Creating connections through music

Being part of a community is one of the strongest drivers of good mental health. We thrive when we feel connected to others and supported by those around us. But in many of the settings we work in, opportunities for connection are often in short supply.

Social isolation is an increasingly serious issue across society. In prisons, where people experience long periods of confinement, the impact is even greater. That lack of connection has a negative effect on our health and wellbeing. 

This Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re highlighting how collaborative music projects can help build supportive communities where they are needed the most.

Music as a catalyst for community

When a Finding Rhythms project begins, most participants haven’t met our team or even each other. Particularly in prison settings, that unfamiliarity often comes with understandable scepticism and guardedness at the start of a project. That all changes through the music-making process.

Our musicians create a space that’s safe, respectful and non-judgemental. Everyone is encouraged to take part and share their stories, no matter their experience or ability. That shared vulnerability, and the collective goal of creating an album together, quickly breaks down barriers.

By the end of the project, people who walked in as strangers leave as a community with a shared purpose and a shared album of music.

Case study: HMP Bristol

At HMP Bristol, we partnered with the team at substance misuse charity Change Grow Live to deliver a one-week project. In just a few days, a group of strangers formed a tight bond, supporting each other to share their hopes, fears and pasts, and shaping those experiences into a full original album.

One standout track, Man Down, focused on men’s mental health and the strength found in supporting one another. The song is six minutes long because every member of the group had something to say with their own verse, opening up about their personal struggles. One of the closing lines summarised the project: “Shine a light on us. Listen to our stories when we’re down and out of luck.”

The group described the brotherhood they’d formed in such a short time. One participant reflected: “That support I experienced in the room is something I’ve very rarely experienced in my life.” Another said, “I feel like I’m now accepted by my peers.”

Why does community matter?

The link between poor mental health, trauma and contact with the criminal justice system is well established. What’s often missing is a meaningful opportunity for connection. Music creates space for people to listen to one another, to express themselves and to feel heard.

An independent evaluation of our prison projects by the University of Sussex found that our projects strengthen social bonds among residents, improves wellbeing and reduces interpersonal conflict.

In an evaluation of our 2024 projects in prisons and in the community:

• 97% of participants said our project helped them build positive relationships
• 98% of participants reported feeling more positive after completing a course

Partner with us

If you’re commissioning programmes that build connection, boost wellbeing and support mental health, get in touch.