Music has a way of touching our hearts and lifting our spirits, and for children facing serious illnesses, it can provide a much-needed escape from the challenges they're up against. Therefore we are excited to share that our charity has recently awarded a grant to The Children's Hospital in Sheffield to fund Artfelt Sounds.
Artfelt has been developing Artfelt Sounds; a broad music workshop and performance programme since 2019. These wide-ranging workshops are accessible to all age groups, from young children on the wards to engaging teenagers at the Becton Centre.
These latest workshops to be funded by the grant, will take place on Ward 1 at Sheffield Children’s Hospital with electronic music artist and tutor Zebedee Budworth from Link Learning.
Zebedee had the following to share:
“By using exciting technologies, our workshops offer the chance to explore different approaches to making music in ways that are accessible to all ages and abilities.
Participants can work together to create music, and this can spark new friendships in what can often be an isolating experience on the wards. Patients, families, and staff will often all come together to join in and will always find themselves amazed at what they can create, no matter their musical background.We hope that these workshops can continue for years, as they are incredibly rewarding for everyone involved, and it is an honour to conduct them.”
Charlotte Newton, Artfelt Engagement Coordinator added:
“We would like to say a huge thank you to the Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation for their generous support of our Artfelt Sounds programme.“Access to music-making sessions within a hospital environment is a powerful tool to reduce anxiety, social isolation and bring joy to both patients and their families. We have been delighted to see the transformative, liberating and uniting role that music making has had at our hospital.
“This valuable funding will enable us to rollout a further two workshops, which will be an empowering opportunity for even more young patients and their families.”
The electronic music workshops will be led by two experienced musicians who will help the children create their own live music using scales and chords, and exploring synthesisers to craft their own unique melodies and harmonies.
Studies have shown that music has therapeutic properties and can help alleviate pain, anxiety, and stress in patients of all ages. By providing these workshops to the patients at The Children’s Hospital we hope it gives the patients a much-needed escape from the difficulties they are facing and allow them to explore new musical experiences, finding moments of joy and positivity in the midst of difficult circumstances.
A mother and daughter who accessed the workshops said:
"It was the most uplifting and emotional experience we have had together. It was so special and a memory we will always cherish. This unexpected surprise altered our mood and outlook during our days at the hospital."
It's stories like these that inspire us to continue supporting the power of music and its ability to make a positive impact in the lives of others.