BlueJam is a social enterprise running a youth and inter-generational Music and Arts programme in Cumbria and London.

Our aim is to promote innovative, high-quality Music and Arts activity in an inclusive and socially constructive way.

We specialise in the creation of original music and art in a variety of genres, media and contexts.

A Heritage Young Roots Project

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BlueJam is thrilled to have been awarded 25,000 funding for a year-long project by the Heritage Lottery Fund. A group of young people have designed a project which will enable them to look in a creative and interactive way at the youth culture that people in this part of Cumbria experienced in the 40s and 50s. Using a combination of research techniques and practical workshops they will produce a valuable archive of material as well as presenting their research through an exhibition, with video, fashion, live music and living documentary performances. We are very happy to be working in collaboration with Penrith and Eden Museum where the final exhibition will be shown. There will be regular updates accessible through this site. Jessica Mills, Jilly Jarman, Bryony Jarman-Pinto, Jamie Trengrove, Mouse Day with Young Leaders from UCC and QEGS are leading this project. We also welcome Jenn and Laura to the team - arts graduates on an apprenticeship scheme at Theatre by the Lake and StoryTree.

Notes from meeting at the BlueJam Showcase event, Eden Rural Foyer.

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Vintage Contemporary Workshop at Brougham Hall Free Festival

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This was our first public event and the purpose was to show what we are trying to do with this project and model it in a small pilot.

Working with four members of the young team we had preparatory meetings in preparation for going into Coldsprings Residential home and talking to some of the people who live there. We prepared a set of questions (click here) and took audio and video equipment along.

It was a great afternoon, where we were able to talk with some inspiring people who were really generous with their memories and gave us lots of information. We then made a soundtrack combining their voices with some clips from the music they mentioned and put it into a puppet we made. This was used as a way of bringing younger children into a workshop space where they could pick a memory printed on slips of paper from the puppet and draw images inspired by the memories. These were then made into silhouettes and inserted into lanterns also made in the workshops. These will then be exhibited.

We also had a music stage where there was live music, showcasing music from the 40s and 50s sung by different singers.

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