Open Academy
Develop your skills and find new meaning in your music making.
Open Academy, our community and participation department, works with around 6,000 people beyond our enrolled students and staff each year.
The role of music in participation, community and health continues to grow both in the UK and internationally. It is crucial that our students have the opportunity to obtain skills and experience in this exciting area of work. Open Academy offers seminars and workshops alongside hands-on experience in the field through electives that are available to all students. We also offer fellowships to graduating students who will be the future leaders in this work.
Open Academy works closely with artistic and community partners, offering opportunities for students and project participants to explore making music together. Through Open Academy you will develop your musicianship, skills and confidence and make connections with people from all walks of life.
I’ve learnt so much about the transformative power of music. Whether you’re 5, 25 or 95, music can break down barriers and forge connections.
Courses
Open Academy Projects
The Open Academy leads groundbreaking creative music projects across diverse community, health, and education settings. Here is how our work connects across different sectors:
Healthcare and Wellbeing Partnerships
- Hospital Outreach: Working in close partnership with the CW+ charity to deliver regular creative music sessions for patients and staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
- Dementia Care: Long-term creative music collaborations with the Resonate Arts charity to support people living with dementia in Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea.
- Mental Health Support: Delivering targeted community music workshops in collaboration with the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL).
School and Education Initiatives
- Special Educational Needs (SEN): Running specialized creative music-making projects in partnership with The MuRAlt Schools Trust to support children with complex learning needs.
- Primary Education: Delivering high-impact, curriculum-linked creative music sessions for local primary school pupils at Netley Primary School.
- Secondary Education Academy: Working alongside students and music staff at Glyn School to develop creative ensemble skills and composition workshops.
Community and Creative Collaborations
- The 'Out of the Ordinary' Project: A flagship artistic collaboration run in tandem with the Wigmore Hall Learning programme, showcasing student-led community commissions.
- Intergenerational Music-Making: Bringing different age groups together through shared creative workshops with the Intergenerational Music Making (IMM) organisation.
- Community Hub Projects: Delivering localized, inclusive music-making sessions within the community alongside the Spitalfields Music charity network.
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