YSWN Amplify

YSWN Amplify offered three of YSWN’s regional groups the chance to organise and deliver a project responding to each group’s individual strengths, needs and interests. The projects enabled members of groups in Calderdale, Huddersfield and Sheffield to increase their music technology skills and develop artistically, while engaging new local participants and audiences. Funding for the project also contributed towards YSWN’s core running costs and development at a time when it had recently achieved Community Interest Company status.

YSWN Amplify offered three of YSWN’s regional groups the chance to organise and deliver a project responding to each group’s individual strengths, needs and interests. The projects enabled members of groups in Calderdale, Huddersfield and Sheffield to increase their music technology skills and develop artistically, while engaging new local participants and audiences. Funding for the project also contributed towards YSWN’s core running costs and development at a time when it had recently achieved Community Interest Company status.

The Valley (Calderdale Sound Women Network)

For their project The Valley, CSWN first mapped women’s engagement in music-making across Calderdale, including consulting with local live music venues about their approach to gender equity in promoting, with the results presented at a concert at Heptonstall Church (June 2019). Secondly, four music technology workshops on live sound/effects processing were delivered. Finally, an open call was advertised for Calderdale-based musicians who were relatively new to making work. Two artists, Anna Taylor and Lisa Lavery, were selected and were given access to mentoring from the group’s network and funds to support the creation of pieces, which were performed the The Trades Club in Hebden Bridge (November 2019) to an audience of 70 people.

LANDMASS (SONA)

SONA’s three core members began their LANDMASS project by gathering information during an intense research period in Orkney, followed by remote development, then creating their audio piece Straum during a residency at Sidney+Matilda gallery in Sheffield. The project aimed to examine the human impact on the natural world, how that relationship was formed historically and how it may evolve.

The project engaged the public in conceptual work, use of digital tools and new technology through an Open Studio, (Orkney, May 2019) and an introductory sound art workshop, culminating in the LANDMASS exhibition (Sheffield, March 2020). Feedback for the workshop and exhibition was overwhelmingly positive.

DJ workshops (Huddersfield YSWN Makers)

Huddersfield YSWN Makers offered local women an opportunity to explore and develop skills in DJing, through a series of four workshops delivered by DJ Angel Lee in Huddersfield (November 2019). A final event where participants would be able to demonstrate their skills planned for March 2020 was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and will be delivered at a later date. The project exceeded its aims in terms of attendee retention and engagement, and was successful in terms of enabling skills improvement and peer support.