Carers Music Fund
On June 23rd 2021, Spirit of 2012 hosted a virtual summit to share practical guidance on how to design and implement music programmes which improve wellbeing and reduce loneliness for unpaid female carers
Carers’ Music Fund
Hidden Voices
This project is now complete
Hidden Voices was part of the Carers’ Music Fund, a fund that gave female carers across the UK opportunities for creative expression through music-making.
The project in numbers
£219,999
Project spend
2 years
Project duration
Visit Midlands Arts Centre’s website
For further information
Hidden Voices was led by the Midlands Arts Centre, and aimed to provide creative, inclusive, person-centred music-making opportunities for female carers in diverse communities across Birmingham.
Through partnerships with Midland Mencap and Quench Arts, Hidden Voices engaged with some groups that already exist through mental health, disability or specific cultural initiatives. The project also tried to reach those who may not consider themselves to be carers and setting up new groups.
Hidden Voices engaged women with caring responsibilities for people with autism, older female carers, and a group of female carers from the Chinese Community Centre. The diverse groups worked with highly qualified and dedicated musicians who provide expertise and tuition through a range of music-making activities.
Training underpinned the entire programme, with opportunities for carers, musicians and evaluators to develop specialist skills so they can continue making music in the future.
Project aims
- Give female carers the opportunity for creative expression through music-making.
- Examine the effect of participatory music projects on the wellbeing of carers.
- Increase wellbeing and reduce loneliness for female carers.
