Community-oriented music venues fostering camaraderie, heritage, and optimism locally
Band on the Wall, a legendary music venue in Manchester's Northern Quarter, has been at the heart of the city's music scene for nearly a century. Known for its 'Cultural Music' that represents specific people, places, and traditions, the venue is more than just a place for live performances. It's an active participant in several cultural and community impact initiatives.
One of the most significant projects Band on the Wall is currently engaged in is a partnership with Community Arts North West (CAN) and filmmaker Tamana Ayazi. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this project aims to explore the rich musical heritage of Manchester's migrant, refugee, and asylum seeker communities. Through the multinational World of Song project, the film will focus on the contributions of these communities to the city's music scene. This initiative serves both an educational purpose and a narrative change about migrant contributions.
Band on the Wall reaches about 7,500 people annually with its various inclusive community programs. These include offerings such as the Baby Club, Little Music Makers, Gospel and Soul Choir, and the Golden Voices Club, designed to engage different age groups and community members in music activities.
The venue has also launched the Spotlight Artist Development Scheme, which supports and showcases talented musicians, including global and local artists. This initiative helps develop emerging talent through performance opportunities and exposure, contributing to the enhancement of the local music ecosystem.
Band on the Wall's community and cultural impact initiatives don't stop there. The venue is recognised and supported by the Music Venue Trust, a UK charity aiming to protect and improve grassroots music venues like itself. This association further emphasises the venue's role in nurturing local music culture and community engagement.
A new scheme called Without Borders Youth Band has been launched, aimed at young people from the global diaspora aged between 12 to 19. This scheme supports youngsters in creating a unique band inspired by their cultural heritages, with opportunities to create new music, perform, and record.
Writing songs plays a significant role in helping communities deal with and communicate their challenges as they arrive in a new country. The negativity towards migrancy in the populist political narrative is misplaced and should be challenged. Celebrating this diversity is fundamental to the city's success.
Gavin Sharp, CEO of Band on the Wall, views music venues as vital hubs of connection, capturing moments in time and shaping history. He feels immense pride towards the organisation and wants to keep the momentum growing, with a goal to see existing schemes develop over the next few years.
Manchester, like many other provincial cities, is benefiting from its rich cultural and ethnic diversity. With greater levels of migration, many people are arriving as migrants or refugees, enriching the city's fabric. The World of Song scheme comprises six distinct projects curated solely for migrant communities and asylum seekers in Greater Manchester.
Social Care Today recently reported on the launch of the World of Song scheme. The speaker also wants to spread the word about promoting inclusivity across Manchester, encouraging people to support their local venues to keep them vital spaces that bring communities together.
In summary, Band on the Wall's community and cultural impact initiatives include heritage-focused film projects highlighting migrant communities, inclusive music-making programs for thousands of participants, artist development schemes supporting emerging talent, and collaboration with wider networks to sustain grassroots music culture in Manchester.
- Band on the Wall, a renowned music venue in Manchester, not only offers 'lifestyle' through live performances but also actively participates in community initiatives like the World of Song project, which focuses on the rich musical heritage of Manchester's migrant, refugee, and asylum seeker communities, serving an educational purpose and promoting narrative change about migrant contributions.
- The community programs at Band on the Wall, such as the Baby Club, Little Music Makers, Gospel and Soul Choir, and the Golden Voices Club, cater to various age groups and engage individuals in 'home-and-garden' activities, reaching approximately 7,500 people annually.
- Band on the Wall's initiatives extend beyond music, including the Without Borders Youth Band, aimed at young people from the global diaspora aged between 12 to 19, who are encouraged to create unique bands inspired by their cultural heritages, fostering 'education-and-self-development' and contributing to the city's ethnic diversity and 'entertainment'.
