Brighton and Hove Older People’s Music
Brighton and Hove Older People’s Music (BHOPM) is the place for the city’s older people to access high quality music-making provision: older people’s jam sessions, inclusive music clubs, and beginners’ strings sessions.


According to the Brighton & Hove Health and Wellbeing Strategy (HWBS) 2019-30, the city’s population is ageing whilst average healthy life expectancy is declining:
- The risk of loneliness in over-65s in our city is in the top 20% in England
- 41% of over 65-year-olds live alone
Arts and cultural activities offer compelling ways to address loneliness. Research shows that community music activities create cultural resources and capacities, challenge social isolation and promote a sense of community (Gibson & Gordon, 2018; Schiavio et al., 2019). However older people are often excluded from participating due to the cost, a lack of confidence or the ability to go out independently due to health conditions such as dementia. Arts Council England research shows that 11% of adults not engaging with the arts are homebound older people.
BHOPM is our contribution to combatting loneliness amongst older people in the city. Founded on a partnership between BHMC & Wishing Well Music for Health, funded by Brighton & Hove City Council’s Third Sector Partnership 2020-25, BHOPM also includes work with people living with dementia and carers, as part of the Ageing Well partnership (BHCC and Brighton & Hove NHS -funded), and Silver Strings.
BHOPM sessions
*Free to access*, unless stated
- Tea & Jam: over-50s’ outdoor jam sessions – music in the moment!: Wednesday lunchtimes, central Brighton
- Music and Motion: dementia-friendly Friday morning music club at Brooke Mead
- all-abilities strings jams, and beginners’ strings sessions – we provide all the instruments!
- outdoor & in person social centre / care home / seniors housing sessions (some funded, some chargeable – please enquire)
- Silver Strings – Brighton & Hove’s very own later-starter community string band: beginners / returners welcome (fee applies)
- bedside music sessions for care home residents (fee applies)



