The Songwriting Project
For the past two years, former Armed Forces personnel and family members, alongside community members across North, South, and West Wales, have been coming together through a shared interest in singing, songwriting and playing music. Meeting weekly at the Queensferry Memorial Institute in Shotton, The VC Gallery in Pembroke Dock, and Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, participants have co-created original songs that explore and express their experiences of mental health and resilience.
Currently, these songs are being professionally recorded, with participants from each group singing and playing instruments on the songs they co-created alongside Re-Live practitioners. The final studio album will be released in Autumn 2025.
"Music is now back in my life. It’s given me something to hold on to."
— Songwriting participant
This project has produced deeply personal songs and provided a creative outlet to support mental health and wellbeing.
"I didn’t think I could write a song, but I managed it. I’ve found my voice again, and I’ve got a smile on my face."
— Songwriting participant
Be Part of This Project – Call for Artists
Design the Album Cover for a Powerful New Album of Co-Created Songs
Re-Live is inviting former Armed Forces personnel and family members to submit artwork for consideration. The selected artist will be commissioned to create the album cover for a powerful new album of co-created songs by veterans, family members, and community members across North, South, and West Wales. The album will be released in Autumn 2025.
· Creative brief: The artist will listen to the album and create a new piece of artwork inspired by the songs for the cover.
· Commission: The selected artist will receive a £750 fee, which includes all materials needed, or an alternative form of support based on individual circumstances.
· All artistic styles are welcome, including painting, photography, illustration, graphic design, and mixed media. You don’t need to be a professional artist.
How to Apply
Send us:
1. A short intro (a few sentences about your connection to the Armed Forces community).
2. A high-res image of one piece of artwork that best represents your creative style.
Submit by 5pm on April 11th, 2025, to: Project Lead, Karin Diamond | karin@re-live.org.uk
Project participants will anonymously review the submissions and vote for the piece they feel most connected to. The artist with the most votes will be commissioned to create the final album cover.
Key Dates
· Submission deadline: 11th April 2025.
· Artist selected: 9th May 2025
· Commission begins: 10th May 2025 (for the selected artist)
· Final album cover submission: 11th July 2025 (for the selected artist)
Please share this opportunity with anyone who might be interested, we want to reach as many people as possible.
We are grateful to The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and the Arts Council of Wales for their support in making this project possible.
The Songwriting Project is in partnership with the VC Gallery in Pembroke Dock and The Veterans and Community Hub (VC Hub) CIC & Caffinaafi.
Safety and Wellbeing
The safety and wellbeing of the people we work alongside is paramount. We work closely with Veterans NHS Wales who offer guidance and support, and to whom we defer on clinical issues.
Should any veteran or family member require urgent emotional support, the Combat Stress Helpline is a free service open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year:
Free call: 0800 138 1619
Text: 07537 173 683
Email: combat.stress@rethink.org
HeadFIT for Life helps defence people stay mentally fit and on top of their game. At work and at home.