About

Music Space is an alternative educational programme for young people aged 16–25* who are based in Glasgow and interested in exploring sound and music. The programme launched in 2022 and is produced by AC Projects alongside Counterflows festival.

Each year we offer two bursaries which include financial support, a year membership with Music Broth including access to their instrument library, a residency opportunity supported by the CCA’s Creative Lab programme, and monthly mentoring sessions with artists and musicians.

We also produce projects in collaboration with young people and deliver an annual series of practice-based workshops, see Creative Sessions for further details.

*We work with and support people aged up to 30 if they are:

> Disabled, including those with a long-term illness, neurodiverse people and anyone else who would identify with the social model of disability.

> Care experienced, and/or have been a young carer (including those with children or those who have cared for/are caring for someone with a long-term illness or disability).

Please contact music.space.programme@gmail.com if you would like to discuss any of this further, or if you have any questions.

The Vision

Music Space opens up the possibilities for people to be a part of a wider artistic community and to access skills and knowledge to support participation and sharing in the arts.

Mission

Music Space aims to inspire a belief in the power of music to bring people together, to develop friendships and communities, to inspire leaders that can encourage others to see the arts as a positive force for change.

Values

Music Space values an open and committed approach to the arts and one that holds integrity and trust as essential to allowing artists and audiences the deeply human sense of adventure in discovering the new. Music Space intends to create a community that comes together out of a shared interest and love. Whether that is around a physical space (a performance space, rehearsal lab for experimentation, community space, listening and reading space, workshops space etc), or multiple different spaces across Glasgow and beyond. It will be a flexible and open model that will pilot and develop ideas over the next few years, and continue to respond to need and change.

Music Space aims to increase access, diversity and equality in experimental and digital music in Scotland and beyond by creating opportunities for young people of all abilities and backgrounds. Participants will gain access to development, learning and support through outreach programmes in schools and communities and through opportunities with Music Space.

We Value:

• Being artistically focused – valuing risk and ambition and allowing the sense of discovery at the core of artistic endeavour.
• The sharing of cultural ideas and experiences between art forms, artists and communities.
• Honesty, integrity and accountability in how we produce and our programme and in how we communicate it.
• Supporting and enabling access.
• Being small and flexible, whilst managing our organisation with an awareness and willingness to learn.
• Being committed and dedicated to our communities, artists and audience.

Access to equipment and learning opportunities have been stumbling blocks in my creative path and, as someone involved in social justice struggles where I meet many friends from disparate life experiences, I am aware that my struggle is not uncommon. I have been dreaming of starting a studio with and for women for a while, so I am thrilled to hear that Alasdair is going ahead with the alternative music learning space; he is someone who consistently and generously finds ways to create opportunities. I know from our conversations that he is committed to supporting women, people of colour, queer and trans people and other groups who may struggle to access learning opportunities. If we offer diverse people the opportunity to become highly skilled their creative output will be the proof of its worth. I can see that Music Space could make unimaginable change to the diversity of Glasgow’s music scenes, which would ripple out into the world.
Ju Scott – Artist, Musician and Participatory Artist, Glasgow