AudioActive have launched The Lab. A new studio space for free music workshops for 13 - 19yrs. Tuesdays:
DJing - Music Production
Wednesdays:
Rap & Freestyling
Thursdays:
Live Looping & Songwriting
Since we opened our doors in the Spring of 2009 we have been actively involved in providing high quality workshop experiences for young people. We have developed a longstanding relationship with AudioActive as well as The Urban Playground Team and individual artists, musicians, writers and illustrators. The young people working on these projects have produced some outstanding results including producing their own album, a permanent mural at The School Creative Centre and numerous showcases and productions.
Here's a brief overview of what's been going on...
Multidisciplinary Projects
The Rapdramatic team met up every Tuesday between 6 and 8pm. On Tuesday 12 April they made their first live broadcast on ustream.
The Rapdramatic
For one intensive week in the summer of 2010, young people worked alongside an outstanding team of professional artists to create and produce a brand new show. Performers worked with AudioActive's rap maestro Jon Clark, or street dance impresario Makoto. Set design involved street art with Luke Brabants, film and digital projections were with Alice Ross. Vocals and sound technology with Ollie Finn provided the soundtrack, and production management was headed up by Sound engineer Taff from Illuminate Design. Workshops culminated in a full-scale live performance called 'I DREAM' on the Friday evening.
Bayeaux Rapestry
Young people worked with AudioActive's Jon Clark and Ollie Finn on rap, beatbox and sound technology, culminating in producing a Music Video.
Performing Arts
Performance Parkour
The first workshop we did with The Urban Playground team was in the Spring of 2010. The 1 day intensive went down a storm, with the guys really keen to come back for more.
The Urban Playground Team came back to us for a series of workshops in the autumn of 2010. This lead to a short action film that was showcased as part of Access all Areas at the De La Warr Pavillion.
Visual Arts
Graphic Novel - Memories Project
In partnership with Rye College students and Julian Hanshaw, we have produced a Graphic Novel based on stories and memories associated with Freda Gardham School.
Mural Commission
In July 2010 Bee and Nooshi kindly took up the challenge to transform the rather dull space outside our auditorium with a mural. With just a few days work, they produced this Manga inspired piece featuring (nearly) everyone from the school, not least the infamous dogs!
Graphic Art Workshops
During the easter holidays 2010, young people worked with Julian Hanshaw (who's new works were featured in Rye Art Gallery) to create their own, ready to frame, large artwork.
Graphic Novel Masterclass In the Autumn of 2009 Award winning graphic novelist Julian Hanshaw ran a day long masterclass. a broad range of students learned how to select and visualise the dramatic moments in a story to create their own comic strip. This masterclass is a potential forerunner to a 12 week course to produce a bound collection of illustrated short stories.
The first year - 2009
Street
First off was a Performance Showcase in June 2009 to co-incide with our large scale theatre production Class and Corruption. Top artists from AudioActive's Hip Hop Foundation in Brighton including UK DMC finalists Surgical Cuts and Hines (Slip Jam B) ran masterclasses for all levels in Hastings and Rye and culminated in 10 minute Platform Performances. We proved there was an apetite for this type of work, and we were able to keep running workshops in rye for Rap, Music Technology and Dance. We had another showcase '2nd Street' in December. Many of the young people that joined these initial workshops are still with us today.
Get Creative
In the Summer of 2009 we hosted our first summer programme of activities for young people in Rother in partnership with the Youth Development Service. We offered an exciting range of free activities for young people from 12 to 16 years including Aerial Skills, Street Art, Film making, Weaving and Graphic Novel.
B&R Productions Ltd 2011 
