Sandblast News

Dear friends,

We're so excited to announce that today 15 UK runners are joining the Sandblast Team in the Saharawi refugee camps to participate next Tuesday in the 2015 edition of the Sahara Marathon. They'll stay with a Saharawi family for a week, experiencing life in the desert and the best hospitality you can get. They'll also visit the Studio-Live project on the ground to see what they are raising funds for.

This year we have set up shop in the studio space of the Saharawi National Music School where our runners will meet our wonderful sound engineers-in-training and witness some recording sessions. Our aim with the funds raised through sponsorship of the UK runners is to build a sound engineering training centre next to the music school and expand our programme. Please show your support and help us reach this goal by sponsoring one of our team runners at Just Giving - Run the Sahara 2015.

​Wow, it's been a while since we've given you an update! Here is an overview in brief:

Studio-Live news:
This past nine months have been particularly exciting due to new links we've made with different institutions and individuals who want to get involved with Saharawi music in one way o another: 

• Sara McGuinness, our amazing sound engineer workshop training leader, musician (and more!) has been hard at work nurturing links with the London College of Music at the University of West London, to play an important role in the development of music education in the camps with resources and training. They have just made a massive donation of keyboards, IMACS, sound equipment, lights and more. Now we just have to find the way to transport all of it to the camps. We need someone to donate a van!! If anyone has any ideas or leads please please contact us! 
• Pia de Keyser, Sandbast's friend and four-time participant in Run the Sahara since 2010, is right now in the camps recording her first EP with the Studio-Live sound engineers! Soon available, we can't wait!
• Newly involved musician and sound engineer Rasha Shaheen is in the process of establishing a collaboration between Sandblast and Bristol Plays Music. Yaay! 
• Finally, our Studio-Live project assistant manager and researcher Violeta Ruano has published Portraits of Saharawi Music, a fantastic (and first!) archive of Saharawi music in the British Library. Free to listen online!

Rebuilding Sandblast board:
Sandblast is now in the process of renewing its Trustee Board, an essential team of experts that oversee all our mid- and long-term objectives. Are you interested in getting involved? Do you have anyskills or knowledge that you think may help us keep moving forward? Why don't you drop us an email? We'd love to hear from you!

A sad loss:
We'd also like to take this opportunity to remember our beloved Judith Harrison, a former Sandblast trustee and chair who passed away at the end of last year. She was a staunch supporter of the Saharawi cause for many years, a key member of the Western Sahara Campaign and was involved with Woodcraft folk, which sponsored the UK visit of Saharawi children for a number of years. For many of the Saharawis who came to the UK in difficult circumstances she was like a "mother", offering care and assistance whenever she could. She'll be truly missed!

​For 2015 we also have a lot cooking!

•  We're in the process of developing strong links with the Saharawi Ministry of Culture and the National Saharawi Music School (ENAMUS) to get the new studio up and running.
• A few of the Run the Sahara 2015 runners are getting different music projects off the ground... check our social media updates for more info!
• Also we're proud to announce that a newly independently established youth group in Ausserd camp have approached us to create a new Studio-Live centre in their camp. Yes folks, we're expanding!

​Well, that's all for now! Please be in touch and share any thoughts, ideas, feedback... with us. We absolutely love to hear from our supporters!

With all our best wishes,
The Sandblast Team