Strengthening Social Fabric: The Role of Local Music Venues in Fosterering Community, Tradition, and Optimism
Band on the Wall's World of Song Scheme Celebrates Migrant Communities in Manchester
In the heart of Manchester, Band on the Wall, a music venue with a history dating back almost a century, is making strides in promoting inclusivity and celebrating diversity. The organisation's new World of Song scheme, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and delivered in partnership with Community Arts North West (CAN), is a testament to this commitment.
The World of Song scheme comprises six distinct projects, all curated solely for migrant communities and asylum seekers in Greater Manchester. At its core is a belief that music is an ideal vehicle to constructively challenge the narrative surrounding migration and help communities deal with and communicate challenges as they arrive in a new country.
Gavin Sharp, CEO of Band on the Wall, shares this vision. He views music venues as vital hubs of connection and cultural glue for communities. "Music, often referred to as 'Cultural Music' at Band on the Wall, represents particular people, places, and traditions," he explains.
The scheme builds on Band on the Wall's existing community programme, which engages with over 7,500 people each year. One of the projects within the two-year programme includes a heritage film by Emmy-winning director Tamana Ayazi, celebrating migrant-led music in the city and exploring individuals' heritages.
Another exciting addition is the Without Borders Youth Band, aimed at young people from the global diaspora aged between 12 to 19. This unique band will create music inspired by their cultural heritages and perform.
Band on the Wall has a rich history of promoting inclusivity. In the late '70s, it was the only licensed venue in the city center that regularly programmed and presented reggae music. Over the years, its music offerings have expanded to cover various genres as the city's communities diversified.
The CEO of Band on the Wall, Gavin Sharp, expresses pride in the organisation's programs and aims to keep the momentum growing, with a focus on the development of existing schemes over the next few years. He also wants to spread the word about promoting inclusivity across Manchester, with the goal of making people aware of the various activities happening outside of the shows at local venues.
Celebrating this diversity is considered fundamental to the city's success. Greater levels of migration, with many people arriving as migrants or refugees, are being observed in Manchester. Mancunians have ancestry that has migrated into the city, from various origins such as rural England, Ireland, Europe, South Asia, and the Caribbean. Like many other provincial cities, Manchester is improved by its rich cultural and ethnic diversity.
The negativity towards the impact of migrancy in the populist political narrative is misplaced and should be challenged. Initiatives like Band on the Wall's World of Song scheme are a step in the right direction, fostering cross-cultural collaboration, supporting diverse abilities and backgrounds, and nurturing inclusive educational opportunities.
In the UK, there are several other cultural music programs and initiatives that promote inclusivity across different communities. For example, the British Council and Sound and Music's New Music Commissioning Programme (2025/26) pairs music creators from the UK with peers in developing partner countries to collaborate on new music projects. The MEHEM UpRising project supports teachers and music tutors to improve inclusive music education, particularly benefiting disabled students and educators. MusicFutures at the University of Liverpool encourages applications particularly from underrepresented groups such as women and ethnic minorities in their scholarship programs.
Together, these initiatives showcase a broad commitment in the UK to arts and music programs that embrace cross-cultural collaboration, support diverse abilities and backgrounds, and nurture inclusive educational opportunities. The World of Song scheme, in its own right, is a shining example of this commitment in Manchester.
[1] British Council, Sound and Music - New Music Commissioning Programme 2025/26: https://www.britishcouncil.org/arts/new-music-commissioning-programme-2025-26
[2] The MEHEM UpRising Project: https://www.mehem.org/uprising
[3] MusicFutures at the University of Liverpool: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/music/research/musicfutures/
[4] ImMusic project: https://www.im-project.eu/
[5] National Youth Folk Ensemble: https://nyfe.org.uk/
[6] Orchestras for All: https://orchestrasforall.org.uk/
[7] Open Up Music: https://www.openupmusic.org.uk/
- Band on the Wall's World of Song scheme, fostering cross-cultural collaboration and celebrating migrant communities, aligns with other UK initiatives promoting inclusivity in music and education, such as the British Council and Sound and Music's New Music Commissioning Programme (2025/26), the MEHEM UpRising project, MusicFutures at the University of Liverpool, and various others like IM Music project, National Youth Folk Ensemble, Orchestras for All, and Open Up Music.
- In harmony with the World of Song scheme's focus on education and self-development, the MEHEM UpRising project supports teachers and music tutors to improve inclusive music education, specifically benefiting disabled students and educators, while MusicFutures at the University of Liverpool encourages applications from underrepresented groups such as women and ethnic minorities in their scholarship programs.
- While the World of Song scheme includes projects like a heritage film and the Without Borders Youth Band, catering to the home-and-garden and entertainment needs of migrant communities, other initiatives, like the National Youth Folk Ensemble and Orchestras for All, offer opportunities for young people to grow and develop their musical talent further, fostering a diverse and inclusive future for music and culture.
