Brass Bands England's first Elevate Programme

Learning points for Freckleton Band

The project was a valuable learning experience for Freckleton Band, highlighting several key lessons for future collaborative efforts:

1. Initial Excitement and Motivation: The band was excited about reaching new audiences and breaking out of the traditional brass band mould.
2. Navigating the Collaborative Process: Adapting to Jamie Sophie Fletcher's more theatrical, collaborative style was a learning curve but ultimately enriched the band's understanding of performance.
3. Embracing the Unfamiliar: The project required stepping outside their comfort zone, both musically and in terms of production, which, while challenging, helped the band grow.
4. Sense of Accomplishment: Despite hurdles, the band felt a strong sense of pride and accomplishment after delivering a well-received performance, inspiring them to pursue more innovative collaborations in the future.
5. Broadening Engagement: The band recognised the need for wider member involvement in planning, better internal communication, and proactive engagement with organisers.
6. Dedicated Project Management: Appointing a project manager could streamline future projects, ensuring smoother logistics and clearer communication.

Learning points for Jamie Sophie Fletcher

Jamie Sophie Fletcher gained important insights that will inform future collaborations:

1. Staging and Visual Impact: Fletcher noted the need for more thoughtful stage design. The music stands and banners obstructed the audience’s view of the band, highlighting the importance of visual engagement in live performances. She suggested the use of level platforms to create more excitement for the audience.
2. Song Arrangements and Creativity: Fletcher identified potential for more creative song arrangements, particularly with the inclusion of singers. However, she learned that brass band arrangements often alter song structures, which will need adjustment in future projects.
3. Infrastructure and Support: Ensuring the right infrastructure is in place for future performances is critical. This would allow artists to focus on their roles without taking on additional responsibilities, streamlining the production process.
4. Clear Expectations: Fletcher emphasised the importance of setting clear expectations from the start of a project. While the openness and experimental nature of Elevate were exciting, clearer guidelines at the outset would have benefited the overall process.
5. Personal Impact: Fletcher spoke passionately about how the project reignited her love for brass bands and created meaningful connections, particularly with parents of LGBTQ+ individuals who attended the performance. She feels strongly that there is more to be explored in projects like this and is eager to see what future possibilities exist in the right circumstances.

Learning points for Brass Bands England 

 BBE also took away important lessons from the first round of the Elevate programme, which will shape future iterations:

1. Approach to Trans Artists: BBE learned that future collaborations with trans artists require a more thoughtful approach, and both BBE and the bands involved need growth in this area to ensure inclusivity and sensitivity. As part of BBE’s training series, a Trans Awareness webinar was programmed for staff and member bands to attend. 
2. Public Support and Advocacy: Although BBE was supportive behind the scenes, they missed the opportunity to publicly back Jamie Sophie Fletcher and the LGBTQ+ community in response to negative online comments. This highlighted the importance of visible, public advocacy.
3. Approach to supporting artists: BBE learned that in order to properly support the range of diverse artists we hope to work with across the course of this programme, staff need to be adequately trained, and to be able to provide training for bands involved. As part of BBE’s training series, a Trans Awareness webinar was programmed for staff and members to attend. BBE also felt, in hindsight, we could have displayed more public support of the LGBTQ+ community as part of our public advocacy for the project. 
4. Capacity Issues: To address capacity challenges, BBE hired a new Events and Communications Coordinator to support future rounds of the Elevate programme, ensuring better logistical management.
5. Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities: BBE recognised the need for clearer delineation of roles and responsibilities in collaborative projects. Communication methods like WhatsApp were at times inefficient due to timing issues, suggesting that future projects require more formal and structured communication.
6. Resource Allocation for Large-Scale Productions: Resource available for the production of the project could have been communicated more clearly, and ambitions from the collaborators at times went beyond what was available to spend.  Future projects of a similar scale will need more thorough planning to ensure adequate support and resources are in place.

Exploring future possibilities 

The project has ignited new creative avenues for BBE, inspiring them to explore long-term projects focusing on LGBTQ+ voices. BBE plans to integrate oral history into their outreach, culminating in a creative piece by 2028. Jamie Sophie Fletcher is seen as a potential future collaborator on this work.

Impact and reception 

The performance was widely praised for its creativity and inclusivity, attracting new audiences to brass band music and demonstrating the artform's ability to evolve. Both Freckleton Band and BBE learned valuable lessons that will inform future collaborative projects, while Jamie Sophie Fletcher’s passion for the project reaffirmed the potential for innovative, inclusive brass performances.

Reviews of the final performance include:

North West Bylines
Blackpool Social Club
It’s Not A Trumpet

Legacy and future implications

 The Elevate programme's first round has had a lasting impact on all involved, laying the groundwork for more ambitious, inclusive projects. Freckleton Band and Jamie Sophie Fletcher emerged from the collaboration with valuable insights and a renewed sense of artistic possibility. BBE, too, is planning to build on this experience, with more structured approaches to future projects and a focus on amplifying diverse voices within the brass band community.

Conclusion

Brass Bands England hopes its Elevate programme has proven to be a bold step toward innovation in brass banding. The collaboration between Freckleton Band and Jamie Sophie Fletcher, supported by the talents of Donna Trump and Len Blanco, redefined the traditional boundaries of brass music. Through the challenges and successes of the project, both the band and the director learned valuable lessons, paving the way for future projects that celebrate inclusivity, creativity, and artistic growth.