York Arts Education piloted an exciting new project in 2018 called York Big Sing - a series of open, free community singing sessions in different locations around York - awarded Highly Commended in the category Outstanding Cultural Collaboration at the York Culture Awards 2018.

The aim of York Big Sing is simple: to bring as many people together as we can from across the city of different ages and backgrounds, and get them singing together.

York Big Sing is totally inclusive; there’s no need to be able to read music, as everything we sing will be learnt by ear. Singers don’t need to have had any previous experience either - if you want to be involved, the only requirement is to turn up and give it a go. The sessions will be run by York based composer and choir leader Jon Hughes. Jon runs The Stonegate Singers, a community choir based in York, and works professionally as a composer in different media. He has written innovative and exciting work for community choirs, including Shoreline, a dance piece which toured with 100 singers and 5 dancers on the beaches of Cornwall in 2016 and 2017.