WORKSHOPS THAT ENGAGE AND INSPIRE

Our workshops encourage inward reflection as a key to self-expression, helping young people explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a fun and supportive environment. We provide tools to navigate feelings early in a young persons development, making self-discovery engaging and accessible.

Designed to be enjoyable yet meaningful, our sessions encourage creativity through songwriting, music production, and performance. Participants connect with their emotions, experiment freely, and grow without judgment.

Those who engage deeply become part of a caring community, creating work that reflects their personal journey. Music serves as a mirror, helping young people understand themselves and embrace their evolving identity.

Bespoke Workshops Tailored To You

Tailored Content: Workshops are crafted to align with your specific objectives—whether it's confidence-building, emotional expression, or skill development through music.

Flexible Delivery: Sessions can be delivered on-site at your location or hosted in one of our fully equipped professional studios.

Expert Mentors: All workshops are led by experienced mentors with exceptional skills in music, youth engagement, and creative development.

ENQUIRE ABOUT OUR WORKSHOPS

Grangetown boys & girls

Our Grangetown project has been one of the most rewarding chapters of the Silkfutures journey. Nathan and Liam kicked things off by giving the downstairs studio a full makeover, creating a fresh, welcoming space where young people could feel inspired and proud of their environment.

With demand growing quickly, we decided to split our mentoring team — one engineer stayed at the Grangetown studio to work hands-on with recording and production, while the other mentor took a group to our Cardiff Bay studio to broaden their experience and creative network.

The results were incredible. We saw young people finding their voice, building confidence, and forming genuine friendships through music. Some, like Amari, discovered a passion for studio engineering, which we were able to support through extra learning opportunities.

A number of participants went on to perform at the Cardiff Music Conference, while others have since been referred directly onto our ongoing programmes, continuing their personal and creative growth.

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ST MELLONS YOUTH CLUB

Over the past eight weeks, Kaylum and Isaak have led a transformative journey for young people through our latest music programme. Both began their own creative paths as mentees within Silkfutures and have now stepped forward as young mentors, guiding a new generation with the same passion and encouragement that once inspired them.

In the early weeks, they ran writing workshops that helped participants find their voice, build confidence, and express real-life experiences through lyrics and storytelling. As the course progressed, the group moved into the studio, bringing their words to life in professional recording sessions.

The results spoke for themselves — the sessions were vibrant, supportive, and full of breakthrough moments. The young people bonded closely, pushing each other creatively while celebrating every win together.

For Kaylum, returning to his local youth club as a mentor was especially powerful. Once a participant there himself, he stood as a positive role model, showing what growth, consistency, and belief can achieve.

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Cardiff West High School - Gloves are off

In December 2024 Silkfutures had the privilege of collaborating with The Gloves Are On charity, led by Soraya Kelly, to conduct a transformative six-week rap music course at Cardiff West Community High School. This initiative aimed to introduce students to the art of rap, emphasizing creative writing as a powerful tool for self-expression and emotional processing.
Throughout the program, students engaged in various workshops that fostered their understanding of rap music and honed their creative writing skills. They were encouraged to pen their own rap verses, culminating in recording sessions using professional studio equipment. The project's success was evident in the students' feedback, with one participant expressing, "I feel like I've found a new way to express myself," and another noting, "Writing rap verses helped me understand my feelings better."
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Soraya Kelly and The Gloves Are On charity for making this project possible. Their commitment to inclusivity and community support has profoundly impacted the lives of these young individuals, providing them with a creative outlet and a deeper understanding of their emotions.

ACT OCEAN PARK ACADEMY - NATIONAL THEATRE WALES

Between September and December 2024, we had the incredible opportunity to work in partnership with National Theatre Wales at ACT Ocean Park Academy, engaging young people outside of mainstream education through the power of rap music.

To kick off the project, some of our mentors visited the academy, delivering a high-energy performance and an introductory workshop on rap music. From there, we set up a professional recording studio within the school, creating an accessible creative space where students could develop their skills.

Each week, we led workshops on creative writing, performance, and recording, encouraging young people to use rap as a tool for self-expression. As the project progressed, students gained confidence in their storytelling abilities, channeling their emotions and experiences into original music.

The project culminated in an exciting visit to Silkcrayon Studios, where participants had the opportunity to re-record their tracks in a professional environment. The final result? A complete EP, showcasing the talent and creativity of the students. The entire process was documented by filmmaker Gavin Porter, capturing the journey from classroom to studio.

Staff at ACT Ocean Park Academy were thrilled with the project's outcome, noting the high level of student engagement and the positive impact it had on their confidence and communication skills. We’re incredibly proud of what these young artists achieved and grateful to National Theatre Wales for helping bring this vision to life.

2022 SUMMER PROGRAMME

Summer of 2022, we teamed up with the awesome Jukebox Collective, a local music and dance charity that’s been doing amazing things in Cardiff for over 20 years. Together, we put together a special project for young people aged 12+ at Butetown Pavilion, where we set up a professional recording space for 2-hour collaborative studio sessions.

These sessions were all about bringing young people together to work with each other and our mentors on songwriting, recording, and building creative skills. The goal was to create a relaxed and supportive environment where everyone could experiment, learn, and collaborate.

What came out of the project was incredible—a small but close-knit community of young artists who really connected, not just during the sessions but also after, as many of them started collaborating on music outside the workshops. It was amazing to see the creativity and energy they brought, and we watched the growth of some really exciting new artists along the way.

It was such a rewarding experience, and we’re so proud of what these young people accomplished—many are now ready to keep pushing forward with their music, and we can't wait to see what they do next!