The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is a world-renowned orchestra based in London which since 1999 has delivered music-making projects with people experiencing homelessness, aiming to use the benefits of creativity to support individuals on their journey. In our projects we invite participants to collaborate with our musicians, instil freedom for them to make creative choices, and use this to create enriching music-making experiences together.

Through co-production sessions with participants we have heard that they have three main desires when attending: to try out new things, to learn, and to feel like they are improving. While this is helpful to understand, every individual who comes to the workshop comes for a different reason: some are interested in expressing themselves and will come with poetry or musical ideas for us to work on together; others prefer to listen and to gently play alongside the grooves built by the group. We see some participants consistently and others drop in and out depending on what’s going on for them that day. Often the ‘roles’ that participants play in workshops will change over time as their confidence builds. In managing individuals’ many needs in sessions we’ve learned to take an ‘everything goes’ approach, and hold plans lightly. Each time we come with the ability to respond to what’s happening in the room. 

“Participants showed a great curiosity with instruments, and a willingness to experiment with different sounds and textures. For some, this was a new experience – the musicians were receptive to this, making sure that participants were not overwhelmed and that sessions were fun and light.” - Max Webster, Team leader at The Connection at St Martin’s 

‘Tears in their eyes’

Earlier in 2024 we produced a SoundWalk – a 25-minute interactive installation around Westminster with words and music created and recorded with participants at The Connection and The Outside Project. The two recording sessions saw a different level of focus from our participants: a rallying together and ‘stepping up’ as the eight-week projects reached their culmination. Once the walk had been installed, the collaborators came together to experience the finished piece, wearing headphones and following the map which was illustrated with drawings of landmarks that participants wanted to highlight. The feeling was joyful and reflective. People had tears in their eyes as they heard their ideas and voices played back to them. There was laughter and smiles as participants reflected on the creative process, and a general air of accomplishment and comradery amongst the group.

“Over the years, a solid and heartfelt relationship has built up, drawing on the creativities of people living with the effects of homelessness and the incredible musicianship of Academy musicians. These talents come together to form a creative ensemble, improvising, devising work and co-composing. Here, all ideas are welcomed, every voice is heard, and artistic outcomes are created jointly.” - Jackie Walduck, workshop leader, composer and percussionist

What we know about the wider impact of our sessions is mostly anecdotal, and links to the gentle approach we take to building trusting relationships with our participants, allowing people to feel safe and gradually building confidence to try new things. Participants have reported experiencing the following:

• Mood improvements, with suggestion that participants’ engagement with other recovery and resettlement support is increased;
• Interconnectedness amongst the group and collaboration through sharing responsibility when producing new work;
• Peer-to-peer supportive interactions;
• Increased motivation by and investment in shared artistic goals and group aims;
• Increased ability to take on different roles;
• Space to feel calm and focused, building resilience for daily life.

Over the next five years we want to increase our delivery in this area, working with more centres to deliver projects and introducing a centralised orchestral offer for this community which brings together individuals we meet through all our projects. This, we hope, will allow the positive outcomes of our work to be felt by more individuals and allow us to maintain contact with participants more consistently and with more focus than can sometimes be achieved in busy day centres.

Alongside this, we will build our understanding of the impact of this work upon participants, including how we play into the wider theories of change of the organisations we partner with. In the next year we’ll begin pilot research projects looking at how our principles of empowerment manifest in action, and developing better tools for gaining the insights we need which don’t detract from the most important parts of delivery. 

I recently had a conversation with a participant, V, who reflected on her first year of making music with us. She thought it was the atmosphere of the music sessions and the friendliness of the musicians that was most important in her getting involved. It’s different, she said, from her childhood learning when she took instructions from the teachers and professionals.

“We’re given lots of help initially, but from there we can develop our own ideas.” We seek to maintain this as we go into our next phases, continuing to allow people to slowly build their comfort levels until they feel ready to express themselves more fully and giving space for growth.   

V said: “For me in particular, giving me the chance to play with professional musicians motivates me a lot to want to come to the centre every Monday - to learn more. Every time I come I’m advancing more and more. When the music is going on it makes me want to participate, get involved and keep getting better, which I don’t have elsewhere. My ambition is to start working again soon, and the music sessions are helping me to realise I’m not on my own. Taking part in the group is helping me learn to communicate with other people and know that people are there for you. They show me that we’re all together, I’m not alone, and that will be helpful if I go to work again.”

• Callum Given is Head of Social Purpose at the Academy of St Martin in the Fields
• Illustration by Ruby Wright shows participants and musicians from The Academy of St Martin in the Fields recording music for A City Full of Stories.

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