Making and learning music in Wales – What young people said
In my youth I played bassoon in the county orchestra, resulting in many unforgettable experiences, some lifelong friends and a lot of fun! So I was particularly pleased to be commissioned to create visual maps supporting making and learning music in Wales. Especially as the recent lockdowns have reinforced the power of music (whether you’re listening or playing) to transform, entertain and provide solace at tough times.
Anthem, the fund for young people’s music in Wales, has published two initial reports into young people’s music in Wales. The first is a mapping report surveying people and organisations working with young people in music in Wales. The second is a consultation with a sample of young people from across Wales, carried out in partnership with Youth Music. You can download the reports and read more here.
Anthem was launched in 2018 and is a charity set up to ensure that music-making can be part of every young person’s life in Wales, and can help them to achieve their potential. The reports are the start of a wider and ongoing conversation with young people, and those who work with them in the youth music and music education sectors. Youth Cymru were commissioned by Anthem to facilitate a consultation with young people across Wales to find out young people’s experiences of and opinions on music; what has helped them, the barriers they have encountered and what support they would like to see in future.
Working with Anita Holford to define the content, my visualisations of the young people’s voices are below, in English and Welsh formats.
“It’s a great illustration and will be a really useful tool.” – CEO, Anthem. Music Fund Wales