New Project To Help Young Deaf Adults 
Break Into Music Scene
25 January – 12 February 2021

A fully inclusive music led project for young deaf adults has been launched in Nottingham to provide an exciting opportunity to work with music, film and performing arts professionals.

Be Scene and Heard artwork and photos for download

Be Scene and Heard is fully funded by Youth Music and offers three weeks of free workshops to young people aged 18-25 at a Nottingham venue equipped with a recording studio and state-of-the-art music equipment.

With 12 million people experiencing hearing loss across the UK – one in six of the population – the project aims to break down barriers and develop confidence by bringing together deaf and hearing young people to create, record and perform new music as well as film and perform in music videos.

Independent music promoter Will Robinson, director of the Nottingham label I’m Not From London, is behind the project.

Fully deaf from birth, Owen had implants aged two to enable him to hear and is passionate about music and the role it can play in building confidence. Owen has performed at several open mic nights around the city as well as auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent, where he performs sign language to accompany his vocal performances.

Owen explains: “When I go to gigs, I like to sign along to the music. I thought it would be a great idea to have a band with signers so more people like me can enjoy live music as even though I can hear it with my implants, the signing helps me access the emotion of the music better. I approached Will as I knew he promotes a lot of bands and this is how the idea for Be Scene and Heard all started.”

Workshop content will be flexible and respond to the needs of the participants with opportunities to get involved in songwriting, recording, performing and producing music videos with a team of videographers, music producers and professional musicians to help facilitate as required.

The workshops will have Covid safe measures in place including the provision of PPE; clear masks; perspex screens; social distancing measures; in person and zoom mentoring and a BSL interpreter.

Be Scene and Heard takes place at Fisher Gate Point Centre for the Arts from 25 January to 12 February 2021. With a small number of places available to enable social distancing, young people who are deaf or with some hearing loss are urged to sign up to secure their place. Hearing young people passionate about music and interested in working alongside the deaf community are also welcome to apply.

To express interest and for more information, email Will Robinson at will@imnotfromlondon.com giving your name, age and contact details.

To sign up to the project, click here https://besceneandheard.typeform.com/to/EM3CriPy