YOUNG DRILL ARTISTS FROM CAMBRIDGE WHO PARTICIPATED IN A LOCAL MUSIC AND FILMMAKING PROJECT WILL HAVE THEIR MUSIC VIDEOS SCREENED AT THE BARBICAN, AS PART OF THE UK DRILL PROJECT.

We are excited to announce that young people from the city involved in a UK Drill music and filmmaking project have been invited to London’s Barbican where their videos will be showcased.

Participants from the Beats, Trials & Tribulations project in Trumpington, Cambridge will be treated to a VIP experience at the UK Drill Project event next month where their music videos and freestyles will be screened.

Beats, Trials & Tribulations addresses a gap in music and filmmaking skill development for marginalised young people in the city and seeks to address the social exclusion of young people due to a misperception of Drill culture that has formed through scaremongering in the media.

Beats, Trials & Tribulations was established when community outreach work and engagement with Romsey Mill’s local youth club unearthed a thirst for music provision in the Trumpington area which has grown considerably in recent years. Cambridge Junction along with Romsey Mill, HighRise Theatre and Tide Film developed the project to offer young people the opportunity to work with industry professionals to unlock their lyrical, production and filmmaking talents.

The young people workshopped ideas, tried new techniques, learned production skills and went on to write, record and produce original Drill tracks and made music videos to accompany them. At The Barbican the videos will form part of an immersive exhibition and the young people will take part in post-show Q&A session alongside HighRise’s Artistic Director, Dominic Garfield.

A documentary about Beats, Trials & Tribulations where the participants and facilitators reflect on the experience of taking part in the project can be watched below.

You can see the tracks and videos created in a YouTube playlist HERE. Note: The videos were made for an adult audience, and are not suitable for children.

Beth Bailey, Head of Creative Learning at Cambridge Junction said:

“It’s been a huge privilege to work with, celebrate and platform these incredibly talented individuals. We have seen young people from different social circles come together, invest in each other, and build community cohesion across Cambridge. With the continued support of Romsey Mill, I know these young leaders will continue to develop and thrive.” 

Dominic Garfield, Artistic Director of HighRise said:

“HighRise are incredibly excited to showcase the array of young talent on offer in greater Cambridge. Rappers, singers, writers, lyricists and filmmakers that usually wouldn’t get the opportunity to access music and film have shined and excelled throughout this process. From Italian Drill to emo trap, this talented collective have created a dynamic series of music and visuals that can stand alone in the music industry.”

Feedback from Beats, Trials & Tribulations

“I’ve dealt with anxiety and depression for about 5 years no. and just sort of recently making music has sort of given me an outlet to express it instead of sort of bottling it up” Participant 

“I honestly can’t thank the Junction and Romsey Mill enough at the moment. My son is a different lad thanks to your support with his music.” Parent of participant 

“They’re integrating with people they wouldn’t normally meet or come across, and different groups of people come together to create something that they have a mutual love of.” Artist Facilitator

Beats, Trials & Tribulations was run by Cambridge Junction in partnership with Romsey Mill, HighRise Theatre and Tide Film. The project was supported by Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, D & J Lloyd Community First Fund, Cambridgeshire Music, BBC Children in Need and Clay Farm Centre.

More information on the UK Drill Project at the Barbican can be found HERE