Meet the woman making the music industry accessible to young people in Sunderland, and uncovering artists such as Tom A Smith

Budding musicians across the city are being given a helping hand to get into the music industry thanks to the work of Laura Brewis and the We Make Culture Community Interest Company (CIC).

Laura formed the enterprise in 2017 when she decided to combine her passions for music and helping young people.

She said: “I’ve always loved the arts and had spent time working with young people on projects in other parts of the country.

“But I really wanted to do something back in my home town of Sunderland.

"I grew up as part of the Brit Pop generation in the 90s and have always loved music - my favourite band was Suede.

“After having my children I decided I wanted to create something music related and that is where We Make Culture and the Young Musicians Project came from.”

Being married to David Brewis, who writes and performs with the Mercury Music Prize-nominated band Field Music, and with brother-in-law Peter Brewis having been a one time member of The Futureheads, it’s perhaps no surprise that Laura would also one day venture into the industry.

She said: “I married a musician and so we always had musicians in and around the house and it’s something I just have a passion for.”

The sessions currently enable 60 youngsters under the age of 20 to have free access to hundreds of professional standard instruments, a recording studio and support from professional musicians, including Laura’s husband, David.

She said: “David likes to get involved with both tuition and guidance about getting into the industry and we have professional musicians leading all our sessions.

“The young people can find out about different careers in the music industry, how to get gigs and can even record their own songs which we can register on  platforms such as Spotify.

“We also put on gigs at places like Pop Recs which gives artists and bands a chance to perform.”

The sessions also provide an opportunity for the young musicians to collaborate and evolve organically.

Laura said: “You find that people may get together and form a band or someone may offer to sing a track, write together or play the drums and things just seem to evolve from there.”

It’s a message which certainly seems to be bearing fruit, with a number of emerging stars learning their trade through the project.

Laura added: “Tom A Smith is currently forging a successful career and is off touring somewhere around the world. He started here, as did Faye Fantarrow who tragically died recently.

“She had been signed up by Dave Stewart.”

While “amazing” to see local talent flourish to become household names, Laura derives equal pleasure from seeing youngsters achieve in other ways.

She said: “Not all the kids are going to become musicians but it’s great to see them take massive steps in other ways.

“A young person may arrive lacking confidence and be very shy and it’s brilliant to see them just a few months later performing in front of a crowd of people.

“It’s amazing to see young people improving their confidence, mental wellbeing and making friends and developing their social skills.”

The project’s fundamental principle of ensuring all young people can access music, whatever their background, has seen the music sessions expanded to outreach groups, and in particular young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Laura said: “We work with Sunderland Music Hub and in particular charity groups where children would ordinarily struggle to access opportunities in music.

“One particular organisation is the charity ‘More than Grandparents’ which supports kinship families where children may no longer be with their parents and are being brought up by other family members such as their grandparents or aunts and uncles.

“Many of these children may have had a traumatic early life or be in a situation where finances may be a struggle and it’s important they shouldn’t be prohibited from having the same opportunities as other young people.”

The sessions certainly seem to be proving to be a hit with the young people.

Keen musician Izzy said: “The Young Musicians Project gives me loads of different oppotunities that lead on from being part of the group.

“There is a lot of gigging opportunities to help build confidence as well as the chance to record demos and see what it’s like to record your songs in a real studio.

“There’s also support if you then want to go on and release music.”

To find out more about the Young Musicians Project go to the We Make Culture website. If you are interested in getting involved then contact Laura at [email protected]