At Britten Pears Arts, we believe in the transformative power of music, not just as an art form, but as a force for wellbeing, connection, and social change. Through dynamic cross-sector collaborations and artist-led initiatives, we’re working to embed music more deeply into everyday life, celebrating its role in building a more connected and resilient society.

At the heart of our work is a commitment to collaboration and learning. We foster partnerships across disciplines to share knowledge, co-create solutions, and amplify impact. Our artist development programmes, residencies, and peer learning opportunities support artists in socially engaged contexts, strengthening the creative workforce and ensuring communities benefit from inclusive, responsive, and high-quality artistic experiences.

We cultivate spaces for reflection, innovation, and leadership through a range of initiatives that support the development of creative health. Our ThinkTanks bring together artists, researchers, and professionals from diverse sectors to explore pressing issues and spark new ideas. Musician retreats offer time for rest and creative renewal, while our Spark one-day conferences ignite dialogue across disciplines. Through tailored leadership programmes, we empower artists and practitioners to grow their confidence, influence, and capacity to lead change.

Our work is grounded in a commitment to exploring the most urgent themes shaping music and society today, diversity, equity, and inclusive practice. By fostering meaningful partnerships and facilitating rich knowledge exchange, we create opportunities for shared learning and innovation. What sets our approach apart is a dedication to artistic quality, ensuring that our initiatives are both distinctive and socially relevant. Through this interconnected work, we aim to generate lasting impact and build a more compassionate, creative society.

Focus on ThinkTanks

Britten Pears Arts ThinkTanks are structured yet informal gatherings designed to spark interdisciplinary dialogue, creative thinking, and collaborative problem-solving around specific themes or societal issues related to music. These spaces bring together diverse voices to explore complex cultural questions in a safe, generative environment, encouraging radical imagination and open exchange.

By breaking down silos between disciplines and sectors, our ThinkTanks lay the groundwork for future research, partnerships, and projects with real-world impact.

Some examples include:

A ThinkTank on Young Musicians 

Next Up: Music, Migration and Displacement 

Our upcoming ThinkTank, developed in partner