Project is drumming up support for award
European honour for The Buddy Beat
A music project for people with mental health issues is up for a top award.
The Buddy Beat is one of the finalists for the Amateo Award for exceptional participatory arts projects in Europe.
Well known throughout Renfrewshire, The Buddy Beat is a drumming group based in Johnstone.
It meets every week and aims to improve mental health and social inclusion.
The group supports members by helping them gain confidence in both their artistic and personal skills.
The Buddy Beat also takes music to others and often performs at conferences, events, and helps combat isolation and loneliness in older people.
Tom Chalmers, a member who also helps lead the group, said: “In 2008 I was a lost soul.
“I knew something had to change, having considered myself at the end of the line.
“The music let me leave my worries at the door, giving me the first peace in many years.
“As the weeks turned into months, I found that the things lost to me – self-confidence, selfworth, friendship – were returning bit by bit.
“After a while I was asked how I had found being part of the group and I replied ‘ It’s the one place where I can be me’.
“The Buddy Beat saved my life in no short measure and also opened it outwards, giving me the empowerment of performance, giving me back my creativity, and leading me into volunteering and employment.”
Judges of the Amateo Award selected the project as one of five finalists from 42 projects from 16 different countries that entered.
The panel were impressed with the positive impact The Buddy Beat has had on the quality of life of the participants, noting:“It has nurtured mental wellbeing, grown their confidence and created a real sense of belonging and support.
“Their public performances add to both their enjoyment as well as showing the rest of the world how active participation in arts can have a positive effect.”
Dr Jane Bentley, The Buddy Beat’s co- founder and musical director, said: “We’re over the moon to be shortlisted – we’re a very small project with a big vision about the potential of the arts in creating human wellbeing – if this helps just one person to find the courage to go and try something new, then it’s worth it.”
Aled Rhys-Jones, former Amateo president and member of the judging panel, said the range of projects was startlingly diverse from established large- scale events involving thousands of participants, to innovative, new, first- time- out projects led by individuals.
“I was amazed by the breadth of diverse applications and it was very gratifying for the jury to have such a breadth of high quality applications to consider,” he added.
The five shortlisted projects represent exceptional work from Denmark, Slovenia, Belgium, Netherlands and, of course, Scotland.
All five will be represented at the announcement of the winner on May 10 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, as part of the Amateo Conference.
We are over the moon to be shortlisted. We’re a small project with a big vision. Dr Bentley