What we do and why
We Make Culture creates spaces where children and young people can make music, find their voice and shape their future.
Our work is built around access, progression and long-term relationships. We increasingly focus on children and young people who face the greatest barriers to participation and creative careers, creating free, inclusive opportunities shaped around them.
From first experiences in community settings through to artist development and creative careers, we support children and young people to grow on their own terms.
Our Vision
Making Sunderland a city where all children and young people can access music, express themselves and shape their own future, not limited by where they live or what they can afford.
Our Mission
We create inclusive, high-quality music spaces where young people can build confidence, develop creatively and be heard.
We focus on those who face the greatest barriers to access and progression, whether through socio-economic circumstance or other forms of marginalisation, working to ensure that opportunity in music and the creative industries is not shaped by who already has access.
We do this as part of a wider creative ecosystem in Sunderland, connecting young people to artists, organisations and opportunities across the city, and contributing to a more open and inclusive cultural landscape.
Find their voice
Feel confident expressing themselves and know that what they say matters.
What we’re working towards
We want children and young people in Sunderland to:
Feel part of something
Build friendships, community and a sense of belonging.
Grow creatively
Make, perform and develop their music in ways that feel meaningful to them.
Shape their future
Access opportunities, take next steps as artists, and see creative careers as open to them.
Targeted & specialist work
Projects with communities where access is most limited, including work with children and families affected by domestic abuse and care-experienced young people.
Our work
Our work is build around four connected areas:
Music in communities
Free, local sessions, embedded in trusted community organisations. We remove barriers and create a starting point for young people to get involved.
Young Musicians Project
Our core programme, where young people develop their music, collaborate and perform.
Progression & careers
Support to take next steps, from artist development to mentoring and leadership to pathways into the creative industries.