sound52 External Evaluation Round 1

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report

External Evaluators Final Report Round 1 April 2003 - March 2004

By Phil Cosker

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

1

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report

Introduction Lincolnshire is England’s fourth largest administrative area and covers 2,286 square miles with a population density of over 269 persons per square mile (less than half the East Midlands average). It has significant areas of urban and rural deprivation and poverty. Incomes throughout the county are below the national average. There is much geographical isolation compounded by an inadequate transport infrastructure.

The Project This final external evaluation of sound52 is made against Youth Music’s mission statement: ‘To enable music making for children and young people, particularly those who have not had previous opportunities’ and in relation to Youth Music’s four strategic objectives: 1. Access – helping more young people to develop through music making, especially those whose access to music making is limited; 2. Breadth – encouraging the widest range of musical styles and cultural traditions in music making; 3. Coverage – improving provision for those who are isolated by geography, by lack of facilities, or by other circumstances; 4. Quality – providing the highest quality of musical experience for young people in order to encourage enjoyment and further involvement. sound52’s mission statement is to: ‘provide music making opportunities for children and young people who currently have the least access to music making.’

At the commencement of the programme sound52 stated the following objectives: 1. To devise, manage and deliver 301 music making residencies for the under 5s throughout the county of Lincolnshire (to) involve: a. Music-making opportunities for the under 5s b. Joint music-making opportunities for the under 5s with their parents or guardians c. A music-making training programme for pre-school leaders and carers d. 301 ‘Mini-Melt’ celebrations by all participating schools.

2. To devise, manage and deliver a ‘contemporary popular music’ programme for the 12-18 year age group throughout the county of Lincolnshire.

3. To devise, manage and deliver an innovative ‘vocal’ programme for the 12-18 year age group throughout the county of Lincolnshire.

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

2

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report 4. To devise, manage and deliver a ‘junk band making and playing programme for the 12-18 year age group throughout the county of Lincolnshire.

5. To devise and manage a sound52 website, incorporating an on-line, young people’s ‘live’ evaluation process.

6. To commission three original pieces of music by high profile composers to be performed by the young people at the final Meltdown ‘celebration’.

7. To provide a final Meltdown ‘celebration’ involving all elements of the project.

8. To provide ‘collage’ dance mixes of all aspects of the project. This will be achieved by commissioning three young ‘dance music DJ/Producers to work alongside up to nine young people to ‘artistically document’ the project.

9. To produce a CD comprising all aspects of the project.

10. To identify and recruit Lincolnshire based practitioners.

11. To enhance the delivery of quality workshops practice through a bespoke induction programme. sound52 stated that these objectives would deliver Youth Music’s four objectives by: a. encouraging a wide range of musical styles b. providing provision for young people isolated due to society and/or geography c. building and strengthening the existing arts infrastructure d. increasing and enhancing practitioners skills and experience e. ensuring all experiences are quality ones.

It is clear that this was an ambitious project and that the two constituencies of young people that it would serve – the under 5s and 12-18 year olds - would have very different needs and experiences. This will report will deal with each of these groups in a separate way.

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

3

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report

First Notes First Notes focussed on early years (under 5 pre-school children). This sector was chosen following research because few arts agencies consistently worked with this age group and though there was much activity it was on an ad hoc basis.

It was intended that the 301 residencies, delivered over a twenty month period, would provide 50% of all early years settings in the county with music making opportunities and that it would engage with over 12,00 children, their parents, guardians and group leaders.

First Notes was an eight week 2 hour residency session that explored the following musical areas:        

percussion instruments tuned instruments sound families soundscapes picture scores composition musical stories patterns and sound

It was intended that each two hour session be divided into 3 phases: 1. The Children: the resident musician engages with the class exploring the class’ musical experiences and abilities providing them access to a wide range of musical styles and cultural traditions. Duration: 30 minutes.

2. The parents and guardians: children make music with their parents and guardians. This was seen by the early Years Development and Childcare Partnership as a significant development in their curriculum; one that ‘will ensure music-making is embedded into the lives of the local community. Duration: 30-45 minutes.

3. Group leaders: the third phases was the training of group leaders (practitioners) providing the confidence and skills necessary to build on the residency’s success. Duration: 45 minutes.

It was intended that Resource Packs would be developed by the musicians and left at the setting on completion of the residency.

It was intended that: At the end of each residency an integrated performance (Mini Melt) by the children and parents/guardians (would) be organised…as a celebration of what (had) been achieved by the children, their parents and guardians, the group leaders and the resident musician.

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

4

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report

The Melt (Heat Up!) The first phase of this project for 12-18 year olds was seen as laying the foundations for a longer term strategy that would take ten years to realise.

Three musical styles were identified: 1. Contemporary popular music –YP52: drum and bass, rock, hip hop, acid jazz, house, garage, electronica, thrash.

2. Junk instruments and junk band – JUNK FUNK: making instruments, playing the instruments, composition.

3. Vocal work –VITALISING VOCALS: natural voice, accapella, human orchestra, song-writing, rap and the spoken word.

Delivery Strategy It was intended that participating groups would be identified through the knowledge of the consortium members and through the sound52 marketing strategy.

Once groups had expressed an interest in participating and in a particular style a taster sessions was to be organised and at this point it was expected that the young people would commit to the project.

Each Residency would be comprised of 20 sessions: 10 sessions for ‘skilling’ and 10 sessions ‘skilling’ and ‘rehearsing’ for the Meltdown performance.

Each session was to be of 2 hours duration.

It was envisaged that there would be three teams of Music Workers one for each style and the teams would be comprised of: YP52 – 14 musicians; Junk Funk – 7 musicians; and Vitalizing Vocals – 7 musicians (There being 7 districts in the county).

At its inception it was intended that one musician would be allocated to each setting residency.

At the planning stage it was anticipated that: There will be 105 YP52 participants in the county There will be 315 Junk Funk participants in the county There will be 420 Vitalising Vocals participants in the county Meltdown This event was intended to celebrate the participants’ achievements in a collective musical celebration and performance involving over a thousand young people.

It was envisaged that there would be: YP52 – 21 Bands (105 participants); Vitalizing Vocals – 21 Groups (420 participants); Funk Junk – 21 Bands (315 participants).

MELTDOWN is not just a performance, it is about working hard and playing hard.

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

5

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report Partnership The sound52 project was led and managed by soundLINCS on behalf of a Consortium comprised of: Lincolnshire County Council Education and Cultural Services Lincolnshire County Council Music Service Lincolnshire County Council Youth Service Boston Borough Council East Lindsey District Council Lincoln City Council North Kesteven District Council South Kesteven District Council South Holland District Council West Lindsey District Council Arts Centres within Lincolnshire Lincolnshire Pre-school Learning Alliance soundLINCS YMCA CfBT -School Improvement Service Arts Council England - East Midlands The Consortium Executive agreed the following text: Lincolnshire Rural Music Action Zone Vision and Purpose sound52 is working in partnership with children, young people, their families and associated communities to: a. build on our strengths b. value our differences, beliefs and traditions c. offer support where it is needed d. give our children confidence in school and at home e. celebrate our achievements f. keep our children safe, secure and healthy g. keep improving our services.

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

6

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report Evidence based evaluation This final report has been prepared on the basis of: 

Scrutiny of all sound52 documentation;



Attendance at facilitators’ induction training and interviews;



Attendance at the celebratory ‘launch’ event;



Attendance and observation of HeatUp! (originally described as ‘The melt’) residencies and settings;



Attendance and observation of First Notes residencies and settings;



Conversations with HeatUp! participants;



Attendance at ‘Meltdown’;



Conversations with practitioners in First Notes settings;



Meetings with facilitators at both HeatUp! and First Notes settings;



Meetings with soundLINCS staff members who organise, plan and manage the YMAZ project;



Meetings with individual members of the sound52 consortium.

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

7

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report

First Notes Objective 1: Access Did the project help more young people to develop through music making, especially those whose access to music making is limited?

The simple and straightforward answer to the question is – yes.

All of the 301 locations that were included in the project were early years setting not attached to a primary school. Attachment of an early years setting to a primary school enables those children the opportunity to benefit from its facilities and staff – and these often include access to music. Thus children in non-maintained settings do not benefit from a structured and supported music education.

Prior to First Notes the majority of settings had a limited range of musical instruments and there was little emphasis upon the use of music in the curriculum as part of the overall strategy for child development. Not only did the project provide these children with access to new opportunities it did so in a planned and structured manner allowing for the abilities of each child to be fostered and supported.

Objective 2: Breadth Did the project encourage the widest range of musical styles and cultural traditions in music making?

First Notes, being a limited length programme (8 weeks x 2 hours) delivered in partnership with settings to children under 5 it would be unrealistic to expect the widest range of musical styles and traditions to be explored.

The intentions of First Notes were to explore the following musical areas:        

percussion instruments tuned instruments sound families soundscapes picture scores composition musical stories patterns and sound

Facilitators (musicians) were provided with a planning framework within which they developed their creative practice for the residency concerned and drew upon their own skills and capabilities. This framework was beneficial and particularly helpful for those musicians who were inexperienced in working with early years children. The framework has been developed through the effective use of the knowledge and skills of members of the Consortium.

Each session was well planned in order to maximise learning and retention.

Many facilitators had put immense effort into the preparation for their residency including, constructing detailed ‘lesson plans’, and making beautiful Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

8

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report musical instruments as models for the children’s manufacture of similar instruments both at home and within the setting. Facilitators used a range of learning and experiential methods to engage and develop the children’s understanding of both concepts and the pleasures of actually making music.

Objective 3: Coverage Did the project improve provision for those who are isolated by geography, by lack of facilities, or by other circumstances?

What was particularly noteworthy about First Notes was both the variety and breadth of the settings. These ranged from those located in tiny, isolated rural communities, through to those in small towns and villages, to those in sub urban and urban contexts. Group sizes also varied considerably from some as small as five to those where there were normally thirty children.

It was clear that for the majority of settings the introduction of a new person, a musician, even for a limited period each week was an exciting and stimulating experience for the children. Such was the success of this strategy that Practitioners in settings expressed great enthusiasm about First Notes, ‘their’ facilitator (the musician), and the benefits that had been brought to the children. With quotes such as, “They absolutely love her. They can’t wait for her weekly visit, they have fun and they learn such a lot without even knowing they’re learning.”

As has been stated First Notes facilitators were provided with induction training and with a blueprint for delivery but the character and orientation of facilitators varied. In some cases the children experienced something akin to a participatory performance whilst in others the approach was more didactic.

Each approach has its strengths and each is capable of engaging children in different ways.

The project made a significant improvement to the provision offered to the participating children.

Objective 4: Quality Did the project provide the highest quality of musical experience for young people in order to encourage enjoyment and further involvement?

All practitioners in the settings interviewed expressed the desire for extensions to the residency programme, as they wanted more work of the quality that had been delivered by First Notes.

Without exception facilitators were professional, enthusiastic and had developed an effective rapport with the children and settings’ practitioners.

The effectiveness of the experience for the children was mediated by: The nature of the space in which the work was conducted; The age range of the participants;

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

9

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report The child management style employed by the setting and its impact upon group concentration.

None of these mediating issues were under the control of First Notes facilitators or sound52 managers – they are a given that must be dealt with in as best a way as possible. It was interesting to note how the context of the setting, both physical and social, changed the way in which the facilitator was able to work with the children; in one setting constrained and the other free. In both cases the children enjoyed the experience albeit in different ways.

The demand for more music in settings is evident as well as the demand for the development within those already established. In fact First Notes has genuinely ignited a need in the client group and there is an opportunity to work with new groups of children in settings that have already benefited from First Notes’ Residencies. This would not be the case unless the children and their carers judged the work to be of quality.

First Notes: General Issues and Other Matters The ambitions for First Notes were bold: Each two-hour session was to be divided into 3 phases: 1. The Children: the resident musician engages with the class exploring the class’ musical experiences and abilities providing them access to a wide range of musical styles and cultural traditions. Duration: 30 minutes.

2. The parents and guardians: children make music with their parents and guardians. This was seen by the early Years Development and Childcare Partnership as a significant development in their curriculum; one that ‘will ensure music-making is embedded into the lives of the local community. Duration: 30-45 minutes.

3. Group leaders: the third phases was the training of group leaders (practitioners) providing the confidence and skills necessary to build on the residency’s success. Duration: 45 minutes.

It was intended that Resource Packs would be developed by the musicians and left at the setting on completion of the residency.

It was intended that: At the end of each residency an integrated performance (Mini Melt) by the children and parents/guardians (would) be organised…as a celebration of what (had) been achieved by the children, their parents and guardians, the group leaders and the resident musician.

It is worth considering each of these elements in turn.

The Children The pedagogic method that was used, albeit in different ways by the facilitators, was essential in order to ensure consistency and quality control was in some senses limiting and did not fully allow this over ambitious objective to be realised. The majority of the facilitators had not worked with

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

10

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report early years previously but found the work rewarding and that it had opened up new opportunities for both their professional development and employment.

Nevertheless the more didactic approaches sometimes used and the fact that each week had to deal with a pre-determined content did not allow the facilitator sufficient flexibility to draw directly upon each child’s creativity and engagement.

It was originally intended that direct work with children would last for thirty minutes each week. Experience of the work led to sensible modifications of this expectation; generally these sessions lasted for between forty-five and sixty minutes (though in one case the session lasted for anything up to two hours).

The parents and guardians This ambition was largely unrealised even though it was seen as an important component of the project and a means of ensuring an ongoing legacy.

Work with parents has been less successful for a number of reasons that include: Parents are virtually barred from some settings and are only welcome at delivery and collection points; Parents work and are thus not available; Some parents lack the confidence to participate; Some are not interested.

In one setting that was visited parents had been active throughout and there was good attendance at the ‘mini-melt’. Even in this case collaborative music making between children and their parents, guardians or home-carers was very limited – the same could not be said about the collaboration between practitioners, children and facilitators.

In another setting parents did attend to understand and apply the importance of music in their child’s development but attendance was minimal and took place without the presence of the children.

This is not being over critical but merely an observation that setting such a high and important objective can lead to disappointment particularly when time is limited and parental and other participation cannot be guaranteed.

Notwithstanding these observations by October 2003 296 parents had been workshop participants. and sound52 estimate that in excess of 1,000 parents Group leaders – Practitioners In all cases Practitioners valued the contribution that the project made to the children in their care and all Practitioners benefited from continuing professional development provided by facilitators. From conversations with Practitioners it is clear that their practice in relation to music in the curriculum has been enhanced.

The ability of facilitators to support CPD for practitioners is again mediated by the precise circumstances of the setting; a single small room; small number of practitioner staff; ethos; large numbers of children doing other things. In some cases practitioners have come to the setting in their own time, unpaid, to work

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

11

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report with the facilitator. In the majority of cases practitioner CPD is enabled through active participation in the residency and not as a separate activity.

A separate time allocation is not generally made and it is often the case that the session last for no longer than one hour.

Resource packs Considerable effort has gone into producing high quality resource packs that will be of continuing benefit to the setting.

Mini Melts These were indeed a celebration of what the children, the practitioners and the musician facilitators had achieved but they were uneven in quality and parents, guardians and carers were sometimes passive participants. Evidence of ‘composition’ was very limited but again consideration might be given to the extent of this ambition.

Nevertheless sound52 estimate that in excess of 1,000 parents have attended these events.

Facilitators If new work in existing settings is to be developed and if new settings are established then it is imperative that the team of thirty facilitators be maintained, supported and offered further opportunities for their continued professional development.

First Notes has provided some musician facilitators to combine this work with their other musical activities to create what is in reality full-time employment.

Anecdotal Evidence The quarterly reports show that this is very positive.

Evaluation Forms The evidence provided by the returned evaluation forms is extremely positive and the reports from settings are also extremely positive and often ask for more.

Monitoring The quality of the monitoring used has been of a high standard and the member of staff with responsibility for managing the project has been meticulous in gathering, storing and interpreting monitoring information.

Sustainability First Notes: Conclusion First Notes has been a tremendous success. It has been extremely well organised and managed by soundLINCS and meets both the objectives set by Youth Music and the sound52 Consortium.

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

12

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report

HeatUp! Objective 1: Access Did the project help more young people to develop through music making, especially those whose access to music making is limited?

The provision of ‘First Time Experiences’ (FTEs) is central to the project and these cover young people who have not played an instrument previously as well as those who may be familiar with say the guitar but now have the chance to experience another instrument, keyboard or drums, through HeatUp. The majority of young people who participated in weekly sessions over the period of the project were new to music making in any sustained sense. In the case of ‘Junk’ there was one setting that engaged a group of excluded young people and they performed both at the celebration launch day and at Meltdown.

The disparity of musical experience amongst participants is not a problem when the group are of a similar level of attainment. When the range is great facilitators faced the challenge with professional care and support, seeking to divide their time between participants in such a way as to develop each member.

The project most definitely helped young people to access music making.

However, it should be noted that the ownership of musical instruments was an important element in the musical development of the participants. Those that owned instruments practiced, whilst those that didn’t, couldn’t. The outcome for those without access to their own instruments is that progress is slow, and often frustrating, as the first part of the session necessarily covers what has been learnt the previous week.

Active consideration should be given to the acquisition of more ‘kits’ for use in Tranche Two; Lincolnshire is a vast county and moving kits around is both time consuming and logistically difficult. A back-up system for the care of kits has proved very successful; an inventory of kits has established that there has been a tiny fraction of damage with all kits only suffering an expected wear and tear effect. It is important that this system of kit care be maintained and extended if and when further kits are purchased.

If it had been possible for more settings to have dedicated kits then this might have provided the opportunity for young people to sustain their FTEs between sessions rather than just within them. It was certainly the case that in a number of observed sessions the facilitators had to work very hard to regain the achievements of the previous session.

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

13

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report Objective 2: Breadth Did the project encourage the widest range of musical styles and cultural traditions in music making?

Three musical styles were identified as being appropriate for the project at this stage of development: 1. Contemporary popular music – YP52: drum and bass, rock, hip hop, acid jazz, house, garage, electronica, thrash.

2. Junk instruments and junk band – JUNK FUNK: making instruments, playing the instruments, composition.

3. Vocal work – VITALISING VOCALS: natural voice, accapella, human orchestra, song-writing, rap and the spoken word.

At the planning stage it was anticipated that: There will be 105 YP52 participants in the county There will be 315 Junk Funk participants in the county There will be 420 Vitalising Vocals participants in the county There was significant demand from settings for Contemporary Popular Music (CPM) but the targets for both Junk and Vocal were overoptimistic given the culture of the young people to whom the project was aimed. Junk had a much better uptake than Vocal that was significantly under subscribed.

The project team reacted positively to this situation and increased the number of settings providing CPM opportunities and extended the length of the residency in those settings where there was enthusiastic demand.

Objective 3: Coverage Did the project improve provision for those who are isolated by geography, by lack of facilities, or by other circumstances?

The project delivered improved musical opportunities across the county and included participants from both rural and urban locations. Young people came from diverse social backgrounds and included significant numbers of young people who were normally isolated from such opportunities.

Objective 4: Quality Did the project provide the highest quality of musical experience for young people in order to encourage enjoyment and further involvement?

The nature of facilitators’ work was determined by the level of musical experience of the participants that ranged from those who had no experience of practical music making to those who were already accomplished young musicians, but not necessarily experienced in CPM genres.

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

14

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report One of the residencies attended had lasted for a full week and the level of attainment of the participants was outstanding. Without exception all the young people owned their instruments and already had, in some cases, considerable ability. These young people were very committed both to their own music but also to HeatUp and Meltdown.

In discussion with this group they expressed their pleasure at the experience and very positively valued the intensity of the process and the support and enthusiasm of their facilitators. Many had participated in previous music workshops held at the setting and these people felt that an intense, full-time, period of working together was better than a weekly session.

This group had also valued the social dimension of HeatUp!; new friendships had been made and future musical collaborations were being planned.

The nature of the setting (the space provided, secure lock-up, noise etc.) also has an important effect upon the experience received; in some cases this was very beneficial whilst in others it was less helpful.

The weekly sessions observed took place within the summer holidays (due to reasons beyond the control of the sound52 team), and many had started late.

Attendance at some of the sessions was very low.

June, July and August are not a good time to arrange sessions, unless they are full-time. As one youth worker said, “School is tough, they just want to chill out. Summer is a bad time for trying to do anything. October, November on(ward) is best.” This view was echoed by other youth workers and by some facilitators.

Even when the young musicians are well practised upon their chosen instruments it is clear that in working toward an event such as Melt Down it is essential that there are two facilitators at each setting given the many tasks involved including: understanding ‘the dots; transcriptions; developing individual musicianship; and developing effective ‘ensemble’ playing.

For those young people developing their talent ‘from scratch’ it is crucial that two facilitators are present because each participant needs a great deal of personal support.

For those young people involved in extensions to the first tranche careful consideration should be given to the number of facilitators attached to each project or setting; the decision needs to be on a case by case basis.

Melt Down was a logistical nightmare and a HUGE success with c.250 young performers and an audience in the order of 400.

The rehearsal process on the day was intense with groups of facilitators working in different rehearsal areas, on different scores; the performance was electrifying.

Conversations with participants in Melt Down, and the process that led to the day, were full of enthusiasm for the entire experience and a few took the trouble to write letters of appreciation.

It was particularly pleasing to see so many young people from diverse backgrounds coming together as a unit, valuing themselves and being valued by friends, families and supporters.

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

15

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report Some members of the consortium were concerned about the production quality of Melt Down in so far as there was not enough emphasis of the staging of the actual performance and that there might have been an opportunity to use video production to support the producers. Such observations are most welcome as they enable the team to now build on what was an FTE for them, so that in future such mass events will be even more spectacular.

Facilitators and Continuing Professional Development sound52 has opened up new opportunities for young musical artists and has enabled them to embark on paths of career development that will sustain future music initiatives in the county.

The processes of induction used for both First Notes and Heat Up! have been thorough and now provide exemplars of good practice that can be used not just within music but in other art forms.

The means whereby the facilitators can continue to build on their work should be ensured by an extension of work into the second tranche.

Employment The project provided regular part-time employment that would not have existed without the investment of Youth Music and the other partners.

Anecdotal Evidence The quarterly reports demonstrate, through letters and communications from participants that HeatUp! was well received and that meltdown was a very valuable experience for participants.

Monitoring The monitoring mechanisms applied to HeatUp! were not as robust as those within First Notes. It has to be said that the organisation of settings, facilitators and young people within this element of the project was more complex than that for early years. When it became clear that elements of monitoring were not been completed by facilitators the management team took robust action to remedy the situation, e.g. ‘no register – no fee!’

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

16

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report HeatUp1: Conclusion Heat Up! Was a great success and met the criteria set by both Youth Music and sound52.

General Matters Management and Organisation It is evident that soundLINCS underestimated the levels of administration and management that would be required in running a project as complex as sound52.

Despite this underestimation the project has been well managed, though this has resulted in the team working way over their hours but with great energy and enthusiasm.

Careful consideration needs to be given to the percentage of Youth Music income can be allocated to management and administration. Evidence should be collated that shows e.g. what costs are absorbed ‘in-house’ in order to gain a true picture of costs and to demonstrate value for money.

There needs to be a clear understanding of what costs should, and should not be included within management and administration, e.g. under which budget heading should the role of Project Coordinator be located. Is this a management cost or is it an activity cost?

The Consortium and Working in Partnership ‘Working in Partnership’ has become part of the conventional wisdom and often a reality short of the aspiration. In the case of the Consortium established to secure, implement and manage sound52, genuine and beneficial partnership has been achieved. An example of this has been the close involvement of ‘The Pre-School Learning Alliance.

The relationship with, and investment from, the Districts, through the actions of Arts Development Officers has been thorough and beneficial. This is a tremendous achievement for a number of reasons that include the geographical size of the County and the very different Local Authority agendas for music, the arts, and participation. It is clear that sound52 has made a significant contribution to the County Council’s aim of galvanising Lincolnshire’s Arts infrastructure.

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

17

sound52 External Evaluation Final Report Conclusions and Recommendations sound52 has been a resounding success and there should now be the opportunity to provide a sustainable legacy for young people’s music in this action zone.

It is understood that the second tranche should continue to provide first time experiences as well as enabling progression for others.

It is important that certain elements from Tranche One be embedded in Tranche Two through the ‘Extensions Proposal’ that has been prepared to ensure longevity and legacy. There is the opportunity to move beyond ‘one off’ projects to more sustainable activity managed and supported by an agency. This is not the place to go into detail but the idea e.g. of mixing musical genres and forms into a ‘soap opera’ is very interesting.

It is believed that soundLINCS has been an affective organisation in delivering sound52, but it has been stretched. To ensure the future of projects, and work such as this, it needs strengthening as a delivery organisation in its own right.

It is crucial that a ‘realistic’ personnel structure is put in place as soon as possible that reflects the size of the investment being made and the size of the county. A strong organisation for the delivery of Tranche two will make a considerable contribution to the long-term development of music making in Lincolnshire.

The partnership between Lincolnshire County Council and soundLINCS is strong and provides long term confidence in the ability to continue and develop music making and new music making opportunities for young people in Lincolnshire.

Phil Cosker 04.05.2004

Cosker Consulting Ltd – April 2004

18