Beats that Build Belief

This evening I joined the opening of Inspire Sounds’ new premises in the heart of Oxford. It was a joy to catch up with Kingsley, Sam and the team – and to see the space heaving with music-makers, youth workers, teachers, social prescribers and industry professionals. The buzz was real.

A highlight of the night was the premiere of a powerful short film made by Sam. The voices threaded through this blog come from that film: young people and practitioners speaking candidly about what creative spaces make possible. One contributor put it simply: music kept them moving in a positive direction when life felt chaotic – not therapy in the clinical sense, but a safe, creative space to listen, try, fail, try again and find a voice. You could feel the pride in the room.

Inspire Sounds has always been about opening doors. As one mentor in the film says, the magic is taking people at every stage and ability and helping them create – tracks, beats, films, performances – and, crucially, new futures. The team partners with schools, charities and community groups, bringing agile, real-world youth work into the studio and the classroom. The outcomes go far beyond music: self-belief, agency, teamwork, discipline and a renewed sense of belonging.

We also heard hard truths. Young people spoke about pressure, low mood, care experience, exclusion, the pull of street life, even time in custody – and how consistent, creative support helped them step away from what harms and towards what heals. The film reminds us this isn’t about statistics; it’s about lives – and about families and communities who feel the ripple effects of change.

As High Sheriff, with a theme of Hearing the Young Unheard, I left inspired and challenged in equal measure. Oxfordshire needs spaces where young people can be loud in the best possible way: places that channel energy into expression, build skills that last and turn “I can’t” into “I did.” We should listen carefully to what young people say they need and back organisations that prove, day after day, that creativity changes outcomes.

Huge congratulations to Kingsley, Sam and everyone at Inspire Sounds on this next chapter. The new space looks brilliant, the turnout said it all, and the future sounds very, very promising.

PS: Sam’s film is a gem. If you get the chance to see it, do.