Essex Cultural Diversity Project

WOMAD sponsored music at “Next Generation”

The WOMAD Foundation was able to support ECDP (Essex Cultural Diversity Project) introducing music from Zanzibar, Ghana, Jamaica, Colombia and UK to ‘Next Generation’, which brings schools from across the county of Essex for a day of celebration and participation.

A rush of children swarmed through the gates at 9.30 to get stuck into any number of workshops on offer in Chalkwell Park. The Global Essex stage hung with glittering saris and flags gave young children the chance to experience drumming, dance, vocal acrobatics and soaring flute playing – artists brought children to the microphone to share a song, create a rap or conduct a choir – and the teachers participated too, showing us their moves.

In the words of one teacher ‘what a wonderful glimpse into a new musical world – inspirational for all of us ‘please come back next year’