Artist Matt Hill has been a resident artist with Super Slow Way since the summer of 2024 working with marginalised communities to write protest songs. These 21st century protest songs have explored issues of social justice and will be written, performed and recorded by the participants.
In a series of sessions with different groups including The Salvation Army and Nightsafe Matt has worked with the groups to explore popular protest songs and figure out what makes them work. They discussed the issues that matter to us and identified topics to write about. The final songs were shared on our Mixcloud page as part of the Drift broadcast weekend.
In the second phase of this project in 2025, Matt ran songwriting workshops with TAS (The Alternative School) in Burnley to explore sound and song, creating music rooted in real life through fun and interactive sessions. A journey of conversation, games and creative exercises, empowering young people to shape the project.
This included I JUST WOKE UP FROM A DREAM – An audio collage drawn from hours of music making with pupils at the Alternative School (TAS) in Burnley. TAS responds to the needs of young people who are unable to remain in mainstream education. The artist worked with the pupils in groups and one-on-one, to improvise pieces of music and write songs. The audio piece puts the listener into the room as the music sessions take place.
This piece, and other songs made with TAS can be heard here on Soundcloud!
Matt Hill a storytelling singer-songwriter and community based artist. Read more about his work here
