Support Us

Our people – participants, families, and support staff – tell us our activities are a vital lifeline, offering social connections and a sense of identity.

Trusts and Foundations

As a charity, our work relies on the support of Trusts and Foundations. We are extremely grateful for the support we received over the years, and very keen to build new relationships.

Please consider supporting us to achieve our mission – to bring sustainable structural change that empowers Disabled artists to contribute to culture on an equal footing to non-Disabled peers.

Please contact us in the first instance:

General Manager Riah Sneddon
riah@sonic.bothy.co.uk
+44 (0) 7916 057504

Leave a legacy

Pledging a legacy gift in your Will is a powerful way to make a real difference to the future of our people. We are offering advice in confidence by phone. Please contact General Manager Riah Sneddon on +44 (0) 7916 057504.

Donation

Any donation, large or small, goes a long way to help Sonic Bothy deliver accessible musical opportunities and transform people’s lives in the Disabled community.

Spread the word!

You can support by helping us promote our work and positive impact it has on society. Sign up to our newsletter, and follow us on social media.

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One in four people in Scotland are either Disabled, Disability-experienced, or have a duty of care for a Disabled person. Almost two thirds (61%) of Disabled people are chronically lonely, rising to 7 in 10 (70%) of young Disabled people (Sense, 2021). Lack of social activity is extremely detrimental. While the Scottish arts sector shows commitment in advocating for equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) in our society, the reality of 2024 is that Disabled communities are continuing to face multiple barriers in accessing participatory and professional musical opportunities. Current socio-economic environment and impact it has on support services and mental health is prohibiting many Disabled people from participating in the arts.

We work with Disabled people with complex and multiple conditions including epilepsy, autism and mild to complex learning disabilities such as global delay and Asperger’s. Most of them face intersectional barriers; poverty and social exclusion. In recent years, financial challenges resulted in significant reduction in support for Disabled people, excluding them from artistic development opportunities. In 2024, 84% of Sonic Bothy’s participants reside in the 20% most deprived areas in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). Many had little or no experience of meaningful musical activity before joining, particularly in rural areas.

Participation in our creative music making activities has a range of benefits in supporting wellbeing; mental and physical health, and opportunities to socialise and build relationships. Our offerings are unique in the sector in that they go far beyond traditional inclusive activities modelled on music therapy. All programmes put autonomy as a core value, and see an individual artist before Disability. The sessions are designed to make everyone in the room feel equal, with some participants leading creative activities for the first time. This is a powerful approach for those who experience little or no autonomy in their home or care environment.

Sonic Bothy has a desire not to compromise on accessibility or artistic language. We use specialised, accessible instruments in our small-group activities, and we are the only organisation in Glasgow offering this level of in-depth experience that is centred towards building trust, confidence and developing artistic voice. Our participants are seen across Glasgow’s stages and beyond, challenging stereotypes and achieving things that they and their families never believed possible.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

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

Sonic Bothy champions Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), guided by Human Rights and Equalities First and the FREDA principles; Fairness, Respect, Equality, Dignity and Autonomy. We understand our community is not homogenous, and many have intersecting protected characteristics. We ensure accessibility and equal opportunities, and address intersecting and complex gender, racial and Disability barriers.

Sonic Bothy is a Disability-led organisation, and currently 33% of the Board of Trustees, 50% of Management and freelance staff, and 63% of Staff Musicians are Disabled. We create work and career opportunities for Disabled people, as well as opportunities for the participants to engage and be inspired by workshop leaders with similar conditions or lived experience. Sonic Bothy is committed to increasing employment and employability of Disabled people in the organisation, and is on course to attain Disability Confident Employer status by March 2028. We have plans this year to recruit Trustees to further strengthen the Board and increase Disabled people’s voices in decision-making.

We see climate crisis as human rights issue. We are a member of Green Arts Initiative by Creative Carbon Scotland, and committed to our accountable action plan to maintain sustainable development of our organisation.

“Sonic Bothy means a great deal to me, the people involved and the music we do. It gives me more confidence in myself… gives me challenges and gets me out of my comfort zone. It’s definitely made me a happier person”

Sonic Bothy Ensemble Musician

“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 of Sonic Bothy Ensemble Musician

“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

“I haven’t heard *** speak before, he is a selective mute, he will speak at home but hasn’t outside of his home, I saw him the other day (after the performance) and as usual was conducting a conversation in which I spoke, and he responded with facial expressions. I asked him if he had enjoyed Friday – he was all smiles and spoke to me for the first time, to say ‘Up, up and away……!’ (words said by performers in the Learning Space performance). I was really surprised and of course delighted!”

Support Staff for Learning Space Participant

“AC historically has struggled to remain motivated to engage consistently with activities. Sonic Bothy appealed to her in a manner that other music and art groups did not. The Sonic Bothy team bridged a gap for AC and engaged her in a way that had a day to day impact for AC and her family.”

Support Staff for Learning Space participant