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| Concerts
| Education
& Outreach | Space
| Management &
Funding | Achievements
at a Glance | Aims,
Objectives and Values |
| The
Wiltshire Music Centre is unique: a contemporary
building with nine flexible workshop and meeting
spaces, plus a first class 300 seat concert hall
with a superb acoustic. A bold and imaginative vision,
the centre won an Arts Council Lottery grant and
opened in 1998 to national acclaim. It has conference
facilities, a recording studio, cinema screen, bar
and good disabled access. An innovative programme
of education and community projects runs alongside
a busy series of high profile public concerts. This
all takes place on the campus of a local secondary
school, in a residential area on the edge of a small
rural market town.
Concerts
The Wiltshire Music Centre presents a year-round, high-quality
concert season including classical,
jazz and folk traditions, as well as world and contemporary music.
The series features international soloists, orchestras and ensembles,
talented young musicians and community groups, all presented on
the same platform. This variety, together with the Centre’s
comfortable seats, excellent sightlines, superb acoustic, easy
access and ample free parking, draws an average audience of 80%
capacity from right across the region. So far over 200 concerts
have sold out. |
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Education
and Outreach
With strong roots in its local community, the Centre was originally
conceived as a dedicated educational facility. It provides a welcoming
environment for over 62,000 visitors a year to participate in
and enjoy a wide range of music, regardless of age, ability and
background. There are regular
activities and workshops, including intensive youth music
courses and a busy and varied summer workshop programme. Some
3,000 young people aged 18 months to 18 years old get involved
in music making each year at the Centre or through our outreach.
An innovative programme of education
and community projects runs alongside the
regular activity at the Centre. These actively
target and engage with new audiences and participants,
encouraging creativity, the development of skills
and self-confidence and, above all, sheer enjoyment
of music. Delivered in partnership with a wide
range of educational, arts and community organisations,
this work is extended across the region through
imaginative residencies, outreach work and creative
projects in schools and communities.
Since 1998, the Trust has delivered 42 outreach projects in
87 rural and urban primary and junior schools, 11 secondaries,
12 special schools, 17 youth centres and with 33 other community
groups; over 9,860 people (mainly young people) and 150 teachers
from all parts of Wiltshire & Swindon have taken part.
In 2005/06 the Trust worked in 28 primary, 2 secondary and 8 special
schools, 6 youth centres and with 9 other community groups.
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Space
and Access
Busy for 80 hours each week, the Wiltshire Music
Centre provides a home for a variety of activity
by many different groups of people, from 18 months
to over 80. At any one time, there are music lessons,
music for toddlers, music therapy, open access
workshops, rehearsals for youth bands and ensembles
or adult lectures and classes. The Centre is easily
adaptable because of the versatility of the different
spaces and is also regularly hired
for conferences, seminars and training.
There is level access to most areas of the Centre,
tactile signs for people reading braille, and
the auditorium has an infrared system for people
with hearing impairment. Information is available
from the Centre in large print and on tape and
this website is fully accessible. Find
out more here.
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Management
and Funding
Run by an independent charitable Trust, the Wiltshire Music Centre
has a small team of six full-time, two part-time and two casually
employed staff, supported by House Managers
and over 100 volunteers. A Board
of ten Trustees and an Advisory Council
provide overall strategic direction and, with their skills
and networks, additional advice and support for the staff team.
The annual turnover of the Wiltshire Music Centre has grown
to around £500,000 and the Trust has met all its operational
and financial targets for nine consecutive years. Approximately
65% of the Trustâs income is self-generated, with the Trust
having to maximise its earned income and to fundraise continually
to make its valuable programme of work possible. In addition to
over £2 million of capital investment won to build the Centre,
the Trust has raised more than £800,000 to support its education
and community work, giving huge added value to the local authority
funding it receives (over £14 for every £1 from the
District and County).
The Trust is grateful to all the organisations and individuals
who support the Centre's developing
programme of work.
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Achievements
at a Glance
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Over 55,000 users each
year |
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Open 80+ hours per week |
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100+ volunteers help with
event management, stewarding, direct mail,
distribution, administration, bar and box
office |
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National & local media
coverage: The Times, The Independent, The
Guardian, BBC Radios 3 & 4, Sky TV News,
BBC1, BBC News 24, HTV, Channel 4. Plus
concerts relayed on radio |
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18 County Youth Orchestra
courses; 689 West Wiltshire Young Musicians
weekly rehearsals |
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36 outreach projects in
80 rural and urban primary and junior schools,
10 secondaries, 12 special schools, 16 youth
centres and with 33 other community groups;
with over 7,180 people (mainly young people)
and 100 teachers from all parts of Wiltshire
& Swindon taking part |
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175 concerts by young
musicians, 45 by 8 Youth Orchestras, and
9 youth groups from overseas |
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531 excellent professional,
student and community concerts, 123 talks
and 9 film screenings |
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116,000 tickets sold;
182 concerts sold-out; concert attendances
grown by 71% over last 3 years |
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New audiences from all
of Wiltshire, Bath & North-East Somerset,
Mendip, Bristol & up to 1 hour drive-time
beyond |
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All operational and financial
targets met for seven consecutive years. |
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Aims,
Objectives and Values
The Wiltshire Music Centre aims to provide and
stimulate new, high quality and rewarding music
experiences in Wiltshire, Swindon and adjacent
catchment areas. It plans to achieve this as part
of a coherent strategy for arts development in
the region, working pro-actively in collaboration
with other promoters, producers, practitioners
and arts development agencies in the area.
The Wiltshire Music Centre Trust has three closely
related objectives:
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the advancement of music
education for all ages and levels of ability,
in and around the county of Wiltshire, placing
the work of young musicians at the heart
of this programme |
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the development of a high
quality, varied and stimulating programme
- in terms of the scope of activity, breadth
of musical cultures, and range of people
involved |
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to work with artists,
other arts organisations, and arts development
agencies to achieve sustainable growth in
participation, the development of audiences,
and of the artform. |
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Values
The Wiltshire Music Centre Trust believes passionately
in the importance of the arts in general, and music
in particular, to the quality of life. It recognises
the hugely beneficial powers of music to:
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cultivate the emotional,
spiritual and creative capacity of the individual |
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unlock the educational
potential of the young and nourish life-long
learning |
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give insight, meaning,
fulfilment and expression to the human experience |
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contribute to healthy and vital communities,
aware and proud of their cultural identity
and heritage |
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help deliver public policy objectives, promote
positive change and a better understanding
of cultural diversity and distinctiveness,
enhancing social cohesion. |
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