A new bid to change the lives of Glasgow’s homeless population seeks to teach the underprivileged how to DJ. Started by electronic music-based social enterprise Turn The Tables, the Homelessness DJ Project already has the support of legendary techno duo Slam and Glasgow’s DJ Nightwave, among many others.
Partnering with Groove City Radio and The Sub Club, the Homelessness DJ Project will work alongside third party organizations and charities to host workshops for people facing homelessness to learn the technical and artistic skills of DJing.
Those workshops will be hosted in a new state-of-the-art studio in Granton, with multiple rooms and socially distant areas both indoors and outdoors. Members of the public are also encouraged to join workshops that will be hosted outside the studio, with all proceeds being reinvested into the project in a pay-it-forward scheme.
“I had been facing homelessness for a while and it was hard to think positively,” Homelessness DJ Project beneficiary Ryan told The National. “The weekly workshops gave me a real focus and performing in front of an actual audience gave me something really exciting to work towards. It was just really nice to have a laugh and be creative, interacting with people over the love of music.”
Ryan was eventually able to move into a flat of his own just before the COVID-19 lockdown hit. Though he found that timing to be “really tough,” the project did help him get back on his feet just in time. “Now that the team are moving into their own studio, I can go along to use the facilities when I want and we have some gigs lined up for later in the year,” he added.
“Club culture and DJing have done so much for my mental health, confidence and general happiness and I believe everyone should have a chance to experience these benefits,” said Nightwave, who said she was honored to be supporting the project.
“Hopefully we can give knowledge, understanding and inspiration to empower those who need it most for this worthy cause,” added Slam.
The project will take participants through three stages, from beginner to advanced, and culminate in a livestreamed performance broadcast from the Homelessness DJ Project’s partnered music venues. To learn more, visit Turn The Tables’ website.