The Context
Gillespie Landscapes is a local landscaping business based in Bangor, County Down. Having operated for over 20 years, they have been improving gardens and providing complete renovations across a wide variety of projects throughout Northern Ireland.
Panarts was formed in 1992 and since then have created and delivered arts programmes both at home and abroad. In Northern Ireland they have formed many successful working partnerships including the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Department of Education, schools, community groups, minority ethnic groups, businesses, professional music industry bodies, songwriters, artists, arts organisations and public bodies in every NI council area.
Gillespie Landscapes are committed to helping things grow. They are also avid music lovers, and wanted to find a way to help support local musicians to reach their full potential. A partnership with Panarts was the perfect way to fulfil their goals...
The Solution
Over the years the owner of Gillespie Landscapes has attended many of Panarts annual events including the festival and Panarts Young Songwriter of the Year in Belfast, showcasing concerts in Nashville at Bluebird Café, Belmont University and NECAT television studio. He loves music, and has been a long-time follower of Panarts; he was particularly impressed with Forestside’s approach to nurturing talent and giving young musicians a platform to showcase original music and to develop their careers in the music industry. Following a trip to Nashville, he was blown away by the talent, but he was also very struck by the reality of being a performer and playing without payment, other than tips, in the hope of being picked up by an agent or label.
The partners share a common vision, to nurture, be that plants or new musical talent. They decided to develop a project, utilising matched funding from Arts & Business NI, entitled ‘Let it Grow….From Seed to Song’ which would begin in winter and end in springtime, when new growth is all around and new music could blossom as well. New songs, like plants, have to start as a small seed of an idea, and there are a number of stages before it blossoms.
The project will include three songwriters who will each write two new songs. Panarts will help nurture and advise the writers as they develop their songs through a number of important stages of growth: developing the Creative Idea – the Seed of the Song, Rehearsal of the Song, Musical Arrangement, Rehearsal with Musicians, Recording the Demo in a professional studio, Filming of Music Video, Social Media and Radio Campaigns and Live Performance.
This new partnership with Panarts has enabled Gillespie Landscapes to give something back, and to support young local talent. The music videos will be filmed in outdoor locations, chosen in collaboration with Gillespie Landscapes, showcasing beautiful trees and plants with lots of vibrant colours and new growth - this will highlight the importance of having green spaces around our city.
“Being an avid supporter of the Northern Ireland music scene, I have followed Panarts and the artists they work with for a couple of years now.
I wanted to sponsor this year, and when the concept of ‘Let it Grow from Seed to Song’ was discussed with Colin and Anne I automatically loved the idea. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with selected local artists and being part of a programme which shows the behind the scenes concept of songs development from the initial pen to paper stage right through to the recorded track.”
Colin Gillespie, Gillespie Landscapes
“We've set a challenge for the three songwriters to write two new songs each, and we're going to follow the process from seed to song. It's so important to Panarts, and to the writers, that Gillespie Landscapes and Arts & Business NI are willing to support creativity in Northern Ireland."
Colin Magee, Panarts Director
"We're focused on trying to encourage more people to write songs and to get involved in the arts. When the new songs are created, we'll have funds to pay for recording and filming of the new music so that we can share 'Let it Grow...from Seed to Song' with the public on social media and in a concert."
Anne Coulter, Panarts Manager
