Dive into the socio-artistic
On December 7, 2022, Ha Concerts, as coordinating partner, joined forces with PLAY GROUND and HOGENT for an inspiring conference day in Ghent, as part of the international research project Music for Social Impact.
Musicians, cultural workers, researchers, and students came together around one central question: how can music really make a difference in the lives of children and young people in vulnerable situations?
Play Ground
International Conference - the Social Impact of Music Making
10:00 Tickets
The day offered a rich mix of keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, and music. Dr. Gillian Howell (University of Melbourne) opened with poignant stories from post-war areas, after which Belgian musicians such as Hilde Declercq and Thomas Noël translated these stories into our own context.
Researchers Dr. Anemone van Zijl and Dr. An De Bisschop also shared the initial results of their international study into the practices and beliefs of musicians in social-artistic projects.
In the afternoon, participants immersed themselves in practical workshops on the dynamics of social impact and the emotional challenges of participatory working. The conference ended with a sparkling concert by Mais Quelle Chanson and a networking reception, where new ideas and collaborations were born.
With this conference, PLAY GROUND confirmed its role as a European learning platform: a place where knowledge, practice, and inspiration come together to make music projects more inclusive and powerful.
PLAY GROUND was coordinated by Ha Concerts (BE) in partnership with East Norway Jazz Centre (NO), Banlieues Bleues (FR), TAM (IT), and Fapte (RO), and is sponsored by EACEA – the European Education & Culture Executive Agency.
