I was feeling lonely
Marg was an alcoholic so it drove me
To Foster care so now I act unholyâŠ
So as I write this, it's the AM of New Years Eve, the skies cloudy, grey-blue, with streaks of pink hovering, the sun allegedly at rise. You'd think with all this information, I'd be able to make a good guess for what the day will be like, but as I'm sure you'll know, I cannot. Just like going into the New Year, I have no idea what tomorrow will bring, but I know what I'd like tomorrow to bring.
When I was looking through my phone the other day, and looking at some of the pictures of the year, the one above stood out to me, as it reminded me of why Red Light Busking (RLB) exists, and right now it's acting as the guide for what I want tomorrow to be.
The young person who wrote this is one of many who have joined RLB projects, whether on our one-to-one music studio project, or our larger group music studio project, which run weekly. Where we give young people a judgment-free space for expressing themselves using music. Without a doubt, the youth project team has practiced the patience of saints. Listening to young folk telling us their versions of how they got suspended that week from school, but it wasn't their fault, or listening to lyrics of going for glides and being caught out on the 125!
But it's this raw honesty that makes these projects work, as these young people know they can come to a place where they can be themselves and where they will be given conversations only to better them. As we understand that young people coming from social services and youth offending services usually don't have the best of starts. So we do, and this year especially, all we can to increase their later opportunities, whether that's by bringing in musicians to work with young people, giving them insights into the industry, or whether it's through us having put in massive amounts of work to becoming a Pearson's approved organization with our 4TY Education branch, so that now, these young people who often will leave school with no education now have the chance to learn in a style suitable to them, and be in the chance of earning an education. I'm forever thankful to the Red Light Busking team, as they have worked hard this year, like true soldiers, ever committed to doing their part in improving the community.
So I say I have no idea what next year will bring, but I know what I would like it to bring. More opportunities for the young, more bright sparks for the community. This year we went back to our origins of transforming shop windows into live performance stages for musicians, and man did we transform. Waltham Forest and the high streets have been alight with the very best in live musicians, from jazz singers, to grime artists, to acoustic sessions. We've worked in partnership with numerous organizations in bringing the Red Light Busking vibes to their shops, but what we've also been able to do, is use our stage and platform for allowing young people to showcase their talents, performing at our takeover events, but also giving them networking opportunities through them meeting these business owners and professional musicians. And going into the new year, that's what we want to continue doing, being creative, being innovative in bringing more opportunities for our community.
On that note, I'm really happy to say, that the exhibition we have been talking about for so long, will finally be taking place! Red Light Busking presents Kanda Vol.1 â Bedroom Shut, Music Up. For those who have been following us for a little while and our exhibition, you'll know there's been a number of name changes, but I'm happy to say we've finally got this funded by Heritage Fund England. For all those who worked tirelessly with me in making this happen, I'm forever thankful.
I cannot state how impactful this exhibition will be as we're going all the way back to the early 2000s and looking at Waltham Forest's African Caribbean community of that era, looking at the music created, but also at why there is and continues to be an over-representation of African Caribbeans in the criminal justice system. This exhibition will be our most impactful yet, but in true Red Light Busking style, expect it to be creative and insightful, expect it to be musical, expect it to be innovative in how we blow your mind, but most importantly, expect it to be impactful and necessary for pushing forward the community positively, as with this we're able to give even more opportunities, especially for our young people...
At the time I've finished writing this, the sky is no longer filled with pinks and dark greys. Now it's grey, though light, from protruding rays from the sun. Maybe it promises to be a glorious day, and maybe next year promises to be a most magnificent one.
From me and the Red Light Busking team, I wish you all the best for the New Year.
David
Our Year in video's and photo's
Exceline Restaurant
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