‘Everything is a Portal’ (EP) is a workshop and a methodology that cultivates deeper listening through music & arts education, mindfulness, and media literacy. EP is designed for young people to experiment with sonic mediation, to practice communal listening to curated archives of sound and art, and to make creative work grounded in mindful listening. It is mostly a space for us to just BE; to take in beauty and mystery together, and see how we come out on the other side. We listen to music together, and breathe together. We design mantras, listen to and discuss artist interviews, and identify patterns across forms and genres.
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Participants explore media, and themselves, together.

We can talk about Betye Saar, Herbie Hancock, DOOM, and the current pervasive struggles of our world, all in one session. Everything’s a portal that leads us to the next place…

A project inspired by the lockdown project 'Everything is a Portal' with Nicole Misha (NYC).

Vinyl sessions is about mindful listening.

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A Beat Routes project for up and coming artists age 13-25.

Part 1 of a new Beat Routes project for up and coming artists age 13-25.

Within a couple of weeks of the first 2020 lockdown, Beat Routes setup a daily program of online sessions for young people in music, art and mindfulness. Here are some reflections from the young people on Beat Routes creative online program during this time.

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The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

The ‘Roots of Rhythm’ project focused on uncovering the heritage of musical rhythms from across the world and how these diverse rhythms influence the musical heritage of young people. The aim was for young people to complete the project having gained extensive knowledge of the rhythmic heritage which influences their personal musical identity. They gained a deeper understanding of how beats can also represent the rhythm of life, emotions, human relationships and nature. Rhythm is not just a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound: in African cultures, for example, rhythms are known to promote community spirit, well-being and positive healing.

A series of radio shows presented by young people at Beat Routes. Project planning and curation by young people alongside Nicole McKenzie (MIC Records).

Soho Radio is an online radio station broadcasting from the heart of London. Inspired by Soho’s vibrant and diverse culture, Soho Radio brings together musicians, artists, film makers, chefs, poets and the generally curious, from across the globe.

Arts Award is a range of unique qualifications that supports anyone aged up to 25 to grow as artists and arts leaders, inspiring them to connect with and take part in the wider arts world through taking challenges in an art form - from fashion to digital art, pottery to poetry.

With greater awareness, participants begin to notice how often they are lost in our thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness of the body and breathing helps us learn to recognise our thoughts, emotions, sensations, and impulses, gather the scattered mind, and return with appreciation to the here and now.

Weekly music workshops combining song writing and music production.Young people immerse themselves in lyric writing and discover effective melody, rhythm, harmony, and lyrical techniques, while developing an ability to produce, record and mix music.

Visual arts deals with the visual form like drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, photography, video, film making, and architecture. The course appeals to the aesthetic sense of the young people and helps them to increase their imagination in the field of art. The emphasis placed on creativity is significant within the visual arts and is central to all learning within the workshops. Beat Routes seeks to improve the capacity for innovation and originality by developing each young person’s ability to respond personally and thoughtfully to express their own meaning and intentions in their work.

Slough Community Youth Soul Choir aims to foster a love of singing through relaxed and fun performance. The choir perform original and cover song arrangements tailored to children voices. Participants also learn about the expectations of choir participation including at-home practice, discipline and active engagement in each rehearsal.

Collaborative community-based images of local young people and Beat Routes collective.

Young people learnt the value of stepping away from a computer screen and interacting with each through music making and performance.

Project Rewind provided a forum to teach young people about the techniques and history of professional studio recording, combining workshops, activities, recording sessions and events. Young people experienced an entirely new aspect to their familiar music-making practices, learning about the heritage and contexts of recorded music and developed values and techniques to be used in their own lives and communities, in a ripple effect of positive impact.
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The supporting documentary tells the story of the project's participants: isolated young people, used to working with the modern set up of computers, software, usb drives and phones (and ultimately using someone else's creative content). We opened up a new world not too far from home, drawing on the world-class history of the British recording industry. With the involvement and contribution of JAMES, a body of seasoned audio industry professionals set up to make supportive links between education and the media industry, we were able to give the young people first hand experience of the professional recording techniques of the 60's and 70's.

Allowing young people to access this rich heritage — through creativity, connection, collaboration, education, passion, sharing and friendship — has been of profound and invaluable benefit to the participants.

The Aintree Estate was flagged as an area which had not been in receipt of any community projects or funding for some time.

Hammersmith and Fulham council wanted Beat Routes to make a positive change to the estate, for all the residents to appreciate and enjoy, and felt a permanent art installation was the perfect way to engage those who live there and improve the communal space on the estate.The concept was to take an abstract universal form (triangle) and create a sense of movement, colour and life in a grey urban environment. Ever changing patterns made by the wind rushing, swirling, in and out of the architecture, hues of green and blue, inspired by natural surroundings — shapes dancing on static concrete blocks.

Beat Routes teamed up with Native Instruments to deliver a workshop for young people in beat-making. Maschine is a drum machine which lets you produce beats, melodies, and harmonies with drum synths, sounds, an integrated sampler — cutting-edge software meets intuitive hardware for smooth workflow.

With the help of local young people, over 1000 squares were stencilled onto 24 panels of the 50 metre wall.

Project setup in response to the London Riots 2011. Working alongside Ealing Youth Service, the projects main aim was to show young people engaged in positive activities.
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“The Metropolitan police confirmed around 6,000 officers were deployed on the streets on London last night to try and deal with the chaos. The unrest began in Hackney on Monday afternoon but by the evening it had spread across the capital and around 10pm there were reports of looting and violence in Ealing, West London.” London Metro, 9th August 2011

Music production workshop.

A team of young people tracked down musicians with links to Slough and documented their adventures in music. The project ultimately helped the young people understand how music brings people of different backgrounds together. The result was a unique and fascinating oral history of Slough’s diverse musical heritage, and a revealing insight into the town’s significance to the wider musical world.

A team of young people tracked down musicians with links to Slough and documented their adventures in music. The project ultimately helped the young people understand how music brings people of different backgrounds together. The result was a unique and fascinating oral history of Slough’s diverse musical heritage, and a revealing insight into the town’s significance to the wider musical world.

One day event — industry talks and practical music workshops for young people aged 16-25 featuring Ghetts and Terror Danjah.

One day event — industry talks and practical music workshops for young people aged 16-25 featuring Ghetts and Terror Danjah.

Mural Project

Two-day event featuring Logan Sama, Plastician and Mala (DMZ). Industry talks and practical music workshops for young people aged 16-25.

Two-day event featuring Logan Sama, Plastician and Mala (DMZ). Industry talks and practical music workshops for young people aged 16-25.

Two-day event featuring Logan Sama, Plastician and Mala (DMZ).Industry talks and practical music workshops for young people aged 16-25.

Two-day event featuring Logan Sama, Plastician and Mala (DMZ). Industry talks and practical music workshops for young people aged 16-25.

As the British music scene began to grow and spread in exciting new directions, Beat Routes kicked off a series of DJ and MC sessions. The aim was to tap into new musical forms, unlocking the talent and creative energy in local young people while deflecting the negative stigma that circled around some aspects of the scene.

The first Beat Routes workshops focused on DJ technique and then grew organically into an open session with young people listening to and discussing a wide range of genres from African music to jazz and rock, often on vinyl records unearthed in local charity shops.