WINNALL Rock School has launched a new community project with other music groups to promote participation across Winchester.
Organisations have joined forces to create Sound Winchester with the aim of improving wellbeing through creative music and voice activities in the wider community.
The project was initiated by Winnall Rock School earlier this year and has recently received a £4,750 grant from Winchester City Council to help fund its first events.
Members of Sound Winchester include The Railway Inn, Winchester Ukulele Jam, Winchester Fusion Choir, The Arc, Winchester City Council, Winchester BID, University of Winchester Music Centre, Winchester Poetry Festival, Rich Turner Music, Winchester SALT and Play to the Crowd.
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To kick start the project, The Arc is hosting a free taster event on Saturday, February 17. Any musical/aural service or group is welcome to showcase what they do, for visitors to see what’s available in the area.
Around 18 to 20 slots are available for exhibitors and seven applications have already been made within the first 24-hours of the invite going out.
Peter Brown, project coordinator, said: “We’re hoping to create a series of events and encourage new ideas and collaborations. We’ve already had some ideas such as a David Bowie orchestra and a song writing retreat. It’s all about linking people together and showing how they can get involved.
“I’m full of anticipation about this project and I think it’s going to be exciting, we just need people to get involved.
“At the taster event we’re going to have a calendar of everything that is already happening in Winchester so people can come along and see what’s available to them or add their own ideas.
“It’s also about making the best of our venues like The Railway Inn. Winchester also has quite a relaxed attitude towards busking so maybe we could have more informal busking.
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“Every time I’ve put the idea of this collective to people they think it’s brilliant but nobody wants to be the one to start it. Hopefully, more people will get involved and we can share the load. It could be a forever thing with the right momentum."
Applications for exhibitors for the February taster event are open until Saturday, December 16. Showcase slots will be confirmed by January 8 and audience tickets will be released from January 20.
The event is free for visitors and exhibitors.
The steering group behind Sound Winchester will next be meeting at The Railway Inn on Monday, December 18.
Anyone interested in getting involved should contact hello@soundwinchester.org.uk.
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