Music and Culture for Wellbeing Award: The Northern Music Awards 2025 shortlist

Shortlist: Bridge Creative, County Durham

Bridge Creative was founded to improve employment opportunities for adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults across County Durham.

With one of the highest rates of unemployment among adults with learning disabilities in England, the need for change was clear – at the time, only 11 adults in a county of over 500,000 were in paid employment.

The idea for Bridge Creative began when founder, Ben Tinkler, was working at a day service for adults with learning disabilities whilst also organising a music festival in County Durham. As part of the festival, he supported a young man from the day service to take on a role at the event. Seeing the impact that experience had – boosting confidence, providing real work experience, and opening new possibilities – Ben recognised the urgent need for more inclusive employment opportunities. That moment sparked the idea behind Bridge Creative.

Today, Bridge Creative works with over 300 autistic adults and adults with learning disabilities across the North East and London. Through real work experience, skill-building, and exciting opportunities, they raise the aspirations of people they support and ultimately support people to lead the best life possible.

Bridge Creative has bases in the North East and London and operates nationally, working with leading associations and companies within the events, arts, and creative industries to create inclusive employment opportunities across the UK.

You can find out more about Bridge Creative on their website.

Shortlist: Liverpool Philharmonic Music and Health Programme, Liverpool City Region

Liverpool Philharmonic’s Music and Health programme is the longest-running and broadest-reaching project of its kind.

Since 2008 they have worked in partnership with the NHS, improving the health and wellbeing of 21,500 individuals across Liverpool City Region through music.

Their programme involves:    

• Using music to enhance mood and self-esteem for those experiencing mental or physical ill-health
• Supporting people as they rebuild confidence and develop skills
• Supporting independent living in the community
• Helping people make new connections or return to employment
• Positively affecting the hospital or ward environment for patients, families and NHS staff

You can find out more about Liverpool Philharmonic’s Music and Health Programme on their website.

Shortlist: Purple Patch Arts, based in Leeds, work across Yorkshire

Purple Patch Arts uses their unique Purple Patch Approach to support learning-disabled people to thrive and to be heard.

The Purple Patch Approach is all about using creative activities, inclusive learning methods to create safe environments where everyone is empowered to express themselves, and to engage with, and understand, themselves and the world around them.

They listen to learning-disabled people, shape their work around their wants and needs, and support them to become powerful advocates for themselves and their community.

They believe that being engaged with the world is key to leading a full, happy and well life. Every year, Purple Patch Arts works with over 200 learning-disabled adults and young people, using their creative, joyful and inclusive approach to support them to thrive and to be heard.

Through their innovative approach, specialist staff team and inclusive values, they work towards their vision of a world where learning-disabled people are empowered to reach their potential, and their Purple Steering Group ensures that they are always moving in the right direction for their participants.

You can find out more about Purple Patch Arts on their website.

Shortlist: String of Hearts CIC, Manchester

String of Hearts is a community arts organisation that connects older adults through music.

They aim to tackle injustice in cultural access for people in Trafford and south Manchester who are experiencing social isolation or chronic health conditions. Their activities include group music sessions, music phone calls, home visits, and showcase events, shining a light on the stories and creativity of people in the community.

They use music as a tool for connection, self-expression and belonging. Activities are collaborative and inclusive, involving singing, playing percussion, songwriting, and exploring musical styles. Participants share their stories and ideas in a safe space and showcase their creations to the public, supported by String of Hearts professional musicians.

You can find out more about String of Hearts CIC on their website.

Shortlist: Warren Records at The Warren Youth Project, Hull

The Warren Youth Project is a youth-led charity that has been supporting young people aged 11-29 from a range of differing socio-economic backgrounds for the past 42 years.

All of the support The Warren Youth Project offers is underpinned by creativity. Their music services (studios and rehearsal room) have a long standing history within the city.

They run an independent record label, Warren Records which supports young people at the very beginning of their music-making journeys (one-to-one instrument tuition, beginner production workshops, DJ sessions and ‘give it a go’ support and advice) all the way through to bespoke artist development support which allows young people to write, rehearse, record and release music as well as gaining opportunities to perform at a variety of reputable events of differing sizes across the city and region.

Due to their person-centred ethos, their relationships with young people allows them to focus on individual needs and work in a fluid way to increase young people’s confidence, technical skills, professional practice and knowledge of the industry, enhancing creative pathways as well as strengthening the quality of original music within Hull’s music scene.

You can find out more about Warren Records at The Warren Youth Project on their website.

Shortlist: Pyramid High Rise Music Group

High Rise Music Group is a weekly music group for 12 people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). The group has been meeting as part of Pyramid for the last 15 years. They run vibrant and fun sessions, set at the participants’ pace, with professional musicians developing the members’ ideas.

Pyramid is a charity based in Leeds which supports people with learning disabilities, autism or both to discover the arts and to develop as artists. Most of the group are wheelchair users or have severely limited mobility, and are non-verbal.

The groups and activities are primarily designed to promote the integration of people with and without learning disabilities through the medium of the creative arts. Participants engage in sound making using various tools to encourage communication, confidence and use of fine motor skills. The group explore sound and silence, including musical improvisation, sound layering using vocal and instrumental sounds and performance.

The group’s methodology ensures that all members, irrespective of ability or disability, make a (proud and loud) contribution to the new music that create, ensuring that their work is often ambient, full of feeling, exploratory, innovative, new and very beautiful.

You can find out more about Pyramid High Rise Music Group on their website.