The founder & the Team
AAP is founded and led by Chris Lewis, who has worked in roles combining children & young people and music for over 20 years. Bolstered by a therapeutic music degree obtained in 2014. As a prior charity music department head, Christopher worked to widen opportunities for his young participants, including visits to Abbey Road Studios, Universal Records, BBC 1XTRA & The Royal Academy of Music. With the help of Chris, music industry professionals have been able to share, advise and discuss their own paths with the youth he works with. In his current role within a London Pupil Referral Unit, Chris works to assist the hardest to reach and integrates drumming / musical instruments, voice work and singing along with behavioural support into daily work.
Chris’ personal love for music started during his teenage years and is still very alive, as a weekly weekend radio DJ. An illustration of this fact, all of AAP’s work comes from an authentic and genuine love and dedication for music & its therapeutic benefits.
A number of the current AAP staff are young people who have previously benefited from projects and provisions developed and led by Chris, many of whom have gone on to use their skill and love of music / the arts to progress into working life and are now interested in reaching back and assisting AAP to help the upcoming generation.
aboutus
Since 2018 we've been helping vulnerable and disadvantaged young people fulfil their potential by engaging them with music and other arts. We create a safe environment for young people to break free from the fears and barriers they face, showing by example that they can become whomever they want to be. Through taking part in Amplified Arts Projects, young people can grow their creativity, skills, and self-esteem, with many gaining the confidence to choose to pursue an art profession, attend higher education, whilst others might overcome personal difficulties they may have. We deliver our exciting program in the heart of communities using professional staff and resources to schools and youth clubs, just to name a few.
Our therapeutic approach to working with young people with difficult backgrounds has encouraged many of them to develop their own coping mechanism to deal with their emotional triggers and pressures. Addressing internal and external areas that affect them day to day, for example, youth crime and gangs, peer pressure, family etc...
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Many of the young people we have worked with grow with confidence and determination and share their creative experience with peers within in school environment and out.
With positive interactions, and appealing engagement in our creative projects young people feel proud of their achievements, and at the completion of their goal, are rewarded for their amazing efforts by receiving an Arts Award certificate qualification.