Live Music Now Northern Ireland has been celebrating the successful completion of the first Lullaby Project in Northern Ireland, holding a celebration event for participating families and sharing the project’s impact at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Arts in Mind celebratory showcase.
Earlier this month Live Music Now was delighted to take part in the Arts in Mind Showcase at The MAC Belfast, bringing together organisations from across Northern Ireland to celebrate the role of the arts in supporting mental health and wellbeing.
As part of the programme, Live Music Now musician Gary Day joined Michelle Bradley from The Parent Rooms to present on the Lullaby Project, the first programme of its kind in Northern Ireland. Musicians The Henry Girls also performed a selection of beautiful and moving lullabies during the event, describing the day as “a fantastic opportunity to connect with so many passionate people dedicated to supporting mental health through the arts.”
You can watch the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s short film from the showcase, featuring the Lullaby Project and interviews with participants and partners.
The following day, families came together at The Parent Rooms to celebrate the completion of the first Northern Ireland Lullaby Project cohort.
Over eight weeks, parents worked alongside Live Music Now musicians Gary Day, Amanda St John, Cheylene Murphy and Ryan McGroarty to write and record original lullabies for their babies, creating personal songs inspired by their hopes, memories and love for their children. The programme offered a creative space for parents to connect with their babies, one another, and professional musicians, while supporting perinatal mental health and wellbeing.
The celebration event gave families the opportunity to share their lullabies, reflect on their experiences and mark the end of an incredibly moving programme. You can listen to the final lullabies on SoundCloud here.
One parent reflected:
“We have absolutely loved taking part – it was a highlight of our week and [our baby] has loved exploring her musical side! Such a special experience to share with my baby.”
The first Northern Ireland cohort marks the beginning of an exciting future for the Lullaby Project. A second cohort with The Parent Rooms will soon be underway through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Baring Foundation’s Arts and Mental Health Partnership Programme, while further Lullaby programmes are also in development, including a Belfast–Essex collaboration through The National Lottery Community Fund’s Connect Fund, creating opportunities for learning and exchange across both regions, and the first Lullaby Programme in Derry.
This Lullaby Project has been made possible through funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Baring Foundation through the Arts and Mental Health Partnership Programme, alongside support from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
