Innovate 2025-26: project case studies now published

Innovate 2025–26: project case studies 

Our Innovate fund supports artists, organisations and facilitators across the Sound Connections network to test new ideas, pilot early-stage projects and develop new work.  

Over the past year, our Innovate 2025–26 grantees have been working with children, young people and families in a wide range of settings, exploring inclusive approaches, new tools and ways of reaching communities who may not otherwise access music-making opportunities. 

Below, the project leads reflect on their Innovate-funded projects and the impact this support has had on their participants, their practice and their future plans. 

Motherland Music – Motherland Mini’s: Sing! 

Project lead: Amrit Sohal 

Motherland Mini’s: Sing! focused on creating an intergenerational singing and music-making ensemble for parents and their children with English as an additional language, particularly early years and Key Stage 1 pupils. 

Across six workshops during the Spring term, families sang together and co-created music that celebrated their native languages and cultures. The sessions created a welcoming, inclusive space for parents and children to connect, learn from one another and express themselves musically. 

The Innovate funding enabled Motherland Music to pilot this new project and develop new ways of working. Through delivering the sessions, the team explored inclusive practice in greater depth and expanded their skillsets as workshop facilitators. 

The learning from this pilot will now inform Motherland Music’s wider work, embedding inclusive approaches at the core of future projects and allowing the organisation to reach new communities.

Instagram: motherlandmusic_cic

Through The Lab – The Lab

Project lead: Nazmul Hoque 

Participants joined The Lab at a point where they would benefit from both creative development and more tailored, one-to-one support. 

During the project, participants explored songwriting, lyric writing and recording, while also learning to use tools such as SUNO and a DAW to shape and develop their ideas. Alongside this practical music-making, participants built their understanding of wider music industry concepts, including sampling and how music is structured and produced. 

A key outcome of the project was its personal impact. The young people taking part described the process as “healing”, and within a short space of time there were clear signs that taking part had a positive effect on their wellbeing. Access to a regular creative space and consistent support gave the young people a meaningful outlet for self-expression. 

The tailored nature of the support helped participants progress not only musically, but also in their overall engagement. Over the course of the sessions, motivation increased, alongside improvements in timekeeping and responsiveness. The young people’s confidence also grew, particularly in moments where they felt able to step forward and take the lead. 

As the project developed, participants became more thoughtful and intentional in their lyric writing, showing how targeted creative support can support young people to grow in confidence, improve wellbeing and make significant progress in a relatively short period of time. 

Instagram: @throughthelab

VoxSling – VoxSling pilot course 

Project lead: Tara Franks 

Innovate funding made it possible to deliver the pilot VoxSling course free of charge, removing financial barriers and enabling a diverse group of mothers and babies in the Hastings area to take part. 

The pilot allowed VoxSling to experiment with the structure and content of the sessions, combining group singing, movement, discussion and reflection, and to actively gather participant feedback in order to adapt and refine the workshop model. 

The funding also supported a direct partnership with East Sussex Early Days CIC, linking the project with their breastfeeding support clinic at the Clifton Centre in St Leonards. Alongside this, time was built in to connect with local organisations and practitioners supporting families and pregnant or new mothers, including Soundcastle and Mothership Antenatal. 

These connections have helped to kickstart a new local support network, strengthening relationships across the area and laying the foundations for future delivery and collaboration. 

Instagram: @tara_soundscreative

Smile Powered Music – A trial of inclusive music technology

Project lead: Zenon Olenski 

Innovate funding enabled Zenon Olenski to develop and test Smile Powered Music, an inclusive music technology that allows users to create music through movement, facial expressions and interaction, with no prior musical experience required. Pilots at High Peak School and JFK Specialist School involved children and young people with a wide range of SEND needs.

Designed with teachers and specialist partners, the software encouraged collaborative music-making and high levels of engagement. Participants who rarely worked together began creating music as a group, with some introducing singing and instruments into sessions. Teachers reported positive impacts on confidence, communication and social connection.

The project also led to new features, including achievement tracking, lesson resources and progress-monitoring tools. Schools have continued using the technology, with further trials and partnerships now underway, including with the University of East London and the RIX Inclusive Research Institute. The learning from the project will support future developments in inclusive music education.

Find out more about Innovate and meet the latest cohort of grantees here. [link included when live]