MusicaTransforma Summary

MusicaTransforma developed out of a research project begun by Rhythmix in January 2008 to map community music in Europe. Despite the quantity of successful and inspiring music projects taking place in Europe, in many countries the profile of these projects both nationally and at European level is relatively low. MusicaTransforma’s aim was to provide a space for the European organisations and individuals developing community music to meet others, discuss important issues, create and share projects, and develop strategies for profile-raising.

The idea for MusicaTransforma was based on the concept that an increase in support and activity for community music in a number of different areas, including exchanges, networks and training, would raise the profile of this type of work, creating jobs for musicians and music-making opportunities for many more people. A successful grant application to Barcelona City Council’s Institut de Cultura and the Universitat de Barcelona’s interest in hosting the event are what made the idea a reality.

From the very beginning, the reaction from the organisations and individuals that we contacted about MusicaTranforma was extremely positive, and by the time the registration for the event was over, we had more than sixty delegates from more than seven European countries.

The day began with a look at the European funding possibilities for community music projects, with an explanation of the EU Culture Programme from Augusto Paramio Nieto followed by a presentation from Jordi Balta from the Interarts Foundation about alternative EU funds from other policy areas, such as education, youth and social inclusion, which could be applied to community music activity.

The European partnership working session featured three different projects: a presentation from Catherine Pestano, who coordinated an award-winning community music project in Serbia conducted by an English-Serbian team in an urban and a rural community in a post-conflict context in Serbia. Andrea Gancs from Hungary provided an insight into the musical context in Hungary, and presented the two EU-funded programmes which she has been involved in, in partnership with UK organisations CM and Serious. Agia Luna from Artixoc, a artistic youth exchange organisation based in Barcelona, presented an in-depth explanation of the key needs and challenges of European partnership working.

While the European partnership working debate continued, the practical workshops took place. The workshops were a fantastic reflection of the quality and variety of community musicians in Europe. There were three workshops on offer, one based on North African percussion led by Mimoun Himmit, an experienced and inspirational workshop leader based in Rotterdam, Holland; Ollie Finn and Max Wheeler from Rhythmix offered “instant rap” and other elements of urban music workshops; and the third workshop was a collaboration between Robert Farkas (Hungary) and Llorenç Peris (Spain) who came together exclusively for MusicaTransforma using a well-known gypsy tune and LIVE computer software.

The afternoon began with a performance from Gota Doble, a group that grew out of the Barcelona-based cultural project DJs Contra la Fam. Latin-inspired beats accompanied by very political content. The delegates were then given the opportunity to network amongst themselves in the marketplace, a practical session for delegates to have a chance to meet like-minded organisations and individuals, approach potential project partners and propose project ideas and exchanges.

The last part of the day was split into parallel discussion sessions, one looking at community musicians and training from a UK perspective, with a presentation from MusicLeader, and the other focusing on the possibility of a network or networks for community music in Europe, led by Ben Higham from Community Music East.

The conference was concrete evidence of the interest that community music generates all over Europe, not least in Catalonia where a large number of cultural and social organisations jumped at the chance to meet and share experiences with similar organisations from the UK, Hungary and Holland.

The conference was an extremely positive experience. Events like these are vital for uniting people and projects and strengthening the community music sector Europe-wide. I am sure that real projects will come out of the contacts people made here in Barcelona, and I look forward to hearing about them.

Special thanks to Beverly Whitrick and Karin Perchthaler, Mark Davyd and Mark Randall from Rhythmix, Phil Mullen and all the speakers and delegates that made MusicaTransforma the event that it was.