Writings on "Community Music" in Portugal: The need for analysis

"The development of Community Music projects has been increasing in Portugal. However, the quantity of academic writings about the theme has not proportionally followed this trend. A search in institutional archives reveals only 2 doctoral theses that dive into the theme (Faria, 2013; Lopes, 2017). Likewise, the quantity of literary writings is low, and mostly done by the same group of authors (Rodrigues, Rodrigues, & Rodrigues, 2018, 2016; Rodrigues & Rodrigues, 2014). There is no online platform with descriptions of these kind of projects, and there is a lack of a national inquiry about these projects and their characteristics.
The most common definition of the concept of “Community Music” is that it is a social and artistic practice that promotes opportunities for participation, creation and development of multidisciplinary musical projects to people who don’t regularly have access to those experiences (Higgins, 2012; Veblen, 2007). Proponents of the practice consider that it can help solve questions of social inclusion, giving voice through the arts to disadvantaged communities (Dansereau & Ilari, 2017; Lamela & Rodrigues, 2016). The economic, social and cultural difficulties that affect artistic production and music teaching in Portugal require new sustainable and versatile solutions. Some of the studies about Community Music projects suggest that the practice may help solve some of these problems, while at the same time lacking a quantitative and transversal analysis of their potential success (Selwood, 2002).
Demonstrating the reliability of Community Music initiatives relating to their contribution to social inclusion is far from an easy methodology. Not only is it hard to establish a causal relation between the participants and eventual proclaimed results, it is also complex and vague to “measure” the intrinsic responses of the participants in creative experiences, mostly due to the subjective and idiosyncratic reactions to these activities. Some authors criticize the format of some of the studies about Community Music, because the results are sometimes presented in a way that seems more focused in promoting the practice than presenting substantial findings. These authors defend that, considering the format of current economic and cultural policies, it is important to distinguish between promotion and proof, potential facts and actual facts (Rimmer, 2009; Selwood, 2002).
The aim of this presentation is to think about different reflections of the practice of Community Music in Portugal, comparing it with similar cases in the United Kingdom, where it can be said that the practice was born, and where there are independent institutions of analysis and regulation of these kind of projects, which bring with them specific problems and benefits."