All Regions

Musicians wield powerful tools for strengthening diplomatic relations: their instruments.

When I received the news that, through an exchange program, I could spend four months at Zumix (a creative youth development program in Boston, Massachusetts, USA), I checked their website. I read the phrase “Powered by Youth” and thought, “Sure, it sounds good, but it’s probably just a catchy motto.”

But when I arrived in Boston and attended my first Zumix event, a Sunday evening concert at a local park, I realized those words were true.

In the world of arts education, we often discuss the importance of creating engaging, transformative experiences for young people. However, the challenge lies in ensuring that these experiences lead to lasting positive change. How can teaching artists not only foster creativity but also help students grow emotionally and socially? The answer may lie in positive psychology, a field dedicated to enhancing human wellbeing and potential.

Music has the power to transform lives, strengthen communities, and challenge the systems that shape them—but what does that transformative process actually look like? For the past five years, The Lewis Prize for Music (TLPM) has been addressing this question by supporting organizations that harness music’s power to uplift and empower young people. 

Leeds Beckett University and Musicians Without Borders are collaborating to run a five-day training (June 9–13) for musicians interested in using their skills to support individuals affected by war and armed conflict.

Carnegie Hall has some new online resources we think our readers will like. And, best of all, they’re free!

Sirkhane Social Circus is more than just a place to learn circus skills—it is a sanctuary of joy, healing, and creative expression for children who have endured the trauma of war, displacement, and social instability. Based in Mardin, Turkey, near the Syrian border, Sirkhane provides a safe and nurturing environment where children from diverse backgrounds—Syrian, Turkish, Iraqi, and Kurdish—come together to learn, perform, and play.

Zad, a new funding initiative from the cultural organization Ettijahat, will support Arab artists in reaching new audiences across Europe.

Our partners at El Sistema USA recently launched an invaluable resource for students.