Opportunities/Links
Project Opportunities
Social Prescribing and Open Access Opportunities
Songs and Soundscapes: a 10 week programme for adults with learning disabilities. Sessions will involve participants sharing their favourite songs and then creating new songs and soundscapes with the group. New sessions coming soon. Keep an eye our here for the next dates, or drop us an email to reserve a spot!
Audio Architects: a 10 week programme for neurodiverse adults aged 18 to 30 years old, focused on music technology. Learn to sample random sounds, loop patterns, create interesting music & make new friends. New sessions coming soon. Keep an eye our here for the next dates, or drop us an email to reserve a spot!
Musical Connections
Musical Connections is a network for vulnerable and isolated adults including mental health service users living in Birmingham, Solihull & Sandwell. The project has been running for over 25 years. We understand the impact on mental health that coronavirus has had and appreciate the ongoing challenges, grief and social anxieties that remain. We know that many people struggled with the isolation of lockdown, the impact of restrictions on life and the unpredictability of the pandemic, especially those vulnerable in other ways. We also appreciate that the situation was exacerbated for those with existing mental health conditions and/or needing to shield, who were without access to the activities, friends and support that help people stay well. We aim for Musical Connections to help rebuild your confidence, using music to help you to express your feelings and to connect you with others with similar interests and experiences.
STOP PRESS! Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund Reaching Communities programme we now able to confirm that Musical Connections can continue for another 3 years and so are now accepting applications and referrals! Click on the flyer image below to find our more about the project and download the application form.
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Wavelength - a FREE, community-based, creative music making programme for young people aged 14-25 with mental health conditions living in Birmingham and Solihull.
STOP PRESS! Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund Reaching Communities programme we now able to confirm that Wavelength can continue for another 3 years and so are now accepting applications and referrals! Click on the flyer image below to download the application form.
Plugin - a FREE creative music-making project for young inpatients aged 12-25, focused on using music technology to achieve musical and wellbeing outcomes. The project aims to build participants’ self-esteem, help them connect with others and encourage them to express their feelings and emotions through music. The Plugin project is running in the following settings from April 2022 for 3 years:
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Ardeleigh FCAMHS and Adriatic Ward, Birmingham
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Birmingham Children's Hospital Parkview Clinic (all wards)
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Woodbourne Priory Hospital, Birmingham
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Cygnet Joyce Parker Hospital, Coventry
If you (or your child) are an inpatient in one of these settings and would like to take part, please speak to your keyworker to register interest and to obtain a simple application.
LGBTQIA+ Youth Focus Group - We at Quench Arts are starting a LGBTQIA+ focus group for ages 11-25. The end goal is to create a cross arts programme and so, as part of the group sessions there will be the opportunity to experience tasters in different creative art forms as well as to visit age appropriate arts events of relevance to the LGBTQIA+ community, such as those profiling LGBTQIA+ artists or specifically targeted at the LGBTQIA+ community.
The focus group will also help produce an information and training offer for parents, teachers and various other adults. We want young people to be able to communicate with adults about what they should know when it comes to navigating their sexuality and gender. As we build up numbers, the group may be split into 11-17 year olds and 18-25 year olds.We are inviting queer and trans youth as well as allies to join us in this monthly focus group. Our aim with this group is to encourage those attending to express themselves through art, connect with each other and meet like minded (and different folks) in their community.
These sessions will be led by two facilitators who specialise in drama and visual art (Sam and Lydia). There will also be guest sessions with a musician and poet (Amy and Ray). All facilitators are under the age of 25, so completely youth led. Even this advert and wording has been devised by them! The sessions will be 6-8pm every 2nd Thursday of the month (dates below) at the Afro Caribbean Millennium Centre (339 Dudley Rd, Winson Green, B18 4HB).Interested? Please click on the flyer for more information and register on the link below (Please note, under 18s will need to have the form completed by a parent/carer) https://forms.gle/syFXXF5sVPwTWkKq8
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EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!
We're absolutely delighted to announce that we have been successful with a Catalyser Fund application to Youth Music for our ‘InSync’ programme! This grant will give us a whopping 4 years of support and allow us to develop our work with neurodiverse children and young people in both inpatient mental health settings (through our Plugin project) and in the community (through a new OverDub Club project for 11-13 year olds). It’ll also allow us to build on some of our ‘Recharge’ learning to continue to support team wellbeing as well as a quarterly music leader peer support network, whilst continuing to provide young music leader and visiting performer roles, with training and mentoring.
Thank you so much Youth Music for your ongoing belief and support. Keep an eye out for more information in the new year
Training/ Employment Opportunities
We currently have no training sessions scheduled - please check again in the future!
Work/Job Opportunities
We currently have no vacancies - please check again in the future!
General Enquiries
If you have a general enquiry about working for Quench Arts in the future then please get in contact to introduce yourself and your work. Please note that the majority of our staff are employed on a freelance, fixed term basis, attached to specific programmes of work. Therefore, we are unlikely to have any immediate openings when you do get in touch. However, we are always interested to hear from you and can keep you in mind for future project opportunities. We always do our best to support the development of those we work with and many of our staff have progressed through our trainee roles/training opportunities to lead facilitator roles for Quench Arts and other local organisations.
Volunteering Opportunities
We are seeking 2 passionate and committed board members to help our further development as we are keen to strengthen our profile and widen our impact.
If you have a love of music as either a regular listener or amateur musician (now or previously) and have other professional skills, experience and enthusiasm that you could bring to help grow and strengthen our organisation via our board, then please do get in touch!
We are open to all applications but are particularly interested to hear from people who can support our development with financial or HR expertise and experience.
Musical Connections Volunteers x 3 roles (with associated training)
We have now recruited for our volunteers for Musical Connections. However, if you're still interested, please get in touch!
