Projects

Current & Recent Projects

AudioActive work to challenge disadvantage and enhance the development of children and young people.

We value partnerships immensely and often team up with other organisations to develop new work. So if you have a future project you think would benefit from our involvement, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Please see below for details of our current and recent projects.

Hip Hop Foundation

Rap, music production, hip hop theatre and more…

Hip Hop Foundation is our flagship, annual programme running workshops in hip hop theatre, rap, visual art, music production and performance skills. Delivered in partnership with Brighton Dome and Festival, Rising Styles and Youth Offending Services, the project can lay claim to having nurtured the talent of such esteemed alumni as Rizzle Kicks and many other upcoming young artists who have since gone on to become well respected within the UK music scene and beyond.

Hip Hop Foundation Workhops are currently running at Brighton Youth Centre

Supernatural Hip Hop theatreBonfire Night

Bonfire Night was AudioActive's first venture into the world of hip hop theatre. After taking a group of young people to see the acclaimed 'Rebel Cell' rap theatre, we commissioned Dizraeli to write a piece in consultation with the young cast.

First piloted in 2009, Bonfire Night went on to become a sell-out success at the Pavilion Theatre, Brighton, in 2010.

Break4Change

Creative work with families in crisis

Break4Change works with families in crisis due to 'Child to Parent Abuse'. AudioActive developed the creative aspect of the project, designed to promote the empathy and emotional literacy of participants.

Break4Change is a groundbreaking partnership project with RISE, YOS, Targeted Youth Support Service & Community Safety Partnership. In some cases, it has enabled young people to come out of care and live with their families again or helped parents stop feeling suicidal.

Journeys

Training and employment for young music leaders

Journeys is a training project for young and talented musicians, designed to give them the leadership skills they need to get ahead in the industry.

After undergoing an intensive training programme, musicians enter a period of paid employment as Assistant Music Leaders in the Y.O.S. studio.

Funded by Youth Music and in run partnership with Brighton & Hove Youth Offending Service, the ultimate aim of Journeys is to help young music leaders gain employment outside of the programme.

The Lab

DJ Academy, Rap School and tech workshops

The Lab is AudioActive's music studio and workshop space and home to our weekly DJ Academy and Rap School.

Based in the award-winning School Creative Centre in Rye, East Sussex, young people can also take advantage of workshops in beatbox, live looping and sound tech.

 Next Dates in 2013 are:

First week starting 22nd April
Last week starting 10th June

Tuesdays: Rap School - Lyric writing, freestyling, storytelling rap and performance skills with Jon Clark

Wednesdays: DJ Academy – sampling, scratching and mixing with Matt Prince

Thursdays: Music production and technology, singing and song writing and live looping with Ollie Finn

All Workshops run from 6.30 – 8.30pm e-mail  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or call to sign up for your free place.

Venue - The School Creative Centre, New Road, Rye, Kent, TN31 7LS

Brighton Youth Centre

Learn skills to be a music producer, DJ or MC

This project ran for several years as part of BYC's youth club and was really just about fun and informal musical development.

No agendas, just open-access music tech and rap workshops for young people who were free to choose their disciplines. 

Youth Music Mentors

One-to-one support

This project aims to increase the life chances of young people in the most challenging circumstances.

A trained 'Music Leader Mentor' provides invaluable one-to-one support and helps their mentee to set and achieve both personal and musical goals.

Youth Music Mentors ran for several years, however unfortunately this project is currently unfunded; but we hope to get it up-and-running again in 2013.

New Horizons

Certificate in Music Technology

New Horizons is a secondary school for young people with special educational needs or emotional and behavioural difficulties. AudioActive ran a BTEC 1st Certificate in Music Technology.

Rye College

Arts Award qualification

Working in partnership with Rye College, a secondary school specialising in arts and enterprise, AudioActive deliver part of the school's Arts Award qualification. Our Asdan provision takes place at The Lab, our music studio and workshop space at The School Creative Centre, Rye.

The Rapdramatic

Contemporary theatre project

Inspired by the theme of 'dreams', 27 young people created and realised a complete theatre production.

Supported by a director, designer, street artist, street dance tutor, rapper, film/projection artist, sound technologist and a production technician, the young people developed the edgy, contemporary and urban production from scratch in just five days.

Cascade @ Fabrica

Sound Art installation

Fabrica is Brighton's leading space for contemporary and visual arts and installation. In July and August 2011, AudioActive co-curated Fabrica's artist-in-residence, Ollie Finn.

Ollie conducted a series of participative activities that used sound and looping technology to explore and interact with artist Stephane Cauchy's kinetic installation 'Cascade'.

The project helped to introduce new audiences to the space, and the concept of Sound Art to young people who otherwise may not have engaged in it.

Johnny Boy

A reworking of Don Giovanni

In Summer 2011 AudioActive teamed up with Glyndebourne, Youth Offending Service and Brighton Dome to produce Johnny Boy, a modern day musical theatre re-interpretation of the legend of Don Giovanni.

Rolling Rhythms

New activities for disadvantaged children

We developed Rolling Rhythms in response to the lack of out-of-school, accessible urban and music technology activities for primary-aged young people.

In partnership with Brighton & Hove Play Service and their state-of-the-art Playbus, AudioActive artists were able to work in the heart of many of the city's most disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

Thanks to Rolling Rhythms, approximately 300 children aged 5-11 tried an activity they had never taken part in before - which hopefully planted a seed in these budding young musicians!

R.A.S.P

Refugee reflections

We worked with the Refugee Asylum Seekers Project (R.A.S.P) to help engage with young refugees and asylum seekers in the city.

Using music technology and songwriting, we enabled the young people to explore and reflect on their experiences of leaving their countries and settling in Brighton.

Contact

For more information about any of the above AudioActive projects or to find out what else we are up to, just get in touch.

New Projects?

AudioActive are always looking to create more opportunity for young people in the South East.

If you've spotted a gap in young people's services and are in need of an expert partner to help develop, support or run it, we'd love to hear from you.