Afloat Theatre has been keeping things relatively quiet of late – but, as anyone involved in the organisation will tell you, quiet does not necessarily mean still. Behind the scenes, Afloat has been busy preparing for what feels like a new chapter, one that expands its already distinctive approach to community, creativity and social change into the world of songwriting and music.
Now a Community Interest Company, Afloat has unveiled a programme of forthcoming events that puts emerging artists, collaboration and creative connection firmly centre stage. The first of those arrives on Tuesday 20 October with Stories in Song, a free networking event at Liverpool’s Quaker Meeting House, running from 7pm to 9pm.
It promises to be much more than a conventional open mic night. The evening celebrates Liverpool’s next generation of songwriters, bringing together live performance, an industry panel, an exclusive listening party for brand-new songs and opportunities to meet fellow artists, producers, creatives and music-industry professionals.
The event is the culmination of Afloat’s Stories in Song project, a songwriting programme developed in partnership with Capeesh and Georgie Weston for young adults aged 18–25. Running through the summer, the project has given participants the opportunity to explore songwriting, storytelling and identity, collaborate with other young artists and gain professional recording experience.
That emphasis on connection is important. Afloat’s work has traditionally centred on using theatre as a means of opening conversations, building empathy and giving people the opportunity to tell their own stories. Its acclaimed Afloat project, created with people with lived experience of seeking asylum and migration, grew from a similar belief in co-creation – making art with communities rather than simply making art about them. Stories in Song takes that philosophy into music. The result should make for an interesting evening for anyone curious about where Liverpool’s next generation of songwriting talent might be heading.
And Afloat isn’t stopping there. From Wednesday 4 November, the Liverpool Songwriting Society begins a six-week programme at Hamlet Baptist Church, offering separate sessions for beginners and more experienced writers. Beginners meet from 7pm to 8pm, while the advanced class runs from 8pm to 9pm, with the full six-week block costing £55.
The intention is deliberately inclusive. For newcomers, the course offers a supportive introduction to songwriting for those who may never have released original music. For more experienced writers, it provides an opportunity to develop existing skills, exchange ideas and collaborate with other musicians.
Across the six weeks, participants will explore songwriting techniques, share ideas, receive feedback and build connections with other writers. It is exactly the sort of practical, communal approach that makes Liverpool’s creative scene tick: less about standing on the outside looking in, and more about getting involved.
There is also something rather fitting about Afloat’s move into songwriting. Songs, like theatre, can carry personal stories into public spaces. They can say things that conversation sometimes struggles to articulate, while creating an immediate sense of connection between performer and listener. For Afloat, this feels less like a departure from its previous work than an expansion of the same idea – that creativity can provide opportunity, confidence, community and a voice.
So, after a comparatively quiet period, Afloat is preparing to make plenty of noise. And if Stories in Song is anything to go by, there should be some very interesting new voices worth listening to!
To find out more and book tickets visit afloattheatre.co.uk/whats-on.
