Jen Long – Ambassador for Youth Music
The National Foundation for Youth Music is calling on musicians, promoters, venue owners and music fans to put on and attend gigs to support the charity’s work and enable thousands of disadvantaged children and young people have access to life-changing music-making opportunities. Whether this is one of a run of nights at London’s 02 by a headline artist, or a small gig in a village pub, Give a Gig will be a fun way to bring musicians, friends and communities together to enjoy music, while raising funds to enable others less fortunate to enjoy it too. Youth Music developed the campaign idea as one of the few charities that uses music as a core part of its work.
Youth Music’s Executive Director Matt Griffiths says: “We hope this fundraising campaign offers great flexibility to music fans who might like to give to a charity that uses music to help change lives. We don’t mind who you are or where you are, we welcome allGive a Gig supporters regardless of the size of the gig, the type of music or the amount of money raised. Of course, the bigger the better, but most of all we want people to have fun performing and attending gigs.”
Give a Gig will be supported by a bespoke website that will enable bands, performers, venue owners and promoters to list their event. The site will also host ticketing and venue information, music videos, gig news, info on how to put on a gig, and a dedicated area for fans to review gigs, making it an online resource for fans and artists alike.
WeGotTickets are the preferred Give a Gig ticketing partner, and are kindly donating a portion of all their booking fees in June as part of their ‘Give a Gig Month’.
Youth Music acknowledges that there may be costs involved in putting on a gig.
Matt Griffiths continues: “We’re aware that, in some instances, putting on a gig can cost money – whether it’s for hiring a venue or sound equipment. And some performers taking part in Give a Gig may be professional musicians. While we hope many promoters, bands and musicians might consider offering up their time to Give a Gig for free, if they are able to do so, we fully support musicians who believe they should be properly rewarded for their work. So we are happy for Give a Gig supporters to take essential expenses out of the money raised. We hope that in these circumstances, those putting on a gig will be fully transparent about their costs with the supporters who come to their event.”
Youth Music’s Ambassador, Jen Long, presenter of ‘BBC Introducing’, Radio 1 said: “I’m supporting Give a Gig because Youth Music is one of the few charities that puts music at the core of its work, using it to help thousands of disadvantaged children every year. But for each young person it supports, there’s another one waiting for help. So go on, Give a Gig. If you book them, they will come.”
If you’d like to put on a gig to support the work Youth Music does, sign up now at www.giveagig.org.uk.
About Youth Music
Youth Music now supports over 400 music projects around their country, with almost half of these taking place in the top twenty per cent most deprived boroughs in the UK. Projects work across all age groups from seriously ill babies in hospital to young people with special educational needs. The charity now reaches out to over 90,000 children and young people every year but for every child it supports, there is at least one more waiting for their help.
Some of the projects the charity supports use music in a unique way to help young people:
The Singing without Borders project in Manchester and Salford was established to help schoolchildren who have recently arrived as refugees, many of whom are traumatised after escaping warzones. They found themselves in a completely new environment, unable to communicate with anyone around them. For many of these children with language difficulties, learning song lyrics increased their confidence and opened up new communication channels to others.
Youth Music recently awarded a grant to the charity Gloucestershire Music Makers for its innovative action research project ‘Playing Around Sound’, developing new music ideas and activities for very young deaf children with cochlear implants. Using traditional and novel instruments like a sit-on log drum, Hapi drums (small drums with a melodic component), up-to-the-minute digital technology in vibro-acoustic speakers and sound-to-light toys, organisers believe music will find its place into the hearts and lives of deaf children.
Many of the other children Youth Music helps live in challenging circumstances such as coping with special educational needs, homelessness, or living in urban poverty or rural isolation.
Youth Music hopes to help more projects and people directly by raising funds. Artists who have supported Youth Music previously include David Bowie, Florence Welch, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Sting, Brian May, Jarvis Cocker, Nicola Benedetti, Sir Simon Rattle, U2, Metallica, Scissor Sisters, Rage Against the Machine and AC/DC.
For many of those taking part in a Youth Music project, attendance is often the catalyst that transforms their life. Sophie attended a Youth Music project run by CSV in Preston, Lancashire, after spending much of her life in the care system and attending a special needs day school for 11-16 year olds with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Participation has provided her with opportunities to meet new friends, work on her social skills, be part of a team, work towards positive goals and practice independent working. Sophie says: “My experience of Youth Music was absolutely fabulous. I loved how I mixed with different personalities. It was also great how you helped me complete my qualifications. I am happy that I came to CSV. It really seemed to help.”