New research published on live music and mental health


March 21, 2024

Research identifies ways more children and young people in Scotland can experience the mental health and wellbeing benefits of live music.

The Live Music and Mental Health project, delivered by Children in Scotland, Scottish Ensemble and the University of Stirling between May and October 2023, explored the barriers to children and young people engaging with live music. It supported them to co-create solutions to enable better access to support their mental health and wellbeing. The findings from the project have been published in a new report today.

In a series of in-person workshops, referred to as Innovation Labs, in Inverness, Stirling and East Glasgow, over 90 attendees, including children and young people, youth workers, music professionals and mental health practitioners came together to experience a range of live music performances and activities. The groups engaged in more traditional audience experiences as well as interactive performances exploring mindfulness and physical space.

The project heard about the key barriers to engaging with live music experiences which included cost, transport, safety, and additional support needs. The findings present new ideas for future live music interventions that could support children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

Live Music and Mental Health Report


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