Reflections on 2023

2023 has been a super year for Evolve Music and we would like to thank all the families, partners, music leaders, trustees and core workforce that have been involved in making community music happen in the South West this year! This year we have seen many of our community music initiatives scale up –  engaging new people and new communities and deepening our impact in other communities. 

The Sound Explorers residencies at The Cabin Childcare Centres and YMCA in Plymouth serve as a perfect example of Evolve Music’s comprehensive approach to nurturing wellbeing and creativity among children and families.  Sound Explorers places significant emphasis on child-initiated, adult-responsive music-making, creating an environment in early years settings that unlocks the innate musical potential in young children. We are delighted that towards the end of 2023 and in 2024 our Sound Explorers training will be extended to childminders.

Evolve Music’s financial stability has been bolstered by new funding from various sources. This diverse funding portfolio has not only enhanced the scope of Evolve Music’s early years work but also serves as a validation of its significance, quality and overall impact. 

New funding has contributed to the scaling up of the Dads Rock initiative, which now happens in four different local authority areas in the South West on Saturdays during term-time, and enabled us to sustain the partnership with Action for Children in Newton Abbot and restart work with parents requiring additional support

We’ve also been pleased to be able to maintain Sound Lab sessions in Radstock, and plans for a new Sound Lab hub are now in place for Yeovil. We’ve all been delighted to be able to work in partnership with WEMA on Unscripted, a holiday programme for neurodiverse young people in North Somerset. 

Behind the success of Evolve Music is our music leader workforce. Their expertise and commitment to using their musical talent as a tool for positive change are the cornerstone of our work. Without their unwavering dedication, none of the progress this year would have been possible. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in delivering activities in schools, community centre, church halls, health centres, children and family centres and nurseries. 

As 2023 draws to a close, Evolve Music reflects on a year marked by collaborations, important milestones, and notable achievements and we look forward to working with all our stakeholders in 2024!