ResearchWorks: Social Arts Practice – modes of artistic leadership with The Messengers

In this presentation Sigrún and Jo share insights from a collaborative composition project with The Messengers; a band made up of Higher Education students, people who are homeless or in temporary accommodation, and professional artists. This project formed part of a practice research pilot study undertaken by Sigrún to consider artistic leadership processes and ethical quandaries within facilitative practice. Through video, audio and dialogue they will unpack ways in which the band makes music together. This includes four main types of activities and associated modes of social arts practice leadership; 1) negotiations, 2) the chaos, 3) hands-on leadership, and 4) hands-off leadership, which are considered alongside the impact on group dynamics, individual engagement and opportunities, and artistic outputs.

Speakers

Sigrún Sævarsdóttir-Griffiths is a musician, educator and music leader, with an international career working within higher education, artistic and community contexts. For 12 years, Sigrun was Course Leader of the Masters in Leadership Programme at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she continues to lecture and lead artistic work. Sigrun is founder and artistic director of MetamorPhonics, an award winning Community Interest Company, establishing performing and recording musical bands in collaboration with higher education institutions, occupation rehabilitation centres and homeless charities in the UK and in Iceland. Sigrun is passionate about enabling music making and access to the arts as an essential, unifying element of life, in every community.

Dr Jo Gibson is a community music practitioner-researcher from East London. She is a Research Fellow at York St John University’s Institute for Social Justice, an associate of The International Centre for Community Music and a supervisor and visiting lecturer at Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Jo is interested in performing arts for social justice and practice research, with particular focus on the ethics of making together, agency and cultural democracy. As a community musician, Jo has led creative music-making projects across the education sector, in community centres, health settings and for arts organisations including orchestras and galleries.

Guildhall School’s ResearchWorks is a programme of events centred around the School’s research activity, bringing together staff, students and guests of international standing. We run regular events throughout the term intended to share the innovative research findings of the School and its guests with students, staff and the public.