The Roundhouse: how the arts are the lifeblood of community and inspiring leaders.

Listening to @bbc6music coverage and festival at the famous Roundhouse in Camden brings a tear to my eye.

What an iconic venue.

Many moons ago, as a young, clueless 20 something I worked for the incredible Elizabeth Lynch at the Roundhouse. Back when the building was not even open, with an inspiring team who where setting it up/running it out of some offices in Kentish Town.

Elizabeth was establishing the Roundhouse Creative Studios that is now a cemented part of Camden and has changed many young creative lives. I assisted on a musical hip-hop project as well as in the office… and yes, I got the t-shirt with the (shows how old) original logo!

Since then the Roundhouse has been a marker for my career and time in London. As I moved to London, I was lucky enough to see Fuerza Bruta (my first experience of contemporary circus theatre) open the venue then the Sir Ken Robinson speak at The State of Play music education conference, making me think twice about how I can campaign for creativity influencing me to train as a teacher,

Elizabeth now has (quite rightly) an MBE for her work. Hearing, on BBC 6, the musicians that have accessed the Roundhouse studios and are now fully working musicians I cannot help but reflect on the power of the arts in the community to change the futures of its young people. I have seen it time and time again through my work and hope it is something that the next generations of Elizabeth’s never forget.

Check out Elizabeth Lynch and her many exciting projects: https://artscatalyst.org/artist/elizabeth-lynch

@BBC6Music @RoundhouseLDN @nefertiti35