Live Music Now is excited to announce a new partnership with Historic England working with local communities to create an album of unique compositions, culminating in live musical moments in six high streets this summer.
‘Round Here will be created by six High Street Heritage Action Zone communities across England in partnership with Live Music Now and local young musicians. The project aims to strengthen connections with local areas through musical reflections of local heritage.
‘Round Here locations:
- Barrow-in-Furness
- Brierley Hill
- Chatham Intra
- Huddersfield
- Tottenham
- Weston-super-Mare
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Working together they will draw out thoughts, experiences and memories to create beautiful and unique musical compositions. These will be performed in live musical moments across all six sites between 9-17 July 2022 and produced into a series of music videos curated by a young digital creative to celebrate the secrets of the heritage in our high streets.
Live Music Now musicians are experts in working alongside those with reduced access to live music throughout the UK, crafting engaging concerts and residencies across a range of genres, harnessing the connective power of music.
If you are interested in getting involved, please email: [email protected].
Ellen Harrison, Head of Creative Programmes and Campaigns at Historic England, said: “We’re delighted to have commissioned Live Music Now to co-create new musical pieces across six High Street Heritage Action Zones, bringing live performances to the high street this summer. Each piece will be shaped by local people and their experiences of their neighbourhood, so we’re keen to work with a diverse cast of musicians and community groups to express their pride of place through music.”
Janet Fischer, CEO of Live Music Now, said: “Live Music Now is delighted to be working with Historic England and communities across England to celebrate their local heritage, hidden histories, and high streets. ‘Round Here will be a unique album of stories, songs spun from the voices of local residents, through the musical artistry of young people and Live Music Now musicians. Music is a constant soundtrack to our lives, and this project is a fantastic opportunity to explore how it connects us to where we live.”
‘Round Here is commissioned by Historic England as part of the High Streets Heritage Action Zones’ Cultural Programme, led by Historic England, in partnership with Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Cultural Programme aims to make our high streets more engaging and vibrant places.
High Streets Heritage Action Zones’ Cultural Programme
The £7.4 million Cultural Programme is part of the £95 million High Streets Heritage Action Zone initiative, which is currently working across over 60 English high streets. It is funded with £40 million from the Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport’s Heritage High Street Fund, £52 million from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Future High Streets Fund, and a further £3 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Cultural activity funded by the local grants scheme will take place over the next three years, in tandem with the national commissions organised by Historic England. For the national commissions, artists will work with communities and co-produce artworks inspired by England’s changing high streets. Together, the local grants scheme and the national commissions make up the Cultural Programme.
About Historic England
We are Historic England the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment, from beaches and battlefields to parks and pie shops. We protect, champion and save the places that define who we are and where we’ve come from as a nation. We care passionately about the stories they tell, the ideas they represent and the people who live, work and play among them. Working with communities and specialists we share our passion, knowledge and skills to inspire interest, care and conservation, so everyone can keep enjoying and looking after the history that surrounds us all.
About Live Music Now
Live Music Now fosters musical lives. We recognise the transformative power of music as a connector, language and powerful tool for social change. Our world class musicians connect musically with people experiencing social exclusion or disadvantage, working together to create engaging, interactive, evidence based live music sessions that meaningfully enhance health and wellbeing, improve communication, strengthen relationships and deliver positive effects long after the last note has been played.
Live Music Now reaches over 85,000 people a year and trains and employs 250 professional musicians. You can find our musicians in care homes, hospitals, community settings, schools, libraries and hospices in England, NI and Wales and in Scotland with our sister organisation Live Music Now Scotland.
