Music in residence – Residential care

The Britten Sinfonia run a wide range of residencies. They can consist of a single concert with a programme of community activities or a full, year-round programme of performance and community work. However, writes Kathryn Hayes, it is important to put as much emphasis on the smaller-scale projects as on the longer-term programmes.
An example of each of these types of residency can illustrate some of the benefits to arts organisations. The Horizon Resource Centre, a day centre for adults with disabilities in Cambridge, wanted to develop arts availability for its service users. Britten Sinfonia first worked there in November 2001 with a composer, a visual artist, a writer and two musicians for a one-week residency. We used music technology, acoustic instruments, words, paper-making and printing. The week included a visit to a rehearsal, the transformation of the education room at Kettles Yard in Cambridge with a visual and sound installation and a presentation at the end of the week. This was the first time that the centre had worked in such a way. Our programme now includes professional development for the centre staff and local artists, plus high-quality arts experiences for the service users.

In North Norfolk, four primary schools are embarking on a two-year residency. Creative Partnerships Norfolk and Norfolk Music Education Service are partners in the project. The residencies will provide instrument lessons for each school in strings, voice and African drumming. This residency started with a blank sheet of paper, with all the partners contributing to its development. Activities range from family music days, teacher development and a new commission for Britten Sinfonia and 120 young people.

These two examples highlight some of the many benefits of residencies:

• Long-term partnerships enable Britten Sinfonia to work more strategically.
• Audiences build as people see a performance and learn through outreach programmes.
• Funders appreciate the documentation of the outcomes and learning goals.
• Having several partners for applications demonstrates vital local support.
• Trust between partners builds, allowing scope for more adventurous programming.
• Professional development and training of young people helps the creative process, encouraging everyone to work in new ways.

However, there are some potential pitfalls:

• To be resident in a cluster of schools can be difficult because it may appear to demonstrate favouritism.
• If funders are looking for bigger programmes with bolder outcomes, they may not consider smaller projects.
• Residencies may prevent other professional groups from visiting the area, resulting in a limited variety of work.
• Local artists can feel threatened by the presence of visiting artists.
• Professional artists can have their own agenda that may not be in tune with the local community.

Kathryn Hayes is Community & Education Director for Britten Sinfonia.
t: 01223 300795;
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