Mytime Active Stories - Tara & ArtsTrain
Mytime Active’s ArtsTrain programme changed my life
ArtsTrain is a creative music programme developed and managed by Mytime Active. As Bromley’s first Arts Council National Portfolio organisation, it offers exceptional creative music opportunities to young people from Bromley, Bexley and surrounding areas.
For ArtsTrain alumni like 22-year-old Tara, the impact of the programme extends far beyond learning chords and writing lyrics; it laid the foundation for her personal development and future career path.
A creative sanctuary
Tara first joined ArtsTrain when she was 15, whilst studying for GCSE’s at Bullers Wood School in Kent. Recommended to the programme by her music teacher alongside some of her school band mates, she quickly immersed herself in the weekly songwriting sessions and large-scale performance projects.
Tara explains: “I was, and still am, a very creative person. When I was younger, all I wanted to do was write songs. At ArtsTrain I got the opportunity to be part of an amazing community. It allowed me to express myself, write songs, play in bands and perform on stage. When you’re a teenager, life sucks, but ArtsTrain made me feel like life didn’t suck quite so much.”
Throughout the programme, Tara performed at major venues across London and the South East including the Southbank Centre, The Albany, The Churchill Theatre and at local jazz festivals.
Support over supervision
Central to Tara’s experience was the supportive environment nurtured by the ArtsTrain teachers and mentors, who approach their roles more as facilitators rather than traditional instructors.
Tara says: “I’d hesitate to call them teachers because it didn’t feel like they were teaching us. Instead, they were supporting us. They would take a step back and let us lead the creativity, sometimes offering suggested adjustments and ideas. They were inspiring and genuinely believed in our creativity.
“I love to sing, but singing in public is daunting because the instrument is part of you, so if you mess up, it feels even more embarrassing. But the confidence the ArtsTrain mentors would instil in me was incredible. Even if I got something wrong, they would stand alongside me, building me back up, all whilst allowing me to learn from my mistakes.”
Growing confidence
Beyond creative development, ArtsTrain provides a space where young people from different schools and backgrounds can connect and collaborate freely.
Tara says: “It was nice to hang out with people from other schools because you don’t always get that chance as a teenager. I grew up with ArtsTrain and always felt so comfortable there; it was just a magical experience. I have since discovered there are things other people find nerve-wracking that I just don’t anymore. ArtsTrain gave me the permission to be myself and if you can’t express yourself and be true to yourself, you’re never going to be confident in life.”
From music to public health
Tara has recently completed her master’s degree in public health and volunteers with youth-focused organisations, including Oasis, a local charity supporting young people at risk of violence. She is currently looking for a full-time public health role.
Tara says: “ArtsTrain was a key catalyst for my professional direction. I actually believe ArtsTrain is a public health service. It’s a place young people can get together and improve their well-being and mental health through creativity. As a public health expert, helping other people is public health.”
Driven by a desire to pass on the support she received, Tara continues to return to ArtsTrain as a volunteer and mentor, and has assisted with creative sessions and hosted showcase concerts.
She says: “I want to be there for the young people and let them know they can express themselves in this space. Being in ArtsTrain means you can make amazing things happen. It’s probably the coolest opportunity I’ve ever had.”