London,
22
December
2017
|
12:54
Europe/London

Council teams up with recording studio for inspirational cultural outreach work

Young people from three estates in Camden are being brought together through a collective passion for music, as the council partners with Tileyard Studios, XLP and Maiden Lane Youth Centre, to bring music production into the heart of the community.

The project embodies the ambition of the council’s London Borough of Culture bid – taking cultural and creative arts opportunities into the heart of Camden’s communities and delivering associated benefits, such as upskilling, increasing aspirations, and increasing social cohesion - particularly for groups who feel they are rarely able to access cultural provision in the borough.

The project also complements the council’s Community Safety work, including the establishment of a Youth Safety Taskforce to tackle an increase in youth crime.

Having commenced this week, and already proving popular, the project is seeing a highly equipped mobile recording studio brought onto the Maiden Lane, Agar Grove and Pancras Way estates.

Building relationships with local young people in the area, the project is bringing together groups, with the outreach team mentoring young people and advising how they can connect with the music industry, and utilise the professional equipment and expert advice, including next steps regarding their production, music videos and how to gain radio and TV play.

Tileyard Studio are due to open a workshop facility on the Camden side of York Way next year and this initial outreach programme will have a legacy for the young people taking part – who can continue to pursue their music and music production career aspirations in the new facilities.

Camden Council’s Cabinet Member for Promoting Culture and Communities, Councillor Jonathan Simpson said: “Camden is a borough that is renowned globally for its influence on the music industry, both past and present. Music has always been a way of bringing people together and inspiring generations of Camden residents and visitors alike.

“Our bid to be London’s Borough of Culture looks to utilise many of our cultural assets, music included, to both inspire and upskill residents – hopefully creating future musicians, artists and professionals – that will go on to inspire others. We also want to use the power of culture to deliver social benefits for our communities.

“This project in partnership with Tileyard Studios embodies what we would look to do more of if we won the bid. It’s a fantastic project, which brings together people to work collectively, where in other circumstances they may consider themselves to be rivals. Based upon their interests they are being upskilled, as well as mentored – both in terms of music, but also in life. And vitally, with Tileyard opening workshops next year, there is a legacy for these young people and the initial outreach work will draw them into utilising one of Camden’s world-class cultural facilities.

“That is also a key theme of our bid – bringing culture to the doorstep of people who feel they are rarely able to access our cultural offer, in order to upskill them and then allow them to unlock the opportunities that exist in Camden and London.”

Wizdom Layne from Tileyard, said:

"Tileyard is the largest professional music community in Europe with more than 120 music and entertainment businesses and is home to 82 professional recording studios including those of Mark Ronson, Lily Allen, The Prodigy, John Newman, Chase and Status, Maverick, Notting Hill Music, Marathon Artists, Sound Advice, Spitfire Audio, Tileyard Music, PLATOON and many more. 

“As the manager of Tileyard Education’s Community Outreach programme it is a privilege for me to be able to connect with our local community and find ways that we can utilise the resources of the Tileyard to empower the talent in our immediate vicinity and help them realise their creative ambitions. 

“I look forward to working on the Maiden Lane, Agar Grove and Pancras Way estates in the run up to the opening of our purpose built centre on York Way in April 2018, where we will be holding workshops, masterclasses and creative careers employment training and development for the benefit of our local community."

For further information about the project please contact [email protected].