Caitlin Whittaker never thought she'd build a music career in Ipswich.
"Back then, I didn't associate live music with Ipswich. Which is why I left, if I'm honest," she said.
But in 2017, after returning from university and time away, she found a different town waiting for her.
"I ran into an old friend who asked if I’d heard of South Street Studios. I was like, wow — that’s in Ipswich?"
What she discovered wasn't just a growing music scene. It was a new kind of infrastructure where volunteers were being given real responsibility.
"It was so different returning. More structured. More caring. You feel the intention now. It's not just about gigs, it's about people."
Now Caitlin leads Brighten The Corners' (BTC) volunteer programme, where participants often start with no experience and end up running the show.
Training the next generation
Caitlin helped create Tune Up, a free training programme designed for young people who love music but don't know where they fit in.
"We had so many volunteers, but a gig is fast-paced. You don't always get the chance to sit and ask questions or get a real insight into the industry," she explains.
"So we thought, what if we built a course specifically for careers in the industry—like behind the scenes? Not the performer. Everything else we can do in the industry."
Tune Up addresses barriers that have long existed in music.
"The usual route, which I went through as well, is if you like music and want to do it at school, you have to play an instrument," explains Caitlin.
"But not everybody does theory or reads music. Some people have the ear but aren’t going to do that. It can be socioeconomic too—you have to own your own instrument, and classes are expensive."
A first taste of live events
India Langley remembers her first shift well.
"I was on the door for Twin Atlantic in November 2023, and the duty manager asked if I wanted to lead the band to the stage. I'll admit that I led them the wrong way to start with," she said. "But then I got to watch from beside the stage. It was an amazing gig."
"One of my friends from Suffolk One sent a poster for their Tune Up course to our music department group chat. It guided 16-25 year olds through putting on a gig, ending with us actually doing it. I really enjoyed it and signed up to volunteer after the first month. I'm also a musician and wanted to get involved with the Ipswich music scene."
“I'm usually either on box office across the three venues or doing lights at the Smokehouse,” says India.
Finding your feet and your future
Volunteering quickly helped her grow.
"I used to find it hard to talk to people. Working the door has helped massively. I knew I wanted a portfolio career with performing, but didn't know what else I wanted to do. Volunteering at BTC has grown my love for working behind the scenes. I'd love to continue volunteering at venues and festivals, and maybe someday build a career in organising and running them."
From sound assistant to stage manager
Mollie Francis joined during the 2023 festival while studying Sound Engineering at Suffolk One.
"My college tutor sent round an email with the volunteer form. I registered at the Smokehouse and was there as much as possible."
She started small and progressed fast.
"I started as a 'sound assistant', helping with set-up and pack-down while shadowing the FOH Engineer. I quickly got passed the monitors, running what artists hear on stage, occasionally working with in-ears if the artist uses them. Now my typical role is Stage Manager or Monitor Engineer, which I fully stepped into for the 2024 festival. I'm side of stage with the iPad, ensuring safe, quick changeovers between sets."
"When you are sound engineering, it is not about showing volunteers what to do. It is about getting them to do it," said Gavin Macinally, who has worked with BTC since 2016. "They start with no experience and end up running shows. That's the point."
Mollie's favourite moment was when Ed Sheeran stopped by to chat about Tune Up and what BTC makes possible. "It was amazing and hopefully means more opportunities for new volunteers in coming years."
Mollie is now working in the industry.
"Being a volunteer built my confidence massively and created a network of people I can contact anytime. It has solidified my love for the 'backstage crew' and ensuring gigs run smoothly. With everything I have learned from volunteering and Tune Up, I have brought live music to my own show and feel confident in my knowledge of music and events."
"It is so much more than volunteering," she adds. "It is personal growth and network building, both professionally and socially. Everyone understands work life balance, and it is always welcoming when I return."
Changing lives and shaping a scene
The impact has been huge.
"When I was their age, I did not have the opportunity to speak to real-life people in the industry. This has inspired me. It is an incredible opportunity," says Caitlin.
"One volunteer came through Tune Up not knowing anyone. Now she is at every show, running things. That is the shift we wanted."
"We have had people do Tune Up and then go on to get a job at the Tate Modern. Others go into university or get work in events. That is the stepping stone we try to build."
BTC now supports over 80 active volunteers across three venues. Gavin has seen how that transforms Ipswich. "Before, there was not anything like this in town. Now you have got venues championing volunteers. That has a knock-on effect. People feel part of something, and that changes what is possible."
The venues themselves reflect progression. The Smokehouse is the entry point — small, DIY, sweat-on-the-ceiling vibes. The Baths is mid-size, with a bigger stage and sound. St Stephen's offers a town-centre, all-ages space with cultural visibility.
"You start in one place and you move up," said Gavin. "Same for artists, same for crew."
And as more young people step up behind the sound desk, the future of Ipswich’s live music scene is already taking shape.
Want to get involved?
Brighten the Corners is now looking for volunteers to help run this year's summer festival, taking place across Ipswich from 13–14 June. Roles include sound, lighting, stage management, front of house and artist liaison — and no experience is needed.
The team also runs free training and regular gigs through its Tune Up programme, open to 16–25 year olds interested in learning the ropes behind the scenes.
As Caitlin puts it: "We see these venues as stepping stones. Not just for artists, but for volunteers too."
Because volunteering here means shaping what's next for Ipswich.
