SoundWave (Cumbria Youth Music Action Zone)

Website Address : www.sound-wave.info

SoundWave is a music organisation (not-for-profit company limited by guarantee) based in west Cumbria, committed to the following broad aims:
1. Foster a sense of pride and identity through creativity, especially through music.
2. Increase aspirations through music
3. Ensure quality music leadership.
4. Provide a clear and consistent progression route for musicians and those working in music-related fields.
5. Become an established music development agency which stretches people’s expectations and broadens their musical knowledge and experience.
6. Establish a self-sustaining organisation to meet our aims / objectives
7. To facilitate the development of local and pan-county partnership groups to support the work
8. Use music in innovative ways and situations

SoundWave’s purpose is to effect the transformation of:
• Individuals by supporting them to increase their confidence and self-esteem through participatory music-making
• Individuals by empowering them with advanced musical skills to develop themselves as professionals within the  cultural sector
• Communities from cultural ‘deserts’ into vibrant centres of dynamic and exciting cultural opportunity
• opportunities for cultural learning from a limited availability to much broader opportunities for training and lifelong learning 
• the music ‘scene’ in west Cumbria from a narrow diet of generic entertainment into a broader artistic offer of original and exciting musical opportunities representing a wide range of cultures and musical styles

SoundWave came into existence as the delivery organisation for the Cumbria Youth Music Action Zone (YMAZ) in 2005, led by Cumbria County Council. It evolved into a social enterprise in 2007, with a broad and exciting programme of music provision (participatory music-making, training and networking,) across Cumbria according to local need, including:

• District-based music-making programme in at least 4 of the 6 Cumbrian districts
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for music leaders (especially in project development / fund-raising etc.)
• Peer networks
• Pan-county initiatives

SoundWave runs a varied programme of music projects across most of the county, including the Cumbria Youth Music Action Zone (YMAZ) and a number of adult music-making projects. 

SoundWave is committed to the establishment of a sustainable county-wide network for music across the county, especially in those areas where the infrastructure of 3rd sector music organisations is lacking (e.g. Barrow, Carlisle). In turn, SoundWave will evolve into a music delivery organisation with a specific focus on west Cumbria, as part of the emerging network.

By 2010, SoundWave aims to have helped support the development of a network of organisations across the county which are:
• Embedded in their communities, to ensure that local long-term priorities (as opposed to transient funding opportunities) drive the process towards sustainability
• Working in effective delivery partnerships at a local level with other organisations (e.g. schools, youth services, Connexions, district councils, other Art organisations etc.)
• Financially independent and self-sustaining
• Working together as an effective ‘community’ of music organisations across the county

Project Background – Youth Music Action Zones

Youth Music is a UK-wide charity that funds and facilitates music making for young people up to the age of 18, particularly those living in areas of social and economic need. By 2010, Youth Music aims to have reached 3 million children and young people in a UK-wide strategy to support youth music making. More information is available at www.youthmusic.org.uk

Since December 2000, Youth Music has set up 24 Youth Music Action Zones (YMAZs) in areas of social and economic need across England and Wales. The aim is to provide music-making activities to young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity. Each Zone is made up of established organisations from the public, voluntary and private sector. Youth Music Action Zones cover all genres of music and deliver a wide range of activities including workshops, rehearsals, performances, one-to-one teaching and mentoring. More information is available at www.youthmusic.org.uk

National YMAZ Aims and Objectives
Each Youth Music Action Zone is unique as they are designed to respond to the particular needs of the community they operate in, but they all share the same common objectives: 
• To establish a legacy of music-making opportunities in areas of social and economic need.
• Improve the overall standards of music-making across all music styles and genres.
• Champion the value of music-making; proving that music has an invaluable part to play in advancing the educational and social development of young people. 
• To establish the value of music-making opportunities as a force for regeneration in communities, fostering social inclusion and community cohesion.

Project Background – Cumbria YMAZ

The YMAZ in Cumbria consists of a number (currently around 50) of separate music projects for under 19s across most of Cumbria. Young people have the opportunity to create music in a wide variety of genres, and participate in many performances, recording opportunities etc. SoundWave also draws together a community of adult Cumbrian music practitioners to deliver the various projects, and provides a supportive training context for those wishing to explore community music as a career, or as an adjunct to their professional life as a musician.

Cumbria YMAZ Mission:
To meet the entitlement of young people to a wide range of music experiences

Cumbria YMAZ Aims:

• Be Cumbria wide, providing music making opportunities to young people in areas of deprivation
• Increase the aspirations of Cumbrian young people 
• Ensure quality music leadership 
• Develop a Cumbrian music identity by empowering local musicians and communities 
• Deliver a sustainable legacy 

Cumbria YMAZ Objectives:

• Build on current Cumbrian activity, expertise and resources
• Ensure unification by integrating with current Cumbrian practice, and strategies of those key agencies with a long term remit
• Provide inspirational role models for Cumbrian young people and signposts to music career development routes 
• Increase access to music making for young people in both urban and rural areas
• Map and develop music making resources
• Provide professional development, networking and work opportunities to increase capacity of current and potential Cumbrian music practitioners