DD8 Music

DD8 is a youth music project run by volunteers which received funding from the Rural Tayside LEADER 2007-2013 programme.

What are the aims of your project?

DD8 Music was set up by a group of local musicians in the Kirriemuir area who were keen to find a safe, secure and nurturing place to develop their musical skills.

The group has grown over the years and now runs a community recording and rehearsal studio which offers free sessions to the youth of the town. We also run a variety of successful music festivals throughout the year, and support other community groups at their events.

Where is it?

In the Angus town of Kirriemuir.

Who’s involved?

The group is run by a dedicated team of volunteers and the young people who use our studio.

How is it funded?

Our initial funding to set the studio up came from the Rural Tayside LEADER with matched funding from the Angus Council Community Grant Scheme. The project is now pretty much self-sustaining, and daily running costs are covered by hiring out our studio and from ticket sales and fundraising at out music festivals.

Where did you go for help and advice?

Angus Council Community Learning and Development (CLD) service was instrumental in helping get the group get set up initially. As far as the studio project goes, the Council’s external funding team was of great assistance, as was the LEADER team. We have also had fantastic support from our local councillors and from the life experiences of our volunteers.

What’s been your greatest achievement so far?

We have had many proud moments in the history of the group, from the successful opening and running of our studio, to our music festivals drawing people from all over the world into the town. In 2012 we were awarded the Cultural Ambassador Award at the Angus Ambassadors ceremony. But our greatest achievement is seeing the young people who have come through the group blossom into confident and happy adults, who also happen to be incredible musicians!

And the biggest challenge?

Our biggest challenge has been keeping the studio running seven days a week with just a team of volunteers. This has been a struggle at times, but we have a fantastic committee who are selfless in giving up their free time to help keep the project running.

Any tips for someone for someone setting up a similar project?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. We found the advice we got from CLD and the Council’s external funding department to be invaluable. There are also probably other groups around that might have been through the process before, and most will happily share their experiences.

What’s next for your project?

We are currently looking at expanding the provision offered by the project to include music therapy work and learning disability services. To achieve this we are looking at securing funding for a full-time development worker and starting a PA Hire company that runs as a social enterprise.

More information

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