Music for life exists to increase public access to the multitude of cultures and traditions in London. This is achieved by running art related projects and educational activities which enable members to access their cultural heritage whilst developing contemporary and innovative art.
We run cultural and educational activities to promote community cohesion, economic development and leadership in local communities.
The concept of “International Citizenship” is central to the work of our organisation. We aim to actively promote this concept amongst young people and the wider community by running seminars, talks and campaigns. We strongly believe that in a globalised world we must strive to educate our young people to be world citizens and be aware and active not only about issues in their local communities but also around the world, especially environmental issues and worldwide poverty.
We actively support those most vulnerable in our communities by assisting and supporting newly arrived immigrants through our advice services to integrate successfully into the recipient community.
“The objective of the group is to promote, protect and preserve our cultural heritage. We ensure that all ethnic minorities from a range of communities regardless of location have access to the provision of educational and arts activities”
Past Events
LOCAL WORLD ARTS FESTIVAL (2013)
Promoting and preserving world culture and heritage in London, Local World Arts presents the best emerging and innovative artists from the local communities that make London a multicultural and vibrant city.
Following the success of Venezuela’s Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra, Local World Arts presents Los Niños Vallenatos, the product of Colombia’s own ‘Sistema’ for the very first time in the UK, in association with the Embassy of Colombia and supported by the Mayor of London.
‘A child will not pick up a knife if he makes music,” says Andres ‘El Turco Gil, the project’s founder. For over 20 years, El ‘Turco’ Gil, a Vallenato musician, considered one of the most important accordion players in Colombia, has been recruiting vulnerable children from the streets into a life of music. His casual teaching sessions have over the years been transformed into an internationally recognised international school.
Using Colombia’s rich folk tradition rather than classical as the vehicle, the result of this phenomenon is Los Niños Vallenatos, an 11-piece Colombian accordion band made up of 10 to 19 year olds.
The Afro-Latin Ensemble (2011)
Is a project aim young from disadvantage backgrounds. We will provide Drumming, Dance and film workshops. These workshops will focus around people current concept of local democracy and International Citizenship.
We will explore these concepts using the arts to create awareness about local and international issues such as: Our historical connections, cultural diversity, environment, poverty (child labor) and participation.
The outcome of the workshops will be express trough a performing arts piece that can be taken to stages, community centers and theatre. We specially focus in the African Diaspora and how the African culture influenced the construction of the Latin-American identity. We will use music as a historical conductor tool to critically Approach and acknowledgment the huge contribution that Africa has made to the Latin-American culture. The African and Latin-American history will help us to illustrate how migration has bring about Multiculturalism and especially how that cultural Diaspora is stills going on, now taking place in the UK as the recipient society.
CARNAVAL DEL PUEBLO 2010 (BICENTENARY CELEBRATION)
IN 2010 MUSIC FOR LIFE WAS COMMISSIONED TO COORDINATION AND DELIVERY THE CARNAVAL DEL PUEBLO ARTS COUNCIL PROJECT. CARNAVAL DEL PUEBLO IS THE BIGGEST LATIN AMERICAN OUTDOOR FESTIVAL IN EUROPE.
THE BICENTENARY CELEBRATION BROUGHT TOGETHER 15 DIFFERENT ARTS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA RESIDENT IN LONDON. THEY TOOK OVER WALWORTH ROAD WITH 12 PUSH FLOATS, DANCE AND MUSIC GROUPS.