News & reviews from the Inspire Youth Arts Team

It's been a busy 12 months for the Inspire Youth Arts (IYA) team so we've picked a few highlights to share below. 

You can also see a list of all the events we have coming up over the next few months here. There's also plenty of opportunities to learn new skills, gain qualifications and explore new ideas with one of the many courses running in Mansfield and across the county. Check out our new Spring Course Guide.

On Saturday 3 February the team took two acts - a specially assembled ensemble, plus the former IYA supergroup Forgotton Rockets - to the Deco Theatre in Northampton to perform in a celebration of The Beatles music, as part of a regional MEHEM event. An exciting opportunity for the groups to tread the very same boards as The Beatles (having performed there twice when it was The Savoy) and to perform their original music pieces inspired by the fab four.

Our Able Orchestra project, which works with physically disabled young musicians, non-disabled musicians and professional orchestral players, has been given a boost in the latest Arts Council Grants for the Arts (G4A) awards. The project will work in partnership with Orchestras Live on a new collaborative performance piece with the world-renowned Hallé Orchestra, and IYA digital artists aiming to put disabled young people on equal terms with other musicians and to drive the composition process using new and exciting digital technology and devices. 

The Able Orchestra has already seen great success as part of the BBC Proms in 2016, and this new project will further develop the model, widen participation, use live projection and in addition, work with a selection of contemporary dancers to deliver a breath-taking performance.

The work is also planned to be professionally recorded for intended internet release later in the year.

More information about the project, along with details of the final performance will be shared on our Facebook page @InspireYouthArts and our web pages here.   

We've launched our new record label First Light, managed and developed by artisit Nina Smith. With an exciting crop of newly signed artisits, there are big plans afoot for showcasing and releasing their material later in the year at the Rescue Rooms, Nottingham. Watch this space!

12 sessions - 10 schools - 780 students! During Autumn 2017 the IYA team, in partnership with NUSIC and supported by Inspire's Nottinghamshire Music Education Hub, toured schools to talk about the practicalities and support available for students wanting to follow their dream careers. The students also got to enjoy live performances by NUSIC mentored young emerging local music talents. 

Our Mini Showcase events took place throughout November and December giving centre-stage to exciting new talent from across Nottinghamshire. The best acts have been selected and will be performing at the Showcase 2018 event on 22 & 23 February at the Mansfield Palace Theatre. Book tickets here.

We've just completed our anniversary year with 12 months of innovation, ambition, celebration and making plans for the future. In February 2017 the team had been at the Old Library for 10 years and had been delivering great work as a team for 20 years! New partnerships developed with the likes of Tom Dale Dance Company, performances in the new Sinfonia Viva outdoor venue plus shows at the prestigious Royal Concert Hall and Rock City! The team ran 6 summer schools (our biggest programme ever) as well as its year round countywide projects and Old Library based delivery 

The team goes from strength to strength and continues to put young people at the heart of the work. We'll be delivering projects for Inspire's new Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation status, working on disability projects and a new focus on digital arts. 

Keep up to date with all our plans and projects at Facebook/InspireYouthArts