About

Sonic Bothy is an award-winning arts charity that supports people with disability and additional support learning needs to create and play original contemporary music. Founded in 2012, we have engaged and supported hundreds of participants living with a range of complex underlying health conditions including epilepsy, autism and mild to complex learning disabilities. We are based in Glasgow, Scotland.

Our comprehensive suite of open workshops, professional performance and artistic development opportunities offer natural progression pathways for any disabled person to be inspired, engaged and develop artistic identities. We are disability-led, and our programmes are shaped by our people.  There is a significant need and demand for more personal and professional development opportunities in disabled communities, and cause for advocacy for disabled people’s rights. Sonic Bothy will respond by advocating for autonomy – seeing an artist before disability.

Our highly trained freelance Staff Musicians facilitate the inclusive workshop programmes and support the ensemble. Our participants engage with their peers and perform, nurturing creativity and social engagement. Our activities are designed to empower disabled people, reduce social isolation, and support physical and mental well-being.

Sonic Bothy has a desire not to compromise on accessibility or artistic language. We ensure full accessibility in all activities. We work with live captioners at all of the workshop and rehearsal sessions for our d/Deaf musicians. We operate in ground-floor accessible venues for rehearsals and performances for our wheelchair users. We use a variety of specialised, accessible instruments in our activities to reach those with multiple and complex mobility needs. We adapt our communication with non-verbal queues, and offer varied written formats, such as Easy Read, Large Text, Dyslexia friendly font and Plain text, for non-verbal and neurodiverse participants. We have hybrid and online set-ups in all of our activities to accommodate people with chronic conditions and mobility needs. No one is left behind at Sonic Bothy.

Sonic Bothy is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and continues to address intersecting and complex gender, racial and disability barriers for our participants and staff. We see the climate crisis as human rights issue, and committed to our accountable action plan to maintain sustainable development of our organisation.

Over the course of 2023/24, we reached over 70 adults and young people with disability, in Glasgow City and Perth & Kinross. The Ensemble had large audience at our performances at festivals including an sell-out opening night of Hippfest, an eclectic performance of a commissioned original live score to accompany a silent film Blue Bird. The performance was streamed live, engaging with over 200 audience members. In 2024/25, Sonic Bothy is continuing its expansion and will run over 120 workshops and support over 100 disabled participants.

All our activities are offered for free.

Mission

Sonic Bothy’s mission is to change the new music landscape – to bring sustainable structural change that empowers disabled artists to contribute to Scottish Culture on an equal footing to non-disabled peers. 

Vision

Sonic Bothy’s vision is a world where people’s humanity is honoured and diversity of perspectives are celebrated equally and recognised for the significant contributions that can be made to sound, art and music culture.

Values

• Equality – We remove barriers that disabled musicians face so they have full access to opportunities already available to their non-disabled peers
• Experimental – Our sound and music is open and new ideas are encouraged
• Responsive – We use inclusive design to respond to people’s needs
• Innovative – We look for new and inventive ideas to enhance creativity and resolve issues
• Friendly – We are welcoming and approachable

Awards & Nominations

Musicians’ Union Award for New Music Performer, Scottish Awards for New Music (2023)

John Byrne Award (2022, nomination & shortlisted)

RCS Award for Education/Community Project by Scottish Award for New Music (2021, nomination)

RCS Award for Community/Education Project of the Year by Scottish Award for New Music (2018, nomination)

Paritor Award for new music in education by the National Music Council (2014)

“Since Adam joined Sonic Bothy his confidence has increased immensely. His recent collaboration to create a piece of music was a revelation to us as his family. This confidence has also spilled into his day-to-day life. I cannot praise Sonic Bothy enough.”

Family member

“The atmosphere created by workshop leaders is always supportive and encouraging, and achieves consistently good results. Our clients have undoubtedly benefited in terms of improvements in their communication skills and confidence.”

Referral Partner

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Every donation helps Sonic Bothy deliver accessible musical opportunities for people in the disabled community.

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