International Journal of Community Music - Volume 18, Issue 1, 2025

Over the last 30 years, a large body of research has documented the growth and efficacy of non-profit arts organizations working with justice-involved persons. This coincides with bipartisan criminal justice reform at all levels of government in the United States, itself spurred by recent theories of desistance that suggest the cessation of criminal behaviour is more likely when involved persons can consciously reshape their identities. However, little of this research focuses on (1) programmes that work with justice-involved individuals post-incarceration or (2) the ways in which participants in these programmes view their experiences in light of the social injustices that they have experienced, including poverty, systemic racism and more. This study focused on a paid arts fellowship programme for twelve young adults in Los Angeles, CA. The programme was evaluated through the theoretical lens of desistance, positive youth development and liberation pedagogy. Findings suggest that the programme cultivated a space in which students could be vulnerable, connect and care for themselves and others, and exercise creative autonomy and agency.

Global growth of participatory music practices has been met by increased scholarly attention. Whilst much research in this area has focused on the participants and impacts of such practices, this article presents practitioner perspectives. It draws on data collected within a three-year international research project that explored practitioners’ contexts, work and beliefs. We offer a qualitative research design via cross-cultural, multidisciplinary analysis of 88 semi-structured in-depth interviews in Belgium (n = 21), Colombia (n = 23), Finland (n = 20) and the United Kingdom (n = 24) using Glaser and Strauss’s Constant Comparative Method (1967). We found that alongside motivations relating to social, cultural, political and economic aspects of this work, practitioners emphasized ‘musical’ motivations. Our analysis brought up three overarching themes related to musical motivations across the countries: (1) disrupting and reclaiming musical cultures, (2) shaping musical selves and (3) psycho-physical states of being that emerge in and through the practice. We suggest that closer attention to practitioner musical motivations, and gains they experience through participatory practice, can bring about deeper understanding of the qualities of this growing field – globally and locally – on its own terms, with implications for participatory practice research and education.

Recreational choral singing has long been a mainstay of amateur and community music-making in the United Kingdom, and there is much existing evidence for the potential social, physical and psychological benefits of participation. However, involvement in lower- and upper-voice choirs is declining due to low recruitment rates, the ageing of members and the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, we draw on the findings of a recent online survey of 907 participants in mixed-, lower- and upper-voice choirs to examine the factors underlying these issues. Using descriptive statistics to show demographic trends and qualitative thematic analysis to identify experiences shared across choirs, we highlight how the development of some lower- and upper-voice choirs has been affected by a homogeneous demographic with limited recognition of – and, in some cases, resistance towards – wider societal issues of diversity and inclusivity. We analyse choirs’ use of inclusion policies, and contrast examples of good practice with evidence of widespread exclusionary attitudes among individual choir members, especially in relation to race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality. We conclude by making initial recommendations for how choirs might recognize and address such challenges, and call for a shift in the research agenda to pay greater attention to exclusionary factors in amateur and community music participation.

As our societies become increasingly diverse, empathy and intercultural understanding have become essential for sustaining socially cohesive communities. Community arts programs have become key sites for fostering connection and understanding between dominant and minority cultures, particularly through showcasing the works of minority artists. Yet, despite growing political support for organizations in this sector, recent research suggests that significant power imbalances exist between minority practitioners and the arts organizations who engage them. Using a collaborative dialogue approach, this article explores the experiences of community-based intercultural music practitioners. It also interrogates how their work might be better sustained with the help of an intercultural music engagement (ICME) framework. Results show intercultural music practitioners undertake significant amounts of unrecognized labour, while also experiencing significant culture-based discrimination and violence. Findings identify the relevance of an ICME framework in supporting these practitioners and considerations for further development and application. Most significantly, ensuring minority communities are properly resourced to participate in the arts sector emerged as best practice for fostering understanding and empathy through ICME and addressing power imbalances in community arts.