about
What is Lullaby Project Australia?
Originating in New York, the Lullaby Project sees pregnant women and new mothers and fathers collaborate with professional artists, as they write and sing personal lullabies for their babies. The project now reaches parents in healthcare settings, homeless shelters, high schools, foster care, and correctional facilities across the world.
Lullaby Project Australia was established in 2019 by Connecting the Dots in Music and is delivered through an international partnership with Carnegie Hall. We work in collaboration with diverse communities and cross-sector organisations to support and empower families through music.
Through song writing and singing
Lullaby Project Australia harnesses the innate power of music to :
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Strengthen parent to child connection
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Enhance maternal and paternal health and wellbeing
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Build strong community support networks for parents
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Support emotional, social and cognitive development of children
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Empower families with personal and community agency
Why Lullaby?
International research* has demonstrated the capacity of music and song writing to increase connection with others, improve confidence for new mothers, and provide an outlet to express emotions. Evidence points strongly to the increased levels of agency and wellbeing achieved through songwriting and singing:
Everyday music can engage multiple family members in their children’s growth by:
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creating a strong network of human relationships
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fostering social emotional growth for understanding self and others
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developing language and expressive capacities
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sparking curiosity and learning
Evidence highlights the role that music can play in supporting families who may be experiencing hardship, and how early childhood singing promotes positive outcomes for young families.
*Making a Joyful Noise: The Potential Role of Music Making in the Well-Being of Young Families
Our Vision?
Broadening access and engagement:
Connecting the Dots in Music has a focus on designing new resources and sustainable project models that will broaden access and reach to music, singing, and lullaby writing from the earliest years of a child’s life. Implementation of innovative initiatives provide inspiration and encouragement to parents nationwide to sing and create their lullabies for their children:
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A Song for Your Child – a beautifully illustrated guide and keepsake for parents to use to write their own lullaby
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Lullaby Bank Website – an online platform of shared lullabies from across the projects
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Community-focused Lullaby Programs – bringing together new parents from different communities to meet, sing and create individual and group lullabies across a 3-to-6 week period, concluding with a celebratory performance
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Lullaby Sky Group Lullaby Writing Sessions – workshops for existing parent groups to co-create a shared group lullaby and gain confidence in lullaby writing and singing
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Artist Development Program – building and training a network of diverse professional and emerging musicians with the unique skills to facilitate Lullaby Project programs
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Lullaby in Healthcare – partnering with health services, including the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation and Helen Mayo House, to connect with parents of newborns, in particular those requiring additional health care or support
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Professional Recording Sessions – newly composed lullabies to be professionally recorded with participants for sharing and celebrating
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Community-wide Lullaby Collections – working with intergenerational groups across whole regions to co-create unique lullabies that reflect the voices, stories and hopes for particular communities.
Artist development program
"The day was structured really well, with a mix of activities that varied in their practical / participatory nature - really lovely to be in the room with musicians of such diverse experience. Thank you!"
"Inspiring, comprehensive teaching; a great mix of listening and participating, well paced, joyful and practical"
"A rich day that celebrated the diverse and unique talents and creativity of musicians in SA. So much energy and passion and empathy and emotion in the room. I can’t quite describe it but it was amazing."
"Thoroughly professional and important work. The best PD day I have shared"
"I had the most amazing, inspiring day and feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to meet a group of like minded, talented caring people."
Lullaby Project Australia is committed to developing and building a diverse network of Lullaby Project artists across Australia. In 2020 the first introductory training day was launched, open to professional musicians with an interest in creative music leadership and community collaboration. This initial program was led by local and international leaders in the field and explored the background, scope and impact of the Lullaby Project worldwide. Participants came together to develop key tools, share experiences, and build vital knowledge for working as creative music leaders within community settings. Invited attendees will be mentored to work as Lullaby Artists within future projects.
In response to the overwhelmingly positive feedback, Connecting the Dots in Music has delivered subsequent Artist Development Residencies including at UKARIA Cultural Centre and Ballara Arts and Lifestyle Retreat, Yorke Peninsula.
Artist Feedback:
Paving the way for the future
In 2020, Lullaby Project Australia won a distinguished Ruby Award for excellence in the Arts, presented by South Australian Department of Premier and Cabinet. After a significant period of growth, there is now significant interest from multiple communities and potential partners throughout South Australia and Australia to establish the project within new healthcare, education, community and social support settings. With support of our partners, Connecting the Dots in Music is continuing to carry out extensive project scoping and planning through meaningful engagement with diverse stakeholders to develop strategic vision, project resources, partnerships and training to ensure sustainability, reach and accessibility of the project into the future. The project is transportable, flexible and adaptable to suit the needs of any community or individual.
Activating community assets:
By building community-wide Lullaby initiatives through collective collaborations,
Lullaby Project Australia is a powerful vehicle with which to:
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Foster a shared community identity and voice through group lullaby writing
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Mobilise community-led participation to build a collective vision
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Inspire families to envision a future for the children of the community
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Welcome new babies into the community with a bespoke musical gift
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Bring families together to grow friendships and support networks across a region
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Celebrate, leverage and strengthen community assets and voices
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Initiate a nation-wide Lullaby movement of singing, writing and sharing
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Provide a nurturing platform for voices to be heard, valued and celebrated
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Highlight the innate artistry and creativity of individuals
Connecting the Dots in Music
Lullaby Project Australia is an initiative of Connecting the Dots in Music, established through a partnership with Carnegie Hall and with the support of the Government of South Australia.
Connecting the Dots in Music recognises the power of music and connection in building a better world. Through music, we bring people together to empower their own voices, their families, their communities. We provide an inclusive space and creative platform for people to be heard and to share stories that aren't often told. Through experiential, participatory music-making, we invite people to discover their own potential and explore new possibilities.
By connecting ideas, people, artists, organisations and communities, we affect positive social impact through accessible, inclusive and creative music programs of outstanding quality.
Focussing on collaborative design, creative problem solving and meaningful engagement, we develop bespoke, world-class programs that make a significant difference to the lives of individuals and communities.
Thank you
The community impact of the project has been widely celebrated, receiving acknowledgement from organisations including Carnegie Hall and Government of South Australia.
We thank all our contributors, collaborators and supporters for their ongoing commitment towards our project and vision.
You can listen to our lullabies on the Listen page