The UK is very lucky to have such a rich and diverse music scene in communities from all corners of the country. From indie venues to community halls, in parks and town centres, in schools and care homes, people are making music every day and night, enriching lives and entertaining their audiences and participants.
One of our favourite things at Make Music Day UK is seeing how communities can come together and celebrate their music-making in ways that suit them. Taking part in Make Music Day is a fantastic way to bring your community together and show the world what you offer.
Here at Make Music Day UK, we understand that there are lots of ways to be a Great Music Place. Maybe your part of the world boasts a fabulous range of music venues. Maybe there’s a community music group you could take part in for every day of the week. Maybe your local schools are alive with children singing and playing.
Whatever it is that makes where you live a Great Music Place, we want to know about it. Click the link below to send us an email, and we’ll try and work with you to shine a spotlight on your contribution to Make Music Day 2023, and show the world what a Great Music Place the UK is!
Great Music Places Spotlight Darlington, 2022
The Darlington Great Music Place was created as a collaboration between Durham Music (Durham’s Music Service), Darlington Hippodrome (Local Authority owned theatre), The Forum Music Studios (an independent live music venue and studios), Creative Darlington (a local partnership of organisations and stakeholders associated with Darlington’s cultural offer who hold programming, collection management and funding responsibilities) and the Make Music Day team.
Darlington’s Great Music Place programme consisted of:
• daytime performances by local schools in the town centre (4 performances, 210 performers, 480 audience members)
• early evening show in the Hippodrome (5 performances, 129 performers, 385 audience members)
• late evening show in The Forum Music Studios (15 performances, 30 performers, 150 audience members)
Darlington Great Music Place identified a number of benefits of being a Great Music Place:
• It opened up opportunities (for example, by being able to use a large theatre as a performance venue) which in its turn gives status to the events
• It gave people in Darlington a sense of pride through an awareness of what is going on in the town which may often go unnoticed/ taken for granted.
• Working in collaboration enabled the music offer in Darlington to be “freshened” up without a large revenue spend.
• It boosted Darlington’s musical profile
• It reached new audiences and participants increasing social benefits but also opening up potential future commercial benefits for venues and organisations participating.
“There was a diversity of people in the audience at The Hippodrome that you wouldn’t normally see – it was really exciting”
• It created aspirational opportunities for young people to participate in
• It showcased the opportunities that are available to people living in Darlington
