Sound Waves: Music in Newham is an initiative by Rendezvous Projects to celebrate and preserve the rich musical heritage of the London Borough of Newham. This project will document and present Newham’s diverse music history, focusing on venues and underrepresented communities over the past 60 years.

The aims of the project include:

• Celebrate Newham’s Musical Heritage: Highlight the borough’s diverse musical cultures and their impact on local communities.
• Engage Young People and Diverse Communities: Involve young people and diverse community groups in exploring and sharing their musical heritage.
• Create Lasting Legacies: Produce a comprehensive archive and various creative outputs to ensure the preservation and accessibility of Newham’s musical history.

This project is proudly supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, made possible by the generous contributions of National Lottery players.

What we’re doing

The project will include various outputs within the borough of Newham in 2024 and 2025, including:

• Pop-Up Exhibitions: Exhibitions in Newham libraries featuring listening posts, digital maps, images, films, and collected ephemera.
• Community Events: Three engagement events will take place across the borough as well as a walking tour and activities involving young people, facilitated by Newham Music.
• Virtual and Printed Mapping: Online and printed maps of music venues and events in the borough.
• Publications: A permanent record of the project’s findings made widely accessible.

Get involved

Do you have memories to share or would you like to volunteer to help collect stories? We’re looking for contributors who have memories, flyers, or information, and local volunteers to help us deliver the project and collect those histories.

Project contributions

If you have memories, stories, information or photographs and other ephemera, please get in touch to let us know.

Volunteering on the project

If you would like to volunteer on the project, by recording interviews, helping us to carry out research, or assisting with social media, marketing and events, download the role descriptions and make your application via the form below:

Download the volunteer role descriptions here

Apply to volunteer here

If you have any questions about volunteering on the project please contact rose@rendezvousprojects.org.uk

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