PEACEPLUS music project Turn Up the Volume for Equality launches in Donegal

A new PEACEPLUS project called Turn Up the Volume for Equality has been launched in Donegal.

The two-year project, delivered by Póca Productions in association with Regional Cultural Centre and Donegal County Council, aims to bring aspiring musicians aged 18 and over together throughout Donegal and the border region.

Eligible participants will get the chance to attend one of a series of music production residential weekends, linked to the Celtic calendar. The project aims to foster a sense of social inclusion by bringing together participants from diverse backgrounds. Over the course of the two years, the project aims to involve between 100 to 125 musicians of all levels and backgrounds.

The residencies, which will be spread across the five municipal districts in Donegal, will connect participants through collaboration on projects. Participants will gain practical tools and knowledge in a series of workshops on music production, song writing and live performance. They will learn skills such as home recording and remote collaboration, and will be informed on performance etiquette, audio equipment and health and safety during live performance.

A total of 27 participants will take part in the first residency in Dunfanaghy from January 23-25. They will collaborate on a piece of music on the theme of Imbolc, the ancient Irish festival marking the beginning of spring.

Turn Up the Volume for Equality is a project by Póca Productions, run by Camilla Meegan and Kieran Kelly. Póca Productions specialise in training public and private sector clients in the skills necessary to produce professional video and audio content using the technology and software available in a smartphone.

Camilla said: “Music is a powerful tool that transcends language barriers and can facilitate interpersonal connection and understanding. Póca Productions are delighted to have the opportunity to bring our wonderful music facilitators to musicians of all levels and experience throughout Donegal and the border region. We hope the participants of this programme will enjoy the process and the opportunity to work creatively in a group; make new connections and have some craic along the way!”

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Turn Up the Volume Equality for was officially launched at the CoLab at the ATU Donegal campus in Letterkenny. The launch was opened with an address from Laura Mannion, Marketing and Communications Officer at the Regional Cultural Centre. Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Paul Canning, was also in attendance to address attendees.

This programme is one of 32 PEACEPLUS programmes managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and is part of Donegal’s PEACEPLUS Local Action Plan. The plan is providing €7,635,395 in funding to support the delivery of peacebuilding projects over the next two years, from 2025 to 2027.

If you are interested in attending a Turn Up the Volume for Equality residency, contact camilla@pocaproductions.ie 

For more information, visit the Póca Productions website 

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