Musical Connections: Nurturing Musical Cultures in Autism Resource Bases Across the UK through Participatory Action Research
We were selected as one of four projects to receive funding from the AHRC Hub for Public Engagement with Music Research, through the University of Southampton’s Centre for Music Education and Social Justice.
The one-year grant supported our work to expand access to inclusive, creative and child-centred music education for autistic children and young people who attend Autism Resource Bases across the UK. It enabled us to work with an academic partner, Beth Pickard, Senior Lecturer, Music Therapy, University of South Wales; and an autistic community musician and music therapist, Alex Lupo, alongside autistic and non-autistic musicians, parents of autistic children and ARB staff.
It built on the work of our Youth Music-funded three-year pilot programme, and helped us to deepen our understanding of the barriers to music provision within ARBs. The project was guided by a steering group of autistic musicians and shaped through collaboration sessions with stakeholders in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. By centering autistic voices, we co-developed resources including a guide and policy briefings, that directly respond to the needs and challenges identified.
Visit the Autism Resource Bases Music Programmes page, or find out more about the research:
