MUSICIANS IN RESIDENCE

As well as our intensive Music in Prisons projects, we are now also running key Musician in Residence placements to complement and sustain the impact of the intensive projects. Our first prison Musician in Residence placement began in May 2013 with musician James Dey.

“I have been able to both facilitate and encourage a large and creative musical community within the prison, while also finding that the work feeds into my own musical output … an enormously valuable, varied and thought-provoking project to work on.” James Dey, Musician in Residence

Get to know more about James Dey over a nice cup of tea.

“Learning to play the guitar gives me a sense of worth, like I’ve arrived. Playing the guitar is a great coping tool; it enables me to focus and motivates me. Being able to pick up the guitar when all is desolate and miserable is important. I can vent my frustrations in lyrics – it gives me peace of mind.”  Participant feedback

We now have several prison Musician in Residence placements running and plan to continue gradually expanding the programme to complement our intensive Music in Prisons projects.

With ongoing weekly provision (normally 1 day of sessions per week), our Musicians in Residence become a core part of prison life. Sessions focus on live music, instrument learning, music appreciation, song writing and performance, and are successful in engaging and increasing the motivation of hard-to-reach individuals including those accessing mental health/substance misuse services and those who don’t engage effectively with the more traditional educational activities.

“The freedom of expression through music has given me a piece of the freedom back I have lost. It has shown me a lot about dedication and that anything is possible with hard work.” Participant feedback

Group sessions can include: song writing; instrumental tuition; music appreciation; band work; regular performances (if able to be accommodated) help to engage the wider population and staff; peer mentoring can be supported during sessions so that the learners can support each other to develop outside of class times; other sessions can be offered depending on the interests and needs of the establishment (such as an open mic night).

Outcomes (measured by participant and prison staff questionnaires, and reports) include:

• Improved relationships in prison with other prisoners, prison staff and family members on the outside
• Increased skills associated with employability such as communication, teamwork, self-expression, negotiation and commitment
• Increased wellbeing including self-esteem and self-confidence;
• Increased motivation, aspiration and hope, and interest in engaging more positively with their sentence plans, mental health treatments, and other activities