PARTNERS, TRAINING & SIGNPOSTING

Britten Pears Arts is a pioneering cultural charity based in Suffolk. It emerged from the determination of composer Benjamin Britten and his partner, singer Peter Pears, to ensure that everyone could enjoy and experience music. Britten Pears Arts aims to continue their legacy to develop talent, celebrate their heritage and engage with communities. We use music to transform people’s lives, to bring communities together and enhance daily life. We want the arts to effect powerful positive change in, and for, society; or, as Britten himself would have put it, making the arts “useful.” Our vision is to be both a locally relevant and internationally recognised cultural organisation. We recognise our value to the local community as an organisation firmly rooted in the Suffolk countryside. In many ways, we are one of a kind. We offer innovative learning and training in music and heritage, opportunities to experience world-class performance, and work with freelance musician and artists to deliver outstanding experiences.

More Music is a community music and education charity based in the West End of Morecambe, working throughout Lancashire, the North West and internationally. Their year-round programme covers a breadth of music making activity involving people of all ages and all backgrounds.

Specific work connecting music with Health & Wellbeing includes:
- Seagull Cafe - a community singing group for over-60s (read a wonderful report by a participant on her experiences here)
- Sing it Out - informal singing sessions for 11-18 yr olds with an emphasis on supporting positive mental health through singing

This site is for anyone interested in the field of arts, health and wellbeing, but particularly academics and researchers; policy-makers in central and local government; health and social care managers, and creative arts professionals engaged directly in using their artistic skills in healthcare and community settings to support health and wellbeing.

Sound Sense is the UK professional association for community musicians, which provides a range of membership services, including:

- Publications - Sounding Board (community music journal) and Bulletin Board (monthly newsletter)
- Tools and resources, from project development to risk assessment templates
- Membership benefits, including free public liability insurance, DBS checks and discounts
- Information and advice
- Advocacy and lobbying
- Professional development
- Voting rights

​Sound Sense also offer:
- A free Find A Musician service which is open access
- Listings of relevant events and courses

A national membership organisation representing everyone who believes that creativity and cultural engagement can transform our health and wellbeing.

An organisation dedicated to the advancement of social prescribing through promotion, collaboration and innovation. Work to create partnerships, across the arts, health, sports, leisure, and the natural environment, alongside other aspects of our lives, to promote health and wellbeing at a national and local level. Will champion social prescribing and the work of local communities in connecting people for wellbeing.

The Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health is committed to researching the potential value of music, and other participative arts activities, in the promotion of wellbeing and health of individuals and communities

The Social Prescribing Network consists of health professionals, researchers, academics, social prescribing practitioners, representatives from the community and voluntary sector, commissioners and funders, patients and citizens. We are working together to share knowledge and best practice, to support social prescribing at a local and national levels and to inform good quality research and evaluation. Over the past year, we have worked with many different organisations to launch International Social Prescribing Day and The Social Prescribing Network Awards.

Making Music is the UK’s membership organisation for leisure-time music, with over 3,700 groups representing around 200,000 music makers across the UK. Making Music are dedicated to empowering everyone, whatever their background or experience, to come together in their community to make or present their kind of music.

The Natural Voice Network has 600 members running open-access choirs across the world but predominantly in the UK. We believe that singing is our birthright - for thousands of years, song has been a part of life and a way of binding communities together and we aim to recreate the sense that singing together is natural and open to all.

Many people see themselves as non-singers because of previous experiences of criticism and judgement. Many are excluded from singing groups if they do not have music reading skills. We work to counteract these experiences and to give people confidence in their melodic voice by providing a supportive learning environment.

Singing should be accessible to all, regardless of previous musical ability or experience. So creating a sense of an accepting community is an essential element of our approach in working with groups.

Since 1964, Sing for Pleasure has been committed to spreading the enjoyment of singing. It does this by training choral leaders on conducting courses, publishing effective road-tested songbooks, and running events for singers of all ages.

Voices Foundation is a national charity that works alongside teachers and school communities to transform music education in schools, supporting children’s wider skill development and wellbeing through accessible and inclusive singing programmes. We provide Continuing Professional Development and Learning for educators, inspiring content for parents, and in-depth research and evaluation. Together, we can ensure that every child is able to find their voice through the power of singing.