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Brighten the Corners 

Brighten the Corners runs a diverse live music programme, training and education opportunities across three venues, and an annual multi-venue festival in Ipswich, Suffolk.

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A gig at St Stephen's Church

About

Empowering through arts and education

Brighten The Corners is a not-for-profit organisation set up by the team at Out Loud Music CIC. It operates three full-time venues and a festival in the town centre and promotes gigs by independent and emerging artists and musicians.

BTC also runs training and volunteering projects for young people wishing to gain event production experience and has over 80 active volunteers.

Through their diverse programmes and training, they amplify the voices of marginalised communities through music, event production, media, and arts, empowering young people and adults to thrive, regardless of race, socioeconomic background, mental health, or physical disabilities.

They aim to create a sustainable future for music and culture in our region, provide meaningful employment and volunteering pathways for marginalised young people, and establish Ipswich as a proud national hub for music and the arts.

Their mission

  • BTC offers young people hands-on training programs and a real-world understanding of the music and event production industry.

  • BTC gives communities in Ipswich sustainable access to training, volunteerism, and employment opportunities.

  • BTC helps young people thrive and build meaningful careers in live event production, sound engineering, lighting, marketing, and promotion. 

  • BTC amplifies community voices and increases their sense of belonging, self-esteem and confidence. 

  • BTC imparts technical knowledge and fosters social action to encourage our community to address societal issues.

 Their vision

  • Sustaining ongoing operations and expanding the current youth and audience reach 

  • Expanding education and engagement programmes - iRock, New Gen, South Street Kids, iLearn, Making Waves New Gen, and Girls Where You At?

  • Reaching more young people and adults

  • Fostering the next generation of artists and the local talent ecosystem.

  • Increasing freelancing opportunities to over 1,750 and the volunteer pool to over 1,250 placements annually.

Their impact

  • 80% of participants show increased self-confidence and self-esteem.

  • 94% progression rate to further courses and volunteering. 

  • 80% reduction in re-offending rates among at-risk youth.