IPIA 2026 'Creating Change Together' in Retrospect

Article by Kerk Henderson, Sound Connections Communications Coordinator

On Thursday 26 of February 2026, we held our annual Inclusive Practice in Action gathering.

The theme of the event was ‘Creating Change Together’ and in keeping with the theme, the event was hosted in partnership with Drake Music. The conference included presentations on inclusive practice as well as discussion groups centred on the issues faced in inclusive practice and performances from young people from Wired4Music.

The day opened with a conversational presentation led by Elise Brown with guests Gavin Higgins and Silvastone. 

Elise Brown has a background of nearly two decades of experience in music management and is the founder and Chair of Mama Haven, a charity she created to address socio economic barriers amongst women. She co–hosted along with Gavin Higgins a New York Times featured composer and Silvastone a UK based international artist/producer and songwriter.

One of the main takeaways from the event was that by creating space for people and their needs, everyone benefitted. 

One of the accessibility measures put in place for this event was live captioning of the presentations and group discussions. In discussions throughout the day, it was noted by delegates that although they might not have hearing loss and would not have usually considered live captioning as a need, they were able to understand what was being discussed by panellists and presenters with added clarity.

This, to me, highlighted how adapting our environments to aid those with specific needs commonly benefits a wider group of participants than expected, and underscores the need to hold inclusivity as standard to be maintained. 

Drake Music brought people together through a beautifully designed  ‘Creating Change Together’ group activity.

This activity had people discussing their thoughts from the earlier presentations, their personal experience, and lessons they have gathered throughout their lives and careers. They then were prompted to write down their thoughts and intentions towards promoting more inclusive practices in the environments they operate within. Delegates then had the opportunity to add all their thoughts to the ‘community tree’ which created a beautiful display of all of the information shared throughout the course of the day. 

After the presentations and group activities there was a filmed performance by Wired4Music young musicians. 

The final session consisted of a performance by Wired4Music’s young musicians – Wired4Music is a vibrant network of young London performers aged 16-25, with a passion for music. More than just a platform, Wired4Music is a community-driven initiative that, at its core, represents a space where creativity thrives, decisions are made democratically, and ideas become reality. 

These performances included everything from rap to folk music. And it was truly a highlight of the day’s activities to see the young people that are being helped by accessible and available music resources, all while being given a platform to develop their skills. 

For me, this year’s IPIA conference showed how much can be achieved through collaboration between people and organisations. From the presentations to the group activities there was a sense of cohesiveness and community. I particularly enjoyed the fact that there were so many knowledgeable people gathered in one location. They were all willing and ready to share their experiences, thoughts and the wisdom gained throughout their individual journeys. And I think my biggest takeaway  is that where you make space for people to thrive at their highest levels, it will happen. 

Find out more about Sound Connections’ Inclusive Practice In Action (IPIA) gatherings here.

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