Community First News & Updates

Visible Voices: ‘A collaborative album of songs from community groups and songwriters across Wiltshire’

by Community First | Oct 6, 2022 | News

Released 5 October 2022 on Bandcamp in digital format. CD release Nov 2022.

Link to the songs https://wiltshireruralmusic.bandcamp.com/

Wiltshire Rural Music is proud to present Visible Voices, a community songwriting project run by WRM throughout 2022. The aim was to send a songwriter into a creative session with a vulnerable group and come out with a song two hours later! From a homeless shelter to a special needs nursery, an Alzheimers memory café to a local prison, Visible Voices promises to be an uplifting audible experience, written very much from the heart by the people of Wiltshire. We cannot put into words how important it was for the well-being of the most vulnerable, to provide them with a creative outlet. Read our story below.

Musicians and groups involved:

Daisy Chapman & Arts Together Devizes and Trowbridge
Gavin Osborn & Doorway
Tamsin Quin & Mill Street Club
Gecko & Trowbridge Future
Will Lawton & Youth Action Wiltshire
Tracy Graham & Luiza Moir, Sounds Like Women
Emma Hughes & Stepping Stones
Good Habits & Erlestoke Prison
Tim Gilvin & LGBTQ+ Devizes

The Visible Voices Story

We began working with a diverse range of community groups, starting with Alzheimer’s Support and their Mill Street Club in Trowbridge (pictured), and Doorway, a charity drop-in centre in Chippenham for those who are homeless, sofa surfing or vulnerably housed in a tenancy. In the early part of 2022 we also started songwriting with Devizes/Trowbridge based art group Arts Together. As word got out, more and more communities were approached we soon had 9 community hubs booked in ready for their songwriting session.

Each participating group were allocated a local musician who worked closely with members, taking time to understand their needs, dreams, and aspirations. From this creative process, ideas evolved as well as themes for lyrics and music. Support was provided through workshops, interviews, and live sessions, giving musicians the tools to write their own songs for the first time, and recipients the chance to be involved in the creative process and get a sense of ownership over the finished piece.

All final songs and instrumental music were either recorded on site, or after the session and are now available as digital downloads through our Bandcamp page, with a CD already in production ready to sell at all the venues and hubs that took part.

All tracks sold will raise funds for the groups involved.

What people are saying

“The project was great and the sessions were awesome.” – Dawn, Youth Action Wiltshire

“This is truly gorgeous – far exceeded my expectations, and the group members really enjoyed themselves.” – Karolyne, Arts Together

“My expectations were blown out of the water, it was so much fun, they were cheeky, they were full of life and I was really interested to see how much of a big part music is to them and their club, so I wanted to involve that when writing the song.” Tamsin Quin, writer for Mill Street Club

Will Lawton @ Youth Action Wiltshire

We would love some inclusion in print and online media to promote our album of music and the work we did to boost the morale of some of the most vulnerable communities in our county. Our press contact would be willing to interview at any time.

Please see the following links for further information

Bandcamp:
https://wiltshireruralmusic.bandcamp.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/wiltshireruralmusic

YouTube video about the Project (5 min):
https://youtu.be/cKoI076FLio

Project website:
www.wiltshireruralmusic.co.uk/projects

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/wiltsruralmusic