This sounds great! What’s on offer?
This is a once-in-a-career opportunity to work with music leaders and industry experts to equip, plan, programme, promote and launch a brand new music venue in Tameside opening in 2021.
As one of 20 recruited young people, you’ll receive training in one of three strands of activity:
All participants will take part in an exciting kick-off weekend, covering: teambuilding, skills and development goals analysis, visioning, health and safety, safeguarding, self-evaluation and journaling.
As a musician, we ask that you should have confidence and ability on your chosen instrument and you’ll be looking to gain experience in gigging and band skills development. As a musician participant, you will join with other selected musicians and receive tuition and coaching from experienced professional musicians and leaders in songwriting and composition, improvisation, ensemble playing and instrumental skills. Once the band is up and running, you will be given time and rehearsal space with the goal to develop a set of original material for performance at the venue launch event. A series of masterclasses and workshops with a range of local musicians will also enable participants to learn new tips and tricks from professionals in the field.
Guided by industry professionals with years of experience working with top bands and production companies, you will learn how to make live music sound and look great, with the chance to develop sound engineering and lighting design skills in a practical hands-on way. Successful applicants will liaise with the Bangdrum and Global Grooves teams to understand the sound and lighting requirements of the venue. You will develop technical specifications before the install work begins and get to work laying cables and wiring and designing circuits as the venue prepares to open to the public.
The first step for our promoters will be to develop an artistic vision for the venue by researching and understanding the offers of other venues and working alongside the programming and operations teams at Bangdrum and Global Grooves at The Vale. You will get the chance to investigate what’s involved in programming and promotion, learning about contracts, event management and ticketing, and looking after visiting artists. You will then create the opening programme for the venue, booking and marketing all events, and welcoming our first audiences through the door.
The Vale in Micklehurst, Mossley, is home to Bangdrum and Global Grooves. It’s a collection of previously industrial buildings that we’re in the process of transforming into the new Arts Council England funded Northern Carnival Centre of Excellence.
This brand new venue – still to be named – is the place where all kinds of arts will come to life: gigs, theatre, dance, rehearsal space, cinema… and, if you take part in this programme, you’ll have the chance to shape its future.
Bangdrum is a community interest company (CIC) dedicated to widening music opportunities for all. Drawing on our years of intensive work with young people in Tameside, this project will help to overcome the obstacles faced by young people that want to establish careers in music.
For this project, we will be working closely with regular collaborator and Carnival arts company, Global Grooves, who own the building that will be transformed into the exciting new venue.
Led by Holly Prest and Tim Chatterton, themselves musicians and music educators, the programme will be augmented by industry professionals: Speth Hughes and Rose Dubin (audio and live sound), Mark Distin (lighting design), Joe Harrison-Greaves and Phil Howley (musicians and instrumental techniques), and Tom Besford (promotion and artist liaison). To read more about our professional tutors, please visit the team page
The programme duration is between six and eight months in total. We plan to get underway as soon as the social distancing measures put in place by the UK government, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, are relinquished and face-to-face contact is safe again.
We understand you’ll have other work and study commitments, so this project is designed to fit around busy lifestyles. However, to get the most from the opportunity you will need to commit to the following:
Musicians: six-month programme, one day per week plus two weekends and final performance day. 29 days total.
Technicians: eight-month programme. Sessions happen across eight weekends (circa one weekend per month), plus one day a week for the final 16 weeks of the project. 32 days total.
Promoters: six-month programme. Two weekend masterclasses, plus one day development support session every other week. Participants are expected to put in one day per week. 16 days total.
The programme is generously supported by Youth Music, meaning we can offer this specialist, one-off training for free, at no cost to participants. A limited number of travel bursaries are available for participants. If you require support with your travel costs to the venue in Mossley, please mention this in your application.
The venue will be open to the public, hosting a year-round programme of gigs, theatre, workshops… you name it. The venue will need staffing, so it is hoped that we will be able to employ a small number of people that have participated in the programme. However, please note that this is not an apprenticeship programme and jobs at the venue are not guaranteed. Where we can, we will endeavour to signpost all participants to further study and work opportunities.
No problem. Please email [email protected] with Vale Sounds in the subject line or call 0161 273 7827.
We look forward to working with you!
