EXETER RISING ARTISTS

E.R.A (Exeter Rising Artists) is a music enrichment programme run by Sound Gallery.
The aim of this project is to provide a holistic approach to the academic, social and personal development of young people and prepare them for Further Education and employment. ERA brings together young people with a group of industry professionals and experts from music entertainment, recording and video production in order to enrich the educational environment and to bring about more positive attitudes to personal development and attainment. The outcome of ERA is a C.D. compilation with the participants’ original compositions, a short film in DVD format and a showcase performance.

The participants

This project involves a group of around 15 young people aged between 15-19 years old from the City of Exeter from a range of social and ethnic backgrounds. ERA is aimed at marginalised young people who feel they do not have the necessary means or support to develop their creative ideas. The participants are encouraged to work together, to form and name bands or duos and interact and support each other in an artistic and musical way. The ERA project will encourage collaboration between all of these groups and promote understanding and tolerance in a non-judgemental and inspiring environment. During these sessions, the participants work in small groups and with the workshop leader they explore musical and lyrical ideas, rehearse and refine these ideas into music tracks or songs and finally record them digitally to produce a demo CD. This CD is launched at the end of a year event to celebrate the participants’ achievements and promote the project. The young people involved also act as peer educators or ambassadors to encourage their peers to take part in future projects and are supported to initiate their own projects and develop their own entrepreneurial skills.

Project aims

- to encourage musical experimentation and enhance musical and technical abilities through a range of music and performance related activities including song-writing, music and sound experimentation, multi-track recording and audio engineering, performance and rehearsal and to help manifest these ideas into arrangements, songs and instrumental pieces.

- to bring more positive attitudes to personal development and attainment. The ERA project aims to encourage self-expression and collaboration and increase confidence in a nurturing environment by providing the time, the space and the tools to help manifest musical and lyrical ideas and by providing the belief that these aims can be achieved by everyone.

- to introduce a range of sound engineering skills on different software platforms: digital music making on a range of software platforms as well as performance techniques, vocal training and the basic codes of safety and technical skills needed to make music.

Project outcomes

- to record these musical sessions digitally and produce a compilation CD and DVD to monitor the process. This will act as a portfolio of original work and achievement and help further careers or support future applications to technically or artistically related courses (e.g. CUCAS).

- to perform live at the end of the year at a CD launch event to celebrate the participants’ achievements and to promote, recruit and possibly help sustain the continuation of the project in the future. The young people involved can act as ambassadors to spread the word and recruit new members each year in a way that their peers will relate to.

From our experience in working with young people in a musical context, the creation of music is an enriching activity and a great way of breaking down barriers. It is inspiring to see young people grow in confidence, commitment and ability. By offering them a space to create, the tools to manifest their ideas and the belief that they can achieve these things, we hope to inspire young people, help create exciting and original music and provide an enjoyable learning experience. Young people, through music and creativity, can find a sense of belonging and personal achievement that they are unable to access through mainstream education. We aim to demonstrate how easily and quickly an original piece of music can be created given access to the right tools and expertise.
Sound Gallery hopes the project will provide an outlet for the frustrations and aspirations of this age group at this present time. ERA will hopefully help young people voice personal issues and add to their sense of belonging to their social environment. Finally, by exploring these creative possibilities we might increase concentration, motivation and achievement and help develop some unseen talent.

For a full ERA report please click here ERA Report 2007

ERA is a music enrichment programme co-ordinated and delivered by