Kent Music and JAM collaborate to inspire Romney Marsh
Article by Sarah Armitage, Head of Marketing for JAM on the Marsh
Shepway is the third most deprived ward in Kent with relatively low economic activity, employment and income. Shepway remains one of the most arts-deprived areas of England with limited cultural infrastructure and provision. Furthermore, on Romney Marsh, due to government cut-backs on teaching resource coupled with poor transport links typically the young people in these dispersed communities are denied access to music education. Since 2014, Kent Music and JAM has been addressing this, bringing ambitious and aspirational opportunities for young people to engage with music making.
Encouraging music ability, enjoyment and appreciation at grass-roots is key to safeguarding a sustainable future for music as well as the cultural, social and academic benefits it brings. We are committed to developing opportunities for young people, helping them to reach their potential. Participation in structured arts activities can increase cognitive abilities by 17%. Learning through arts and culture can improve attainment in Maths and English, develop skills and behaviour that lead children to do better in school (Cultural Learning Alliance 2017).
In May, our ambition to nurture and inspire music on Romney Marsh hit a new level with the launch of a project to embrace the schools on Romney Marsh into a vibrant community choir. Daniel Moulton, Kent-Music teacher, now delivers weekly in-school tuition to Brenzett, Dymchurch, Greatstone and St Nicholas New Romney. On 10th July, the schools will be joined by Hythe Bay Primary School and Palmarsh Primary School coming together for a vibrant celebration performance for friends and family at The Marsh Academy (New Romney), as part of the JAM on the Marsh festival. The children will be accompanied by top quintet Onyx Brass, conducted by Daniel Cook (Festival Curator and sub-organist of Westminster Abbey). From the Autumn, each school will have a singing club, uniting to become the Romney Marsh Choir.
The schools are spread out across the 16-mile Romney Marsh. To enable the schools to participate, the magnificent Romney Hythe & Dymchurch (steam) Railway and Crosskeys coaches will transport the children to/from rehearsals and performances. This new project enables opportunities for participation, inclusion, aspiration, progression and community cohesion that would not otherwise happen.
Running from 6 – 16 July, JAM on the Marsh returns with music, theatre, photography, art, poetry and a mini festival for children packed with music, art, theatre …. and bugs! Find out how children can come and play or sing as part of the festival. Full info at www.jamconcert.org
