Author: ACM Newsteam

ACM Inspire, an initiative led by tutor Ben Scott, has been a cross-campus success and a demonstration of talent and teamwork.

Guildford

As part of the Guildford session, tutors Ben Scott, Paul Ressell, and Shea Stedford worked with three London students to produce a new original EP. The students fully ran the session, engineering the studio, mic-ing up the drums, and ensuring the tutors could conduct a live performance and recording that will ultimately manifest as a brand new EP for a library music pitch we have upcoming.

Birmingham 

Nikki Sadler also conducted an ACM Inspire session in Birmingham. Nikki recorded an original EP of her own artistic material with help from Birmingham tutor Justin Lyndley. Students ran the session and contributed tremendously  – see a taster of what went on here

Nikki (EP Recording) – ACM Inspire ’23

Josh Wunderlich ran a J-Pop writing camp over Reading Week as part of ACM Inspire, where students could write alongside Josh for a real-world pitch for a J-Pop artist. 

To take part in future sessions go here.

About Tuning In

ACM is proud to partner with schools, colleges, music hubs, charities, and other creative organisations in London, Guildford, and Birmingham to deliver the Tuning In project. This initiative supports raising attainment, developing creative skills, and enhancing understanding of the creative industries and arts sectors. The project aims to improve young people’s entry into and participation in higher education.

Tuning In is a project established as part of ACM’s Access and Participation Plan. ACM aims to provide an opportunity for participants to experience studying for a degree in a creative field and working in the creative industries. This project focuses on helping participants understand various career paths in the creative sector, acquire soft employability and academic skills, gain experience for their creative portfolios, and receive mentorship from ACM staff and students.

What We Offer in the Tuning In Project

As part of the project, we provide the following:

Tuning Into the Creative Industries Network – This is an opportunity to connect with other creative education providers, industry experts, and charities to build a strong community of practice. Together, we aim to promote the creative industries, identify and address skill shortages in various regions, and encourage more young people to pursue creative pathways. 

Skills Workshops – The workshops we offer are flexible and depend on the needs and interests of participants and their organisations. They include, but are not limited to, songwriting, musical instrument practice, game development, music production, sound engineering, live sound, and music technology.

Staff Training and Equipment Consultations – These sessions are designed for school and college staff who want to develop specific skills through additional training and/or receive advice and guidance on music and studio equipment.

Application Advice and Guidance – These sessions cover the higher education application process, entry requirements, student funding, personal statements, and auditions. Participants of the tuning In Workshops gain experience and access to creative content produced during the project, which they are encouraged to reference in their applications.

Industry Events and Open Days – ACM hosts various industry-related events and concerts where professionals from different areas of the industry showcase their work and share their experiences. Tuning In participants receive invitations to these events. Additionally, they are invited to ACM and Metropolis Studios open days.

Campus Tours – Tuning In participants can request a personalised campus tour to explore our facilities and meet our outstanding staff and students.

Example of a Tuning In Activity

As part of the project, participants compose and record a song while collaborating with professional sound engineers and music producers. They receive continuous support from ACM staff and/ or student mentors.

A typical activity may consist of 2-3 workshops delivered by ACM expert staff and/or students, along with a professional recording session in our SSL studio. The workshops can focus on using music as a medium to develop professional skills and support mental health and well-being. Activities include songwriting, musical composition, performance, and studio recording.

How to Apply

All schools, colleges, and other organisations interested in participating are encouraged to email Karolina Chojnacka at kchojnacka@acm.ac.uk.

We especially welcome applications from schools with large groups of students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds.

Please note that the project runs year-round and has no application deadlines. ACM and SEER evaluate the project to ensure quality and positive outcomes for participants.

If you want to learn more, please check out the YouTube playlist below, featuring songs created in previous editions.