ArtsTrain is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) managed by Mytime Active. Aimed at young people aged 11-25, ArtsTrain deliver creative music workshops in schools and the community. Supported by a team of Industry professionals, our young people create new, original music in safe, inclusive and inspiring settings.
Since 2008, we have helped young people from a variety of backgrounds, including those facing challenging circumstances, to transform the musical landscape within the London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley.
Not only have our projects provided thousands of young people with opportunities that have progressed their creative careers, they’re also proven to develop young people’s sense of agency and wellbeing.
At ArtsTrain, we create new models of working by embedding young people’s voices in every part of the programme. Each project is co-designed by young people with activities and outcomes that suit the individual needs of each group. We also champion the careers of our practitioners and support their professional development.
Our partners include: Churchill Theatre, Bromley Children Looked After, Bromley Youth Music Trust, Bexley Virtual School for Looked After Children, Bexley SNAP, Serious and Southbank Centre.
We're extremely proud of our life-changing programme, click here to read about our impact. Continue reading for some inspiring examples of our work.
The ArtsTrain Academy
Our Academy is a programme for gifted and talented young people in Bromley and Bexley. Our Academy meet weekly to develop their musical skills and express their creative ideas through songwriting and collaborative activities. The group are offered a range of exciting experiences throughout the year such as high-profile performances and the opportunity to record their own music in a professional recording studio. Our groups have previously performed at the Churchill Theatre, Queens Square Gardens and The Royal Festival Hall.
Watch our Academy in action:
The ArtsTrain Academy - YouTube
Our ArtsTrain Academies at the EFG London Jazz Festival 2023
In Autumn 2023, young people from our ArtsTrain Academies in Bromley & Bexley came together to form our London Jazz Festival Collective. Guided by our practitioners James, Naomi and Anoushka, the group created five outstanding songs which they performed at the Southbank Centre as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival.
Each year, we have a Guest Artist who endorses the project, last year we were thrilled to work with renowned songwriter, composer and guitarist, Dave Okumu. Dave inspired our young people by setting the theme for the project as “Storytelling”. We also worked with a jazz dance choreographer who led a movement workshop to develop our young people’s physical confidence on stage.
Here’s what an audience member had to say:
"The ArtsTrain performance stands out because it is entirely led by young people. It’s different to all the other performances because they are introducing themselves and there are no adults on stage.”
Read more about the project here
Community Projects
SEND community project with Bexley SNAP
We have worked with community SEND partner and activity provision, Bexley SNAP, for two years now, bringing music making and songwriting to their grounds. ArtsTrain workshops have helped promote young people’s wellbeing – markedly positivity, emotional regulation, and self-expression.
Our most recent session centred around the theme of ‘celebration’. Young people created lyrics and soundscapes together, with our music leaders giving each individual a chance to express themselves through sound. It was amazing to see how much energy and enthusiasm the young people brought to the session!
Artist Development with Jus B
From 2022 - 2023 we had the pleasure of working with JusB, an independent, community-based charity serving young people in Bromley.
We worked with JusB and artist and producer Damien Cooke to sign-up young people aged 17-25 with bags of raw music talent. This spanned from interests pursuing rap, R&B and grime, to vocalists and self-taught producers.
Throughout the project, the group developed their confidence and a sense of agency, delivering stand-out performances across various events including Library Lates and gigs at The Fellowship with Lewisham Music. They’ve also had the chance to create a radio show featuring their tracks and interviews with BMC Radio in Brixton.
Check out one of our feature interviews: A chat with Dan Ademola, alumni of our ArtsTrain Academy, who now works as an ArtsTrain mentor and Young Assistant Music Leader:
Read here Dan Ademola — Making Music Happen For Young People (artstrain.org.uk)
What our young people say about ArtsTrain
"This project has helped me discover how to control my anger better in and out of the project and more importantly to start believing in myself."
Jaimie, 15
“I could make music in my own room, but I wouldn’t be able to just go perform it. We have the opportunities to make our own music and also show it to other people which is a really special thing.”
Evie, 15
"When first arriving at ArtsTrain, I was not a very confident artist and I didn’t believe in my own ideas, nor how talented I could be if I put myself out there. After being pushed to put myself out there more and to develop my own style, I have been able to successfully write my own songs, arranging the accompanying parts as well. Confidence is such a great skill to have to better myself in every aspect of my life and studies, especially in music and theatre studies."
Donna, 17
“ArtsTrain has given me new skills to help me with my anxiety, the breathing helped calm me down and if I’m stressed I sing and that helps me too. I have learnt that I can be more confident in what I do and to face my fears and challenge them with positivity.”
Le-Troy, 16
For more information or to get involved:
Email artstrain@mytimeactive.co.uk.
Follow ArtsTrain regularly post recent news and events, interviews and blogs on their website:
Making Music Happen For Young People (artstrain.org.uk)
Stream ArtsTrain music | Listen to songs, albums, playlists for free on SoundCloud
