LCM collaborate with The Poppy Factory on music-making project for veterans
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The London College of Music at the University of West London has been awarded £60,000 by The Poppy Factory, a charity that supports veterans with health conditions, to deliver a music-making project for military veterans. The project forms part of a London-wide initiative, Thriving Together, that aims to support veterans in their transition to civilian life.
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The music-making project builds on a pilot run during the summer, in consultation with veterans who also presented their work at the Knowledge Exchange (KE) showcase of veterans’ arts that took place in LCM’s Lawrence Hall on 10 July 2024.
Over the next two years, participants in the music-making project will have a choice of two strands of activity, either ‘playing in a band’ or ‘electronic dance music production.’ Through this activity, the project aims to support veterans who might struggle with wellbeing issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), to improve their wellbeing through creative collaboration with other people who have had experience of military service.
Studies have indicated that there is an increased prevalence of mental health difficulties, specifically anxiety, PTSD and depression among veterans, particularly for those whose length of service was abruptly cut short by injury (BMJ Military Health, 2021). Arts activity specialising in creating work with, by and for the veteran community has shown evidence of wellbeing benefits to participants.
Dr Cathy Sloan, Senior Lecturer in Applied and Socially Conscious Theatre, explained,
When I was introduced to the world of veterans arts, I could see the powerful impact and I wanted to be able to help show how important creative activity is for people who have served their country and might have all kinds of complex struggles in their transition to civilian life.
With support from the UWL KE team, this music-making project will enable the development of sharing best practices on how to extend recovery arts methods to the context of working with members of the military veteran community. Students on performing arts and music courses at LCM also benefit from proximity to applied arts practice in action.”
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