Creative producer Holly Hunter and composer Michael Betteridge present their co-creation project Voices Weaving, and invite members to get involved...
Sing with Streetwise Opera in support of their pioneering work with people affected by homelessness
Award-winning arts charity and Making Music member Streetwise Opera is calling on all singers to join them for a 12-hour Singathon at Shoreditch Town Hall's Assembly Hall on Sunday 27 October. Led by professional musicians, the day will be split into themed hour-long sessions ranging in style from opera and gospel, to jazz, pop, musicals, and film music. At least 20 singers will need to be singing at any one time and participants can choose which sessions they would like to take part in throughout the day.
You can register now for a fee of £10 (£5 for students, free for under 16s) with all proceeds supporting the charity's work with people affected by homelessness across five regions of the UK. You can also inspire your friends and family to sponsor you, or make a personal donation, by setting up a fundraising page through Charity Checkout. Participants are being asked to try and raise £50 which will help fund Streetwise Opera's year-round programme of weekly singing workshops; a dependable source of creativity in the lives of people where everything else is changing.
The event will take place from 9am to 9pm, culminating in a grand finale during the final hour. This will be a chance for all singers to showcase their talents in front of a live audience, including friends and family who sponsored their challenge!
Giving homeless people a voice
Streetwise Opera was founded by Matt Hancock; an opera critic and support worker at The Passage homeless shelter in London. In 2000, a resident of The Passage read out a quote from a politician in a newspaper saying that, "the homeless are the people you step over coming out of the Opera House." Hancock sought to challenge the public's attitude to homelessness and worked with residents of the shelter to stage a production of The Little Prince at the Royal Opera House.
"At the time that I have nothing, I still have my artistry. I still have my creativity. I still have my talent. And if that’s going to get me from homelessness to where I need to be, then I’m going to hone that. And Streetwise Opera is the perfect place to do that." – Streetwise Opera performer
Following their first critically-acclaimed production, Streetwise Opera was established as a charity in 2002. Since then, Hancock and his team have worked with thousands of people who are, or have been, homeless, helping them to make positive changes in their lives through their opera productions and workshops.
Streetwise Opera also founded With One Voice - an international movement which seeks to build the arts and homelessness sector globally through exchanges in policy and practice.
Keep up to date with Streetwise Opera on Facebook and Twitter.
