Live Music Programme: Hospital Sessions, Open Call for Musicians

Introduction

An audio version, and a download, of this open call is available at the bottom of the page.

Newcastle Hospitals Charity Arts Programme is recruiting a cohort of musicians and performers to regularly contribute to our new initiative Hospital Sessions; a programme of regular live music performances and participatory music-making activities across Newcastle Hospitals (including the RVI, Freeman and Great North Children’s Hospital) to engage patients, staff and visitors.

Listening to music and participating in music-making has been proven to have positive effects on our health and wellbeing, with research demonstrating the effects of music on elevating mood, improving memory and cognitive function, reducing stress, anxiety and blood pressure, having anti-inflammatory effects and enhancing our immune systems.

We are now starting to understand the huge health benefits music can have from providing relief from persistent pain, reducing postnatal depression and improving parent-infant interaction and health, supporting linguistic recovery for Stroke patients, improving motor skills in Parkinson’s patients and alleviating distress in Alzheimer’s patients.

This is an exciting opportunity for musicians to regularly work with Newcastle Hospitals Charity to support patients, staff and visitors through the sharing of live music in our hospitals; aiming to support wellbeing, aid recovery, and to provide comfort and distraction. The opportunity is ideally suited to musicians who take a person-centred approach and enjoy engaging diverse groups of people and communities in their work.

Key Information

Dates: Winter 2024-Spring 2025 (with potential for continuation for 2025-26)
Artist fee: £60 per hour / £300 per day equivalent
Time commitment: 2 x 3hrs sessions per month (split over 2 days)
Deadline for application: Monday 2^nd September, 11am
Interviews / auditions: Thursday 19^th September
Information event: Wednesday 14^th August, 6pm (online)
Training dates: Tuesday 5^th November, 1pm-5pm; Thursday 14^th November: 9am-5pm

Brief

We are seeking musicians to form part of a new cohort to deliver unique and engaging live music performances, singing and music-making activities for patients, staff, and visitors across Newcastle Hospitals.

Hospital Sessions will be delivered across hospital sites (RVI and Freeman), with sessions taking place in different spaces, including a variety of departments, wards, at bedsides, in day rooms and in public waiting areas and thoroughfares. Performances could be to large or small groups or on a one-to-one basis.

Musicians will visit different wards and departments during each session, delivering performances to multiple audience groups (adults, children and young people) with different needs. Musicians will need to be flexible, adapt to changing situations and be sensitive to shifts in environment.

We are looking to recruit a cohort of musicians who we will work with on a regular basis. Selected musicians will undertake a training programme before beginning work in the hospitals. Musicians selected for the cohort will be offered regular sessions each month (average 2 per month), as well as one-off ad-hoc opportunities to perform or interact with our programme.

We are also interested in collaborating with musicians to develop bespoke one-off music programmes that are specific to patient need and recovery aimed at improving specific health outcomes.

We’re looking for a range a musical styles and genres, and for musicians who are confident and proficient with their chosen instrument(s), have a wide repertoire of music and can adapt to changing audiences and environments. We’re looking for musicians who have a minimal set-up and can move to different spaces in the hospital with ease.

This is an opportunity for musicians who enjoy engaging with diverse groups of people and communities in their work. We welcome interaction and participation with audiences and would encourage a responsive and person-centred approach from musicians working in the hospitals.

This is an exciting opportunity for musicians to support patients, staff and visitors through the sharing of live music in hospitals, to support wellbeing, aid recovery, helping to entertain and relax, bring joy, provide comfort and distraction. We do not require you to have experience of working in health or care settings previously, but a desire for this to be part of your future practice.

Proposed Timeline

Summer 2024	Application process
Autumn 2024	Interviews / Auditions Appointment and pre-employment checks
Winter 2024/25	Musician training programme – 3.5 days
Winter 2024 – Onwards	Commence regular timetable – circa 2 x sessions per month (split over 2 days) per musician

Please note timelines are subject to change.

Please note we estimate that musicians will be offered an average of 2 sessions per month (although not always guaranteed and structure may change depending on Ward availability). This timetable will run until March 2025 and then be reviewed for the next year running April 2025 – March 2026.

Musician Fees

This is a freelance role the rate is: £300 per day, equivalent to £60 per hour.
Musician fees will include paid time for:

Training: 3.5 days = £1,050
Planning and Meetings: 1 day = £300
Evaluation: 0.5 day = £180
Monthly sessions: 3 hr sessions x 2 sessions per month x 4 month period = £1,440

Total fee: £2,970 (up to end of March 2025)

The arrangement will be reviewed for the next year running April 2025 – March 2026, we aim to continue the programme throughout 2025-26 and continue our work with musicians.

Our fees have been developed using guidance from Musicians Union and via benchmarking across similar initiatives.

Person Specification

Musical ability

You must have experience of some kind of music-making – whether it’s playing an instrument, singing, using technology to create music or some kind of mixture of all of these – creating and performing music is something that you can do professionally and proficiently, and have a passion for.
Have your own musical identity, with excellent performance skills and technical musicianship.
We are looking for musicians from a range of musical genres and styles, that represent the demographic of the Northeast of England.
Can be individual performers, singers, duos, groups/ensembles (of up to 3 people max) but should have a wide and adaptable musical repertoire.
Have own instrument(s) to perform with and can play acoustically (or with a minimal amount of tech).
Are mobile; can set up, and pack down with relative ease and quickness to accommodate fast changing environment in hospitals and wards.

Creative ability

You can be flexible in your playing and are able to adapt depending on the response.
You are good at listening and reading the energy from groups/individuals.
You have an understanding of what a ‘person-centred’ approach is and the difference it makes to music-making. If you haven’t heard of this before, you are open to understanding this process.
Experience collaborating and engaging with a variety of diverse communities, groups and individuals in your work.

Communication skills

You understand how to adapt your communication style in sensitive situations, both verbally and non-verbally.

Interpersonal skills 

You can make people feel comfortable.
You have strong empathy and listening skills.
You can separate yourself from the response to your music.

Desire to learn 

You have a genuine interest in music in health/care settings and how it can benefit patient wellbeing.
You understand the value of gaining this knowledge.
You can see this as part of your future practice.

Admin

Have availability during weekdays (Mon-Fri) to deliver sessions and attend meetings.
Willingness to be DBS checked and undertake relevant employment checks.
Awareness of issues around access; safeguarding and working with vulnerable people; Health and Safety; Infection prevention control; and Equality, diversity and inclusion.
Musicians must be self-employed and have their own public liability insurance.
We are looking to primarily support musicians based in the Northeast of England.

How to apply

To apply please complete the online application form.

Online application form

You will need to include:

Information about your music practice.
Up to date musician CV.
Cover letter (Maximum 2 x A4 pages) outlining:
- Why you are interested in this role and working within healthcare.
- Your musical practice and approach, and how you would approach this opportunity and engage patients and staff.
- How your musical practice aligns with the role/person specification, highlighting any relevant previous experience.
Up to 5 direct links of audio/videos of previous relevant songs, work or performances.
Indication of your availability.

Alternative Format

The online form has the option to send your application in alternative formats (e.g. video or audio). If you need any additional support with submitting your application please contact the Arts Team on [email protected]

Deadline for applications

Monday 2^nd September, 11am.

Interview and Auditions

Will be held on Thursday 19^th September.

Online Information Event

Wednesday 14^th August, 6pm.

Join us for an online information session and chance to ask any questions about the role with Newcastle Hospitals Charity Arts Team. If you would like to attend the information session, please email the Arts Team on [email protected] to sign up.

Shortlisting process

Shortlisting will be undertaken by Katie Newell (Arts Programme Manager), Charlie Gregory (Arts Curator, Participation Programmes) and Matt Jones (Arts Officer, Live Participation Programmes).

Shortlisting criteria will include:

Experience – can be transferable (application and interview).
Musical practice, skill, style and identity (application and interview).
Engagement experience and person-centred approach (application and interview).
Flexibility and adaptability of practice to the health care environment (application and interview).
Knowledge of and commitment to benefits of music in Creative Health (application and interview).

Applicants who have been selected for interview will be contacted w/b 9^th September. Please note due to the high volume of applications, we regrettably cannot provide feedback to individual applicants.

About Newcastle Hospitals Charity

Newcastle Hospitals Charity is the official charity for Newcastle Hospitals, one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the UK with two of the world’s best hospitals, providing healthcare to communities across the North East. Hospitals includes the Royal Victoria Infirmary, the Freeman Hospital, the Great North Children’s Hospital, the Northern Centre for Cancer Care, Newcastle Dental Hospitals, Northern Genetics Service and many community services.

We go further for our hospitals to help deliver global excellence and local impact providing support for compassionate and innovative healthcare, education, and research including some of the best centres for children, heart and lung transplantation, genetics and cancer trials in the world.

We work in partnership with Newcastle Hospitals to complement the world-class healthcare services provided here and we proudly support patients, staff, and the wider hospital community by funding a range of initiatives – from cutting-edge cancer research to staff psychological support and vital improvements to the patient experience and environment.

Newcastle Hospitals Charity runs a creative arts programme that aims to enhance the wellbeing and recovery of patients and staff across Newcastle Hospitals. Our arts programme includes a range of initiatives to help engage patients and communities in the work of the hospitals and support the mental health and wellbeing of NHS staff.

Open call alternative formats

You can download all of this information as a Microsoft Word document by clicking on the download button, or listen to an audio version of the open call using the audio players below.

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