As the transformation of Aberdeen’s much loved Music Hall continues apace, a pioneering project has been launched to celebrate and engage with a new generation of arts enthusiasts.
Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA), the charity behind the redevelopment, has invited babies born in the city and shire in December 2017, to participate in a tailor made programme of arts events and activities throughout their first year of life. There was a fantastic reaction to the project, with 57 babies and their families signing up to take part in the project. The babies will be one year old when the Music Hall re-opens and they will participate in the community re-launch celebrations.
Throughout the year the babies, along with their families, will be able to attend monthly creative workshops in music, dance, drama and visual arts led by Aberdeen Performing Arts and companies like Scottish Opera, Scottish Dance Theatre and Live Music Now.
The Music Hall Babies programme aims to give babies and their families a positive experience of the arts from birth, develop their creative potential, help develop child/parent bonds and cognitive development.
At a special launch event this week at The Lemon Tree, the babies and their families were given the chance to meet and get to know each other, while finding out more about the workshops on offer over the coming months.
Aberdeen Performing Arts chief executive Jane Spiers commented: “The Music Hall transformation has secured the building at the cultural heart of the city for many generations to come, and what better way to celebrate this fact than by opening up our programme to welcome the very newest of arts participants and their families in our city.”
APA’s creative learning manager Lisa Mathieson said: “There is huge demand for early years work in the North-East, and our new spaces will give us a permanent home for an exciting and diverse programme of activities from birth to teens and into adult life. We look forward to adding Music Hall Babies to our existing repertoire of projects aimed at early years’ engagement.”
Music Hall Babies is part of APA’s Stepping In programme of events which is taking place in the lead up to the re-opening of the Music Hall. The project has been made possible thanks to Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd, who have invested £20,000 to support the project in its’ first year of operation.
Nexen UK’s UK managing director, Ray Riddoch said: “Nexen is very proud to support Aberdeen Performing Arts in bringing this programme of activity to life. We firmly believe that arts and culture are a vital part of the fabric of our communities and we are delighted to help expand the range of cultural activities available to the youngest citizens of Aberdeen.”
Jane added: “We are delighted that Nexen has chosen to support this venture, which we hope will create a solid foundation for these youngsters as they grow up in this new era for the Music Hall.”
The Music Hall Babies project is a multi-agency partnership and Aberdeen Performing Arts will work alongside the Creative learning and Early Years teams at Aberdeen City Council to deliver the project.