Welcome

Introduction to the conference by facilitators Marleen Kiesel & Matt Robinson, Founders of Paper Lantern Collective

Be kind. Be useful.

Alan Lane is Creative Director of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and co-founder of the theatre group Slung Low. The collective stages large-scale plays with community groups in unusual locations. In Leeds, Slung Low runs two open cultural venues that are available to everyone – for art, encounters and participation.

Moderated by Matt Robinson

Where do we stand and where do we go?

Community music is gaining in importance in Germany. In this discussion, stakeholders from academia, politics and practice will come together to shed light on the current status, key objectives and social potential. Together they will ask: Where do we stand - and where do we want to go with community music? 

Moderated by Marleen Kiesel

A case study in placemaking – Future Yard in Birkenhead, UK

How can a place be sustainably changed through music? Future Yard is an example of the power of social investment and cross-sector partnerships. We will discuss how a community music centre can be created – and what impact such a model can have beyond culture on the economy, society and the local environment. 

Hosted by Mika Haasler, Head of Community Music & Education Konzerthaus Dortmund

Inclusion as belonging: Creative musicking for young people with additional needs

How can neurodiverse participants and people with additional learning needs be included and inspired in collaborative music settings? This practical workshop will explore the what, why, who and how of inclusive work – focussing on session planning, communication, accessible technology, shared responsibility and creating conditions for musical flow.

Hosted by Marleen Kiesel

Limited capacity – registration at welcome desk

Who is in the room? Exploring intersectional positionality through music

In this workshop we will consider the question: who is in the room when we are making music? As an instructor, leader or participant, what space do we occupy with our musical tastes, preferences and decisions and what are the implications for others in the group? The workshop includes group music-making, listening exercises, some discussion and hopefully some reflection and sharing.

Hosted by Prof. Dr Alicia de Bánffy-Hall

The prefigurative politics of community music: recovering social action through music-making

Community music is more than a cultural practice – it can act as a political experiment: as a place where new forms of living together are tried out and social relationships are rethought. The presentation invites you to explore the prefigurative power of music – and to ask how social power relations can be changed by making music together.

Hosted by Matt Robinson

Community music in the environmental justice movement as a medium of participatory democracy

Music is used as a form of participatory democracy in various climate justice movements. Protest drumming has become particularly established among the Extinction Rebellion (XR) Drummers as an accompaniment to politically motivated advocacy for socio-ecological transformation. The focus is on inclusive practices, global solidarity, the cultural roots of samba and the transformative power of collective reflection. The aim is to question existing power structures and use musical practice to point the way towards social change and a just, ecological future.

Hosted by Matt Robinson

Drumming as feminist resistance and political expression

How does music work in diasporic protest movements? Using the example of the »Woman, Life, Freedom« demonstrations, this workshop shows how drumming, singing and dancing together became forms of expression for empowerment and resistance. With body, voice and presence, music is created that connects. Personal insights, videos and rhythm exercises invite participants to discuss the political potential of community music.

Hosted by Matt Robinson

Yukali – Community music and arts in La Habana, Cuba

Yukali is an artistic collective from Havana that uses creative means to promote social participation. In collaborative projects, they bring children and young people together with professional and amateur artists. In doing so, they combine music, visual arts and performance - and make art tangible, visible and effective in the public space of Havana's neighbourhoods.

Hosted by Mika Haasler

Umut – Melodies of Hope

After the earthquake in Turkey in 2023, trauma and a lack of prospects come to the fore. The NGOs Tontalente (Lübeck) and Anadolu Kültür (Istanbul/Diyarbakır) use creative methods to strengthen diversity, empowerment and anti-discrimination. In summer 2024, they jointly realised the project »Umut - Melodies of Hope« for the first time – an artistic approach that creates spaces for expression, encounters and healing.

Hosted by Mika Haasler

Beats of Hope: Music with purpose from Uganda’s slums

Since 2015, the Love To Love Music School in the slums of Kampala has been empowering disadvantaged children and young people – especially those living with or affected by HIV. Creativity, mental health and social integration are promoted through music lessons, songwriting and performances. Participants create their own songs to challenge stigma and spread positive messages like U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable).

Hosted by Mika Haasler

Culture and health – a new perspective for community music?

What does community music have to do with health? Quite a lot – if artistic practice is understood as a resource for mental well-being. The focus is on collaboration between musicians, therapists and health professionals. Together they will ask: How can music make a concrete and sustainable contribution to a healthy, inclusive society?

Hosted by Prof. Dr. Alicia de Bánffy-Hall

Community music practice as a »natural remedy«? Questions about possibilities, risks and side effects

Community music works – sometimes more powerfully than we realise. What happens when participants are moved, triggered or empowered by musical processes without any therapeutic intention? This contribution invites you to take a closer look at the possibilities, limitations and risks of healing moments in practice. It also explores the skills community musicians need to provide safe, effective and mindful support.

Hosted by Prof. Dr. Alicia de Bánffy-Hall

Community music as a health-promoting practice – special considerations when working with people with severe mental illness

How can community music break down barriers and enable people with severe mental illness to participate fully in society? This presentation shows how musical encounters break down social isolation, challenge stigma and strengthen self-efficacy. It also provides concrete ideas for training and practice: What skills do we need to create spaces where health and art can meet on equal terms?

Hosted by Prof. Dr. Alicia de Bánffy-Hall

Limited capacity – registration at welcome desk

Music as community – isn’t it all community music?

Changes with community music at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival & Academy

What happens when community music meets an exclusive classical music festival? Lana Zickgraf reports on how she opened up the Gstaad Menuhin Festival to local children and families – with attitude, conversations and suitable offers. She describes hurdles, successes and shows that participation is possible even where it initially seems unlikely – if you are prepared to listen.

Hosted by Matt Robinson

Is this the right thing to do? Community music as an ethical resource in public commons

Community music can reshape public spaces, change institutions and strengthen social participation - especially where structures are deadlocked. Creative methods and diverse participation are crucial. One example of this is the Grand River Black Music Festival & Conference at the Kitchener Public Library, Canada.

Hosted by Matt Robinson

Devising community celebrations

This workshop is an opportunity to spend time exploring the elements of meaningful celebration in order to create an instant ceremony as a gift to mark this unique gathering of community artists. Come prepared to get involved in a hectic 90 minutes of making and fun. Bring a favourite poem or song and an object that has special significance for you. Abandon your preconceptions. Who knows what will happen?

Hosted by Marleen Kiesel

Limited capacity – registration at welcome desk

This is where we are

This social city tour through Dortmund provides insights into life on the streets. People who have experienced homelessness first-hand: What is everyday life like? Which paths lead in – and which ones lead out? The tour imparts knowledge, creates space for encounters and invites people to scrutinise perspectives. An offer for everyone who wants to better understand homelessness.

Hosted by Eileen Bornkessel

Limited capacity – registration at welcome desk

Deep Democracy – Vielfalt hören, Wandel gestalten

Where all voices are heard, real community is created. Deep democracy is a method that also integrates quiet or contradictory perspectives into decision-making processes – for more dialogue and sustainable change. In the workshop, participants learn how they can use Deep Democracy in music education, cultural work and community music for more participation and change.

Hosted by Prof. Dr. Alicia de Bánffy-Hall

Beatbox – Your voice, your instrument

Beatboxing connects people regardless of language, background and age. In his workshop, Edgar Wendt shows how the voice, tongue and lips can be used to create a whole universe of sound. With no prior knowledge, but with lots of fun and creativity, beats, sounds and shared musical experiences are created. His approach is empowering, accessible and inspiring. Because every voice counts – and every voice can be heard.

Hosted by Marleen Kiesel

Vierteltöne – Music for everyone!

»Vierteltöne« makes music accessible to anyone who wants to join in, regardless of their background. Using simple methods, collaborative songwriting and genuine sharing, music is created that brings people together. Juliane Fehn and Max Kelm provide an insight into their work at Theater Bonn and show how musical participation can succeed beyond perfection: creatively, openly and close to the people.

Hosted by Marleen Kiesel

Music Creation Workshop – Flexible tools

How is music created when no one has to be »musical«? In the Music Creation Workshop, participants with no prior knowledge develop their own pieces – using their voices, everyday sounds, simple patterns and lots of encouragement. Leonie Hentschel provides insight into her tried-and-tested concept, which promotes empowerment, group cohesion and creativity in equal measure. The workshop includes practical exercises, a musical toolbox and lots of ideas to take home.

Hosted by Marleen Kiesel

Democratic structures and hierarchies in community music practices in peripheral areas of Saxony-Anhalt

How democratic is musical improvisation really? Based on many years of community music practice in rural areas, Johanna Borchert explores hierarchies, attributions and structural freedom in open music formats. The article invites readers to critically question familiar settings and shows how musical negotiation can contribute to the development of democracy, even beyond the school context.

Hosted by Marleen Kiesel

Limited capacity – registration at welcome desk

Singing into connection – community music and the social nervous system

This workshop combines polyvagal theory with participatory forms of singing. The focus is on the physical and interpersonal effects of circle singing and vocal improvisation. Participants will learn how singing together strengthens body awareness, group bonding and presence – and creates joy and connection in the process.

Hosted by Mika Haasler

Limited capacity – registration at welcome desk

Making change in sectors and institutions

Collaboration is vital to success when launching new ideas and programmes. But change is not just about meeting immediate needs; it’s also about looking to the future and fostering an innovative culture at different levels in an organisation. Together, we explore how to bring about meaningful change, within institutions, sectors and beyond.

Applying for funding as a freelance community musician – a how to

A practical workshop providing insight into the funding landscape in Germany. Learn how to secure funding as a freelance community musician, how to prepare a successful application and where to begin your search.

Hosted by Marleen Kiesel

Hier sind wir

This social city tour through Dortmund provides insights into life on the streets. People who have experienced homelessness first-hand: What is everyday life like? Which paths lead in – and which ones lead out? The tour imparts knowledge, creates space for encounters and invites people to scrutinise perspectives. An offer for everyone who wants to better understand homelessness.

Hosted by Eileen Bornkessel

Limited capacity – registration at welcome desk