power and influence of music and events. Young people have embraced their passion in music enough to critically look at their needs and adjust some behaviours to suit this. The evangelical power of positive experiences then multiplies reach through word of mouth. Young people talk to each other, and clearly, they share things that work for them with others. We hope this insight has some value to someone in the network.