What we do
8 Making Tracks Fellows selected from the UK and around the world
Although we aim to be open to different genres, we're mainly interested in music with direct or implicit connections to cultural traditions and heritage, as well as environmentally-engaged artists working with soundscape field recordings or sound art. Making Tracks is particularly interested in collaboratively-minded music professionals who double up as community organisers, environmentalists, ethnomusicologists, writers, storytellers and more.
A two-week rural residency
The Making Tracks Residency gives selected Fellows the chance to create new collaborative works, explore and develop strategies for environmental engagement, and receive professional development and career advice from a team of industry experts.
A two-week UK tour of 10 partner venues
The Making Tracks Tour takes place following our opening residency. Our current partner venues include The North Wall (Oxford), Lakeside Arts (Nottingham), Settle Victoria Hall (Settle), Firth Hall (Sheffield), The National Centre for Early Music (York), St George’s (Bristol), Norwich Arts Centre and The Music Halls Project (London).
10 Fellow-led youth music workshops
Held alongside the tour in partnership with local Music Education Hubs, our workshops bring Making Tracks out of venues and into local communities, increasing participation in music, promoting solidarity among people from diverse backgrounds and widening horizons through collaborative music-making.
Making Tracks Towards...
Widening access to diverse global music throughout the UK
Making Tracks was founded partly in order to widen access to culturally diverse music in the UK, particularly for those living outside of London. We achieved this goal by working with leading partner venues throughout the country - but we want to do more. In 2019 we took the Making Tracks Tour to Scotland for the first time and launched a full programme of Fellow-led music workshops at Music Education Hubs around the country.
Developing strategies to harness music as a tool for creative climate and environmental leadership
As part of the Making Tracks Residency, we initiate discussions with Fellows around environmental engagement and sustainability. Throughout history, music has been used to inspire and give strength at times of crisis and emergency - and yet there is currently a void within almost all music-making and performance when it comes to environmental engagement. As young people mobilise and discourse around climate change and the environment becomes increasingly mainstream, we believe that music can and must come to play a greater role.
Building the careers of young music professionals
Our residency contributes to the professional development of Making Tracks Fellows, with an emphasis on exceptional young music professionals and women in music. As part of the programme, we offer expert-led classes, workshops and masterclasses on a wide range of subjects, including music copyright, business planning and how to navigate the constantly changing digital landscape. Making Tracks Fellows will be introduced to a wide range of industry professionals and enter into a growing network of adventurous musicians and change-makers around the globe. Finally, we will provide ongoing support to Making Tracks Alumni after the tour comes to and end.
Minimising our environmental impact
We are taking numerous steps within our operations to reduce our environmental impact. These actions, including drastically reducing the number of flights taken by musicians involved in Making Tracks, have already resulted in a 60% decrease of transport-related emissions in 2019 compared to the previous season (2017/2018). In addition, we offset unavoidable flights using the highest international standards of carbon offsetting, plus additional 'DIY offsets' focused on conservation, rewilding and forestry projects. We recognise that offsetting is not a precise science, nor a perfect solution, but for now we've decided to make it part of our wider environmental strategy. Elsewhere, we use available resources from organisations such as Julie's Bicycle and others to further reduce the environmental impact of our other UK-based touring activities.