“At Out Loud Music we provide high quality inclusive alternative learning, engagement, volunteer and employment opportunities. We use live music, production, podcasting, radio, workshops and more to inspire people through the arts.”
Out Loud Music is a not-for-profit organisation set up by director Joe Bailey in 2014. Initially the focus of the company was to engage and inspire young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities through the use of music technology.
Over the next two years the organisation developed and focused its non-formal education output to both Young People and Adults with SEND and/or Mental Health Issues. In 2016, with the aid of a £40k grant from Biffa Award and match funding from the Labour Group, ‘The Smokehouse’ was built; a small but highly specced community music and media venue which doubled up as a live entertainment and concert venue in the evenings and weekends.
Through The Smokehouse, we help deliver over 100 events per year and work with over 100 volunteers a year. In 2019 we were approached by Arts Council England and Sound City Liverpool to run a multi-venue music festival called Sounds City Ipswich in both 2019 and 2021.
Over recent years we have secured funding of £296k through a The National Lottery Reaching Communities Funding, further diversifying our offer with more grass roots youth community engagement, youth offending and marginalised groups. We also deliver an adult learning offer for Suffolk County Council and have grants and great relationships with Children In Need, Youth Music, Arts Council England and Suffolk Community Foundation.
The next phase of development for Out Loud Music has been to pass over the live musical output to our partner organisation Sounds East CIC as we concentrate more again on youth engagement, SEND and mental health projects.
Our Directors
Joe Bailey
Joe has been director of Out Loud Music since 2014 and responsible for many successful grant applications building OLM from a turnover of £10k pa to over £140k. Joe has been teaching young people from challenging backgrounds and with SEN since 2009 working with organisations such as Noise Solution, Ipswich Community Media and Kick! Music Schools as well as being a freelance guitar tutor. Joe also created iSounds, an award winning adult SEN/Mental Health project and won tutor of the year at the Suffolk Adult Learner Awards. Joe’s drive to create new and exciting projects for disadvantaged people and his adaptability and skilled tuition makes him a valuable member of the board. Joe is also Director of Brighten The Corners Festival.
Jay Goodrich
Jay has over 15 years of teaching experience with young people with additional needs. He is director of another not for profit company called Wikid Workshops who engage young people and adults with SEN through more traditional music making. Wikid have been running workshops for over 7 years. Jay has a natural charisma that makes working with groups engaging, exciting and fun. Jay is proficient on many instruments as well as tech savvy so is a great asset to the teaching team as well as the board.
Marcus Neal
Marcus worked for the Arts Council NPO ‘The New Wolsey Theatre’ for 5 years before coming to Out Loud Music. Marcus brings a wealth of management and administration skills from his previous job. Marcus is responsible for budget control and spending on each project as well as seeking new funding opportunities, while also being the main programmer for Brighten The Corners Festival and Brighten The Corners Presents, bringing a multitude of brillaint talent from all around the globe to Ipswich.
