What is Community Music?

Community Music is about participation for every-one.

Community Musicians believe that every-one should have the chance to make music of one kind or another and that it should be done in an active not passive situation.

The origins of Community Music comes from Community Arts/drama and the social activism of the 60's and 70's. Through the 80's and into the 90's it became a marginalised activity.

In the 21st century it has grown into a huge area of work and interest in the U.K. and attracts a large amount of funding from bodies such and the Arts Council of England the Regional Arts Boards. It is now in danger of being used and abused by these bodies and the government as a 'quick fix' solution to society's problems.

With a bit of effort this can be avoided.

Who does it?

Community Music is practiced by an enormous variety of people and organisations. These include, schools, individual pracitioners, orchestral education, arts centres, health authorities and many many more.

The national unbrella organisation "Sound Sense" advocates on behalf of pracitioners and provides useful services such as contact lists and training details.

If you have any comments then please do.... Email me

Through my research I have identified various strands that are present in both the history and definiton of Community Music. These include "Social Activism", "Education", "Development" and "Pracitioners". For more information on my work on definitions please email me.