Like many 14 year olds, Logan is a TV fanatic, but through Jack Drum Arts he is expanding his horizons into drama, music and games.

Logan first attended Jack Drum Arts when participating in Summer School in 2015, and was hooked - having attended every year since then. He commented that throughout the 7 years of attending Summer School, he has become much more confident, and that “it’s made me a lot less self conscious.”

During Covid-19, Logan began participating more regularly at Jack Drum Arts through their online Games Night sessions.

Discovering his musical talents during Covid-19

Logan’s Mum Amber confesses to Logan inheriting not her own, but her own Mum’s musical talents. His Grandma, or “Ooma” lives in America, and during Covid-19 taught Logan the basics of guitar via Zoom. Since then, he has joined Jack Drum Arts’ Rock Band, and has taken up guitar lessons at St John’s School.

Logan works well at school, but Amber shared how beneficial Jack Drum Arts is for being separate to school - where Logan can explore his identity in a safe and encouraging environment.

Through Rock Band, Logan has gone on to perform with their band Jazzy Dystopia, performing at Skimstone Arts’ UNITY Festival in Newcastle in March 2022, and then supporting their band Reality Boots at Bishop Auckland Town Hall in June 2022.

He described his first gigs with Rock Band as “fun, really fun, it was somewhat scary, but fun to do with other people.”

Amber comments:

"I just think it's had such a positive impact on him, and in his self confidence, and his ability to make friends, and just interact.”

“If you gave him the opportunity he could become a bit of a wallflower.”

Logan now attends 3 sessions a week at Jack Drum Arts; Jackass Youth Theatre, Games Night, and Rock Band.

Amber expresses how she can imagine Logan moving into the arts as a career. She said:

“It will definitely expand his opportunities as he gets older, and he’s aware of that as well. I mean that’s not really his reason for doing it, he does it because he enjoys it and he wants to do it.”

A space for SEND young people

Amber is a SEND case worker, and has referred many young people in the area to Jack Drum Arts.

Logan’s brother Cody, who is autistic, now also attends Summer School each year, which Amber reflects upon how beneficial this has been for him too.

She comments on how easy the sessions at Jack Drum Arts are to access - in locality, price and inclusion for SEND young people.

She said:

            “I’m really grateful to have it around, let’s say.”

In January 2022, Logan was one of thirteen young people to form Jack Drum Arts’ Youth Board. Sharing the ambition of incorporating climate change awareness into everyday life, Logan is one of the leading forces behind the Youth Boards first project; BOP Fest.

“I’m helping with a variety of things for BOP Fest […] like food, interacting with performers, and the stages.”

BOP Fest is a free festival taking place on 14th August 2022 at Glenholme Park in Crook.