Our highly trained team of professional musicians and dancers create inclusive learning and performance environments where people with a wide range of additional support needs can come together to develop new skills, socialise and realise their potential.
Holistic, person-specific support is at the heart of our inclusive practice, offered to all those involved.
Through group workshops and one-to-one mentoring sessions we aim to improve teamwork and communication, raise and fulfill people’s creative aspirations, develop their skills and provide flexible and sustainable pathways to lifelong participation in the arts.
Beat It
See also: lifelong learning, Participatory, Creative Learning, ASN.
Beat It welcomes adults of all musical abilities, providing an opportunity to ‘jam’ and learn to play musical instruments whilst socialising and meeting new friends in an inclusive setting.
Workshops are designed to support participants in experimenting with music- making, as well as with singing, song-writing and spoken word. In turn, participants build confidence in their own musical abilities and work together towards regular performances throughout the year.
M3 Make Music Move
See also: lifelong learning, Participatory, Creative Learning, ASN.
M3 is an inclusive dance and music programme aimed at teenagers with additional support needs. The aim is to encourage movement, creativity and, more importantly, to make friends and have fun!
The programme is led by trained, professional musicians and dancers, delivered through monthly one-off workshops and intensive workshop weeks in school holidays. All participants are encouraged and supported to contribute to the creation of new contemporary dance and music compositions, with a view to producing regular live performances throughout the year.
SPiN
SPiN is an inclusive dance programme designed for young disabled people (12-18yrs)
SPiN has developed out of Paragon’s adult dance group M3 who perform all over Scotland. They will be on hand to support the young dancers to get into their grooves in the amazing Dance Studio at Platform
Teas and coffees are available for parents and carers.
Sessions runs on Saturday afternoons, 1-2pm at Platform Theatre, 1000 Westerhouse Rd, Glasgow, G34 9JW
Mindful Drumming
See also: lifelong learning, Participatory, Creative Learning, ASN, Online.
Mindful Drumming is an inclusive programme of creative music-making with drums and percussion, focused on mental health and wellbeing for adults.
Sessions are built around the playing of rhythmic sounds and an approach designed to support participants in experimenting with music and instruments, building confidence in their own musical abilities.
Letting Go is Paragon’s programme of relaxing Online yoga and mindfulness sessions for participants, carers, parents, family members and Paragon staff.
The class has been designed to be open and accessible to everyone and is suitable for people who either prefer to sit down or stand up. The focus is on breath work, mindfulness, and gentle stretching. The class can also be enjoyed together with carers, parents and family members.
GIG Get in (the) Groove
See also: lifelong learning, Participatory, Creative Learning, ASN.
GIG is an inclusive music-making programme for adults across Dumfries and Galloway, run in partnership with Leonard Cheshire, Theatre Royal Dumfries, the Dumfries Baptist Church Centre and The Millennium Centre in Stranraer and with support from Third Sector Dumfries & Galloway.
GIG provides a unique opportunity to ‘jam’ and develop songs together in a social and inclusive setting, with regular performances throughout the year. Workshops are designed to support participants in experimenting with music and musical instruments, as well as with singing, song-writing and spoken word.
Resonate
See also: lifelong learning, Participatory, Creative Learning, ASN.
Resonate is an exciting, inclusive music-making project for young people (15 to 25yrs) in Dumfries, Newton Stewart, Stranraer and Kirkkudbright.
Resonate is a place to meet new friends and enjoy creating and exploring music, dance and visual art whilst contributing to regular performances.
https://www.paragon-music.org/resonate-dumfries-and-galloway
Sonnet
See also: lifelong learning, Participatory, Creative Learning, ASN.
Sonnet is an inclusive music programme for young aspiring singer-songwriters (12 to 18yrs).
Participants work together in small groups with the support of Paragon’s professional team of songwriters and instrumentalists. They are guided and encouraged to create songs and lyrics, and to bring in their own ideas to be worked into finished pieces by the group.
Sessions are now taking place in person at the Paragon office at the CCA.
Stride
See also: lifelong learning, Participatory, Creative Learning, ASN
Stride is a Paragon band of diverse musicians who meet regularly for Sunday evening workshops at Berkeley 2 Studios. The group create their own music in different styles, incorporating the skills of individual group members, with a focus on live performance.
Paragon is committed to finding opportunities for young adults with additional support needs to gain experience in creating their own work, meeting other artists and performing to new audiences. Paragon help to remove barriers and support participants’ musical journeys to enable them to begin a career in the music industry.
Tune
See also: Primary, Participatory, Creative Learning, ASN.
Tune is a programme of fun and inclusive music sessions for young people (6-12yrs) with additional support needs.
Sessions are conducted as both group workshops and one-to-one, as required, and are open to all abilities – often culminating in a group performance. Tune gives everyone the chance to be immersed in high quality music. Paragon’s team of top professional tutors teach: keyboard; guitar; bass; percussion; saxophone; as well as singing and songwriting.
Family members of any age can join in too and experience the fun of playing music in a supportive and fun atmosphere.
Track
See also: lifelong learning, Participatory, Creative Learning, ASN.
Track offers accessible music and dance workshops for disabled people aged 18+ who are currently enrolled, or alumni of, New College Lanarkshire.
Running in at NCL campuses in Motherwell and Cumbernauld, Track Workshops are inclusive and accessible – led by professionally trained Paragon musicians and dancers who specialise in supporting people with a range of access requirements.
Groove Artist Development Programme
See also: lifelong learning, Participatory, Creative Learning, ASN, CPD.
Groove (formerly Horizons) is an artist development programme for aspiring musicians and dancers.
Groove Offers:
- One-to-one creative mentoring with an experienced Paragon practitioner, paired to suit the participants’ creative ambitions.
- Access to group music and dance workshops designed to build participant confidence and connect with other emerging artists
- The chance to be part of a group of emerging artists who meet regularly to connect, collaborate, and share ideas.
- Performance and recording opportunities to get work to support and guidance to access funding and development opportunities, and collaborations with artists organisations to further expand participants’ creative journey.
Groove is for anyone who has faced barriers to accessing the arts in Scotland, looking for a platform for their creativity. You don’t need any prior
experience of music, dance or art to join – Groove is open and accessible for anyone aged 18+.
SAMPLE
Sample is a personalised one-to-one mentoring programme for young people
(12-18yrs) with additional support needs, offering a chance to experience what a life in the arts could be like when school ends.
Paragon’s highly trained music and dance practitioners help participants to develop a tailored programme of activity that could include songwriting, music, dance, or creative production – anything goes! Participants will gain industry-leading knowledge and performance experience – allowing them to experiment, learn, and develop a clearer picture of where a future in the arts could take them.