Spotlight Interview: Laura Forster, We Need Music CIC

As part of the ongoing work of the Torbay Arts in Schools Network, we are featuring a series of ‘Spotlight Interviews’ with key TASN partners.

 

Next up: Laura Forster, Co-director of We Need Music CIC and Freelance Music Facilitator

 

Question: Tell me a little bit about your role and what you do.

I am a singer, songwriter, and music facilitator based in Torbay, South Devon.

In 2020, I co-started We Need Music CIC to build on the music facilitation work I have been doing for the past 18 years.

We seek to create inclusive music making and interactive listening opportunities aimed at connecting people; enabling creativity; and building self esteem and confidence. We set up We Need Music CIC to be able to plan and deliver our own mid to longer term projects in order to allow us to build relationships with core participants, understand their needs and shape and build projects with them, rather than just for them.

I use singing, songwriting, instrumental work and music technology in a wide range of informal community settings and within schools. Much of my work has involved music making with young people experiencing challenging circumstances. I have an MA in Youth and Community Work and have always really enjoyed working with young people.

In recent years, I’ve also been developing my early years music facilitation and running my ‘Lullabubbas’ baby and toddler music sessions.

I am passionate about music making and love hearing about the stories and impact of people building connections, exploring their creativity and finding ways of expressing themselves.

Question: What’s something really exciting/successful that’s happened in the last 6 months?

We’ve just received our first Youth Music grant which will allow us to work with 12 nursery and pre-school settings and set up 4 new community music making groups for 0-5 year olds and their caregivers.

This is really exciting as will allow us to develop our early years provision in South Devon. As part of this project, we’ll be writing songs with the children and their caregivers and creating a songbook and recordings of these original songs.

We’d love to hear from any early years settings in Torbay and the South Hams who might like to get involved.

Please send us a message to info@weneedmusic.org.

Question: Why are schools relationships important to you? How do the schools get involved?

Teachers are the incredible people who build ongoing trusting relationships with students. Our work, especially when we visit schools for short term projects is so dependent on the solid foundations that teachers and teaching assistants put into place.

We love being invited into schools to deliver special projects, perhaps around particular themes such as songwriting, singing, percussion or a broader exploration of instruments from different parts of the world.

We enjoy working with schools to develop projects that are interesting and relevant to the themes of work. One of our current projects is around creative engagement within schools, in which one of our music leaders runs short musical interventions within the school day, with the aim of improving engagement and attendance in wider school life.

We also appreciate schools passing on details of our community projects to students and parents/carers, particularly when young people might like to continue music making out of school. One of our current evening music projects is for Young Carers.

Please get in touch with us if you’d like any more information about this project, via email on info@weneedmusic.org

Question: Can you describe some ways that families with children & young people engage with your work?

Parents and carers bring their babies and toddlers to my regular Lullabubbas music sessions in Torbay and the South Hams. Within these sessions I combine gentle singing and live instruments including guitar, harp, and ukulele with bubbles, scarves and shakers for tiny hands.

Question: Going forward, what are your hopes and dreams in terms of engagement?

That all children and young people have access to quality music making opportunities which nurture their individual needs and interests.

Stay up to date with We Need Music CiC and their amazing work here:

www.weneedmusic.org

We Need Music Facebook

Lullabubbas Facebook

 

We Need Music CiC is a key partner of TASN.

Torbay Arts in Schools Network (TASN) is a collaborative and grassroots effort, comprised of 45 organisations, freelancers, and schools in the Torbay area.