Isle of Dogs Music (IODM) has been running since 2002 and uses the power of participatory music making to combat social exclusion, raise aspiration and improve attainment in London E14.
Targeting people of all ages living within the Creating a Confident Community SRB zone – surrounding the Canary Wharf commercial hub – IODM builds the capacity or organisations and individuals to enrich lives through music.
Performance projects celebrate the island’s diverse cultural heritage, bringing together differing generations of local residents with inspiring professional musicians. Additionally, Isle of Dogs Music contributes to the wider regeneration of the Thames Gateway, through research into the impact of the arts on regeneration and dissemination of good practice.
In the long term, Isle of Dogs Music is most successful in its stimulation of and support for the development of local music making initiatives and its encouraging a range of voluntary arts organisations to take an active role.
The programme is generously supported by Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust, Isle of Dogs Community Foundation and Ballymore Properties Limited.
Also as part of the college’s Professional Skills Department, Trinity’s Isle of Dogs Music programme places students on outreach projects to further inspire young participants, and develop students’ own skills.
Isle of Dogs Band has enjoyed another term of success. Since its launch in autumn 2005, the band has been growing in popularity and this term was able to accommodate 40 young musicians. Four Trinity students worked with musician Jason Rowland and teacher, Janet Banzaca at Arnhem Wharf Primary School where the band is based.
GYAT launched in the spring term 2008. The project is an after school music club for young people at George Green’s school on the Isle of Dogs. Students from the school created their own music which was performed on Wednesday 19 March. The club also aimed to develop teamwork and business skills and during the process, students visited Trinity to record their work in a professional studio environment. The project has been kindly supported by Ballymore Properties Limited.
