At Silk Road Music Group, we believe the creative arts are a powerful tool for healing, empowerment, and education. Our projects work with marginalised communities across the globe, supporting children affected by conflict, youth escaping organised crime, women and girls facing harmful social and cultural norms, and children with special needs and disabilities.
Each project is a collaboration built on trust, creativity, and co-creation. We work alongside local organisations, artists, and changemakers to ensure that every initiative is meaningful, sustainable, and led by the communities themselves.
Our model of
co-creation
At the heart of everything we do is a simple principle: co-creation. All of our work is delivered through or in partnership with local organisations and educators who know their communities best. Rather than bringing pre-designed programmes, we work with communities to design initiatives that reflect their needs, strengths, and hopes.
Our projects are run by the people who understand the local context and culture, ensuring that change is led from within and that creativity remains a living, breathing force for empowerment.
Corporate sponsorships
We see the benefits of partnering with notable and value-aligned sponsorships to support our projects across the world. In return, this provides opportunities for businesses to contribute to their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda and act as champions within the communities they operate in.
Our Key PROjects
Barbados
Silk Road Music festival outreach projects
IamaGirlNGO and University of West Indies X Silk Road Music | A Celebration of voice, Art and Sisterhood.
In early 2024, Silk Road Music joined forces with Barbados’ I Am A Girl (IAAG) initiative for a transformative creative journey. Over six weeks, thirty girls aged 11 to 17 collaborated with world-class artists to compose, paint, dance, and reclaim their narratives. The project culminated in a show-stopping performance at the Silk Road Music Festival on April 6th.
The Project: Art as a Tool for Empowerment
Guided by Silk Road’s ethos of no-borders creativity, the workshops became a sanctuary for experimentation. The girls, many with no formal arts training, explored various art forms.
Workshop highlights :
- Songwriting: Co-composing an original anthem with musicians Krisirie and Leigh Phillips, blending Caribbean rhythms with Silk Road-inspired melodies.
- Visual Storytelling: Designing vibrant fabric dyes with Earth Angel Collection and painting murals with Obsidian Art, reflecting themes of resilience.
- Movement and Drama: Choreographing a kinetic poem with Miaa Celestial, fusing Afro-Caribbean dance with spoken word.
“At first, they were shy to sing. By Week 3, they were arguing over harmony parts.” — Larix, Music Facilitator
The Festival: A Stage of Their Own
On April 6th at Sweetfield Manor, the girls took the festival by storm. Their multidisciplinary performance, woven from music, live painting, and dance, became a festival highlight and earned a standing ovation.
- A steel pan solo by 14-year-old Zarah, who had never played for an audience before
- A collective fabric installation, dyed with local botanicals, hung as a backdrop
- The debut of “Rise Up,” a song the girls wrote about overcoming societal barriers
“I never knew my voice could sound like this.” — Jada, 16, IAAG Participant
The Ripple Effect
- Confidence: 92% of participants reported feeling more empowered to share their ideas in a post-workshop survey.
- Skills: Two girls were invited to apprentice with Earth Angel Collection’s dye studio.
- Legacy: Silk Road and IAAG are now planning an annual youth arts exchange.
Why This Matters
This collaboration proved that art transcends borders and age. By investing in young women’s creativity, we are not just amplifying voices; we are building the next generation of cultural leaders.
“The Silk Road isn’t just a route. It is a movement. These girls are its future.” — Neil Waithe, Theatre Facilitator
Ghana
Silk Road Music and ATE: Empowering Children Through Creativity
In Ghana, Silk Road Music partnered with Action Through Enterprise (ATE) to deliver a transformative creative arts programme for children with disabilities. Set against the backdrop of rural communities in the Upper West Region, the project used music, movement, and storytelling to create new spaces for inclusion, expression, and joy.
The Project: Creativity as a Bridge to Inclusion
Guided by Silk Road’s ethos of co-creation, the workshops provided a sanctuary for children who are often sidelined by traditional education systems. For many of the participants, it was their first time engaging in structured arts activities designed around their abilities and strengths.
Workshop highlights :
- Music Workshops: Children explored rhythm, percussion, and collaborative song-making using traditional instruments and everyday objects.
- Storytelling Circles: Local folktales and personal stories became springboards for self-expression, encouraging communication and imagination.
- Movement and Play: Dance and movement sessions helped children develop motor skills, build confidence, and experience the simple joy of shared creativity.
“One boy who had never spoken in class before sang an entire chorus by the end of the project.” — Local Facilitator, Ghana
The Celebration: A Day of Voices and Rhythm
The programme culminated in a community showcase where children performed songs, shared stories, and presented collaborative artworks.
Parents, teachers, and local leaders gathered to celebrate the children’s achievements, many expressing how the project had changed perceptions about what these young participants could achieve.
The Ripple Effect
- Confidence: Participants showed increased willingness to engage in group activities at school.
- Community Awareness: Parents and teachers reported a shift in attitudes towards children with disabilities.
- Ongoing Opportunities: ATE and local educators began discussions on integrating more arts activities into their year-round programming.
Why This Matters
By providing safe spaces for children to express themselves through the arts, Silk Road Music and ATE helped to dismantle barriers of stigma and exclusion. This project proved that with creativity, patience, and community leadership, inclusion is not just possible. It is powerful.
“The arts have given these children a platform to be seen, heard, and celebrated.” — Community Leader, Ghana
Lebanon | Children of Syria
Silk Road Music and Local Partners: Healing Through the Arts
In Lebanon, Silk Road Music has supported creative therapy programmes for children and youth displaced by the Syrian War. Operating in refugee camps and host communities, these projects use music, art, and storytelling to offer young people safe spaces to process trauma, rebuild confidence, and find moments of joy.
The Project: Creativity as a Pathway to Healing
Working alongside local organisations, the programme offered children affected by conflict the chance to express emotions often too complex for words. Through creative workshops, participants found new ways to reconnect with their peers, their culture, and their own sense of hope.
Workshop highlights :
- Music Therapy: Group sessions where children learned to create simple songs and rhythms, giving voice to feelings of loss, longing, and resilience.
- Art and Story Circles: Visual art activities and storytelling sessions helped children share memories, dreams, and new imaginings of their futures.
- Movement Workshops: Dance and body movement sessions reintroduced play, trust, and collaboration into the children’s daily lives.
“At first, they were hesitant to touch the instruments. By the third session, they were composing songs about their dreams.” – Music Therapist, Lebanon
The Celebration: Stories of Hope
Each cycle of workshops concluded with a small community showcase where families and local leaders were invited to witness the children’s creations. From original songs to collaborative murals, these showcases became celebrations of resilience and creativity, often moving audiences to tears and laughter.
The Ripple Effect
- Confidence: Children demonstrated improved emotional expression and social interaction with peers.
- Community Healing: Families noted shifts in behaviour and mood, with children becoming more engaged and hopeful.
- Ongoing Support: Several participants were referred into ongoing arts programmes, ensuring a long-term space for healing.
Why This Matters
Creativity does not erase trauma, but it offers a vital bridge to hope. In contexts where words sometimes fail, the arts give displaced children a language to heal, rebuild, and believe again.
“Art gave them back the ability to imagine a future.” — Local Programme Coordinator, Lebanon
The Caribbean
Silk Road Music: Celebrating Creativity, Protecting the Planet
At the Silk Road Music Festival and across our Caribbean outreach projects, Silk Road Music integrates climate action into the heart of creative programming. Our goal is simple: to inspire environmental stewardship through the arts.
The Project: Arts for Conservation
Recognising the urgency of climate change, we embed environmental consciousness across all festival and outreach activities. From workshops on ocean conservation to partnerships with eco-friendly vendors, every event aims to spark conversations and action.
Workshop highlights :
- Eco Art Installations: Community-created artworks using recycled and natural materials.
- Conservation Workshops: Youth-led sessions on ocean health and sustainable living.
- Climate-Conscious Practices: Festival operations that minimise waste, support local food systems, and promote green living.
“Young people have the creativity and the energy to lead us into a greener future.” — Environmental Workshop Facilitator, Barbados
The Ripple Effect
- Community Awareness: Increased participation in local clean-up and conservation initiatives.
- Festival Innovation: Modelled new standards for sustainable event management in the region.
- Ongoing Commitment: Building long-term partnerships with local climate organisations and eco-activists.
Why This Matters
The planet’s future is everyone’s responsibility.
Through the arts, we help transform environmental awareness from information into inspiration, and from inspiration into action.
“When creativity and conservation meet, hope takes root.” — Festival Organiser, Barbados
Voices of the Future | India
Silk Road Music and Local Musicians: A Children’s Choir for a New World
In India, Silk Road Music collaborates with musicians and community leaders to nurture a World Music Children’s Choir. The project celebrates diversity, unity, and imagination through music drawn from across cultures.
The Project: A Chorus of Cultures
Bringing together children from diverse linguistic, religious, and social backgrounds, the choir creates a safe space where music becomes the common language.
Workshops explore folk songs, classical traditions, and new compositions, with children learning not just to perform, but to listen, collaborate, and celebrate differences.
Workshop highlights :
- Global Song Cycles: Children learned songs from India, Africa, Latin America, and beyond, fostering curiosity and pride in global traditions.
- Improvisation and Composition: Sessions encouraged children to compose their own lyrics and melodies, mixing languages and styles.
- Movement and Expression: Simple choreography and body percussion enhanced confidence and collective spirit.
“They taught each other their mother tongue through music.” — Choir Director, India
The Celebration: A Concert of Many Voices
Each season ends with a public performance where children present songs from around the world.
Families, teachers, and local leaders gather to witness a new kind of concert, one that honours the richness of cultural exchange and childhood creativity.
The Ripple Effect
- Confidence: Children became more willing to engage in public speaking and collaborative projects.
- Cultural Pride: Participants expressed pride in sharing songs from their heritage and learning those of others.
- Social Cohesion: Parents noted that children from different backgrounds formed lasting friendships through the choir.
Why This Matters
In a divided world, building spaces where diversity is celebrated from a young age is revolutionary. Through music, these children are not just learning songs, they are building the foundations of empathy and global citizenship.
“In their harmony, you can hear the future.” — Local Music Educator, India
palestine
Seeds of Hope and Resistance: Using Creative Arts to Support Children in Palestine
When children are caught in conflict, their stories often disappear. Through art, they begin to find their voice again. Silk Road Music Group, in collaboration with UNRWA and Think Equal, has introduced the Silk Road Creative Arts Programme in Palestine. This trauma-informed initiative supports the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children affected by war.
A Cross-Cultural Journey of Healing
This programme follows the path of the ancient Silk Roads. Children explore music, drama, visual art, and storytelling drawn from cultures around the world. The journey helps ease stress, build confidence, and nurture resilience.
Every activity is grounded in cultural awareness and emotional care. Lessons honour Palestinian heritage while also introducing children to rhythms, art styles, and expressions from beyond their borders.
Grounded in Expertise, Designed for Healing
The programme was developed with psychologists, educators, and arts therapists. Its aim is to provide a safe and supportive space for creativity. Lessons combine social-emotional learning with practical arts to help children make sense of their feelings.
- Music therapy using folk songs and rhythms to connect with emotion
- Visual arts projects that allow children to express thoughts beyond words
- Drama and role-play encouraging storytelling in their own voices
- Storytelling based in local folklore and traditions from other cultures
A Powerful Partnership
The programme launched in September 2025 across 75 UNRWA schools in Hebron, Jerusalem, and Nablus. It integrates with Think Equal’s early childhood social-emotional curriculum. Teachers will be trained to deliver both tracks in harmony.
Access to education remains fragile, especially in areas such as Jenin and Tulkarem. The programme aims to bring structure and encouragement to children facing instability.
Lessons will take place three times a week for 30 weeks. The year will end with a Silk Road Festival, where students share their work and creativity with their communities.
Skills That Stay With Them
Throughout the programme, students gain tools for life:
- Emotional expression and self-regulation
- Confidence and critical thinking
- Collaboration and communication
- Cultural awareness and empathy
These lessons go beyond the classroom. They help children process hardship and step into the world with new strength.
Locally Led, Globally Informed
This programme is shaped and delivered by artists, musicians, and educators from Palestine and abroad. Dr. Mohammad Shalabi and Mohannad Al-Ashram lead the work locally. International voices like Professor Nigel Osborne and Theo Archer Lees contribute their knowledge from years of peacebuilding through music and art.
Their combined experience brings depth and care to the work.
A Festival of Hope
Each school will host its own Silk Road Festival under the theme “Seeds of Hope and Resistance.” These gatherings offer children the chance to present their music, stories, and artworks. The festivals are community moments filled with colour, pride, and the energy of young voices being heard.
Creativity, here, is not an extra. It is essential.
Thailand
Silk Road Music and Local Partners: Healing Through the Arts
Creative arts workshops with children and youth in the Khlong Toey slum community, Bangkok
