Hello from our new CEO Zoë Carassik-Lord

Emily

“I first heard about Pie at age 13. I was a participant in the Art Beat Project at Turner Contemporary where organisations came together to inspire well-being for young people in the community. All summer we were working towards an exhibition at the Turner, called The Wellbeing Fest. This event had a lot of excitement about it and was even in the local paper.

Our time was split between the Turner, Pie and Tom Thumb Theatre where in each location we took part in several activities to help create and plan the exhibition, as well as understand well-being and mental health.

We came to Pie Factory Music for a week to make music (some of which were used as background music in the exhibition). We not only used instruments but also went down to the sea and recorded nature sounds to use as well. 

The staff at Pie helped me the most, they were so supportive and encouraging. When it came to picking my GCSEs they literally sat down with me and helped me make the decision (something they really didn’t have to do but it meant so much). They also talked me through some different careers that I could do within the arts but outside of the traditional artist and musician careers.

Pie also helped with my independence. I heard about the event (Art Beat) at school and I was determined to go. My parents were unable to take me so I would wake up extra early to take the bus down to that day’s location and take the bus back again. There was always food provided when I got there which was a godsend, to be honest. I was able to take part in so many activities that I otherwise would never have been able to do.

In my life after Pie, I am currently studying for my Masters in Media and Global Communication at City London University while working at Marks and Spencer as an Assistant Trader for the International Home team. I hope to go into Events planning for the charity sector, to create events like the Art Beat Project. Pie has helped me get to where I am because the staff helped me pick out my GCSEs, which in turn led to me studying art and fashion. 

For young people, my dream reflects upon the real world and events happening around us. The world is crazy at the moment with global pandemics, political and economic changes, it is honestly sad and quite worrying to see the pressures society puts on young people. I hope the next generation can have a better childhood with no worries or pressure, that they can dream big and be blissfully unaware. And be children! Sometimes our generation wants to grow up so fast but we really need to appreciate the moment we are currently in and enjoy what we have now.

Pie was the first step for me truly understanding myself, they offered me an amazing opportunity that summer to learn, create and get away from my day-to-day life. I will be forever grateful for that.“

Pie Factory Music is delighted to announce the appointment of Zoë Carassik-Lord as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Zoë’s appointment comes as the organisation implements the next phase of its 2022-2025 Strategy Plan, with a particular focus on long-term premises and financial security.

Zoë says:

“I’m so excited to take on the role of CEO at Pie Factory Music – an organisation and community I am deeply committed to and love working for. I’m honoured to have been chosen to lead Pie into its next phase of development, and I’m ready to get stuck in!”

Pie Factory Music Chair of Trustees Mike Fagg says:

“We are delighted to appoint Zoë into the CEO role. It’s an exciting time as we seek to diversify our income streams and continue to grow our service for the young people of Thanet, Dover and East Kent for at least another 20 years, growing on the past two decades of Pie’s history.

Zoë brings a wide knowledge base and experience in the Youth Arts sector, and having been part of the amazing team at Pie for the last 6 years, as Programme Manager for Music & Creative Arts, is excellently positioned to build on the solid foundations that have been created.

Zoë will be working with Steph throughout April and takes up her new role from 1st May 2023.”

Prior to her role as Programme Manager here at Pie, Zoë worked in London for several music education charities, including Spitalfields Music and Sound Connections, where she worked closely with participants, music educators and practitioners delivering projects with young people facing challenging life circumstances, including care-experienced and d/Deaf and disabled young people.

Over the last six years, Zoë has chaired the Kent Youth Arts Network, been a member of the Advisory Board at the Gulbenkian Arts Centre, and developed meaningful partnerships with cultural and youth organisations across Thanet, the South East, and nationally.

We have some very exciting news at Pie!

With the huge success of our Open Arms sessions for young refugees and asylum seekers, we are overjoyed to announce that the programme will be holding monthly Life Skills sessions for these young people throughout the spring and summer on these dates:
– Friday 14 April 3pm-5pm
– Friday 12 May 3pm-5pm
– Friday 9 June 3pm-5pm
Young people can just turn up and all sessions are free to attend.

These sessions will include:
Creating a collaborative cookbook with Dylane Hubbard (a local foster carer), with recipes and stories from young people’s home countries, embellishing the links between nourishment and mental and physical wellbeing.

One-to-one asylum advice with a professional case worker from the Refugee Council. These will be offered as drop in 20 min appointments, prearrange or first come, first served. The advice service is for young people seeking asylum, up to 18 years old.

Opportunities for Life Skills Support and Individual Development with experienced Creative Practitioners Moa Norrsell and Daisy Kelly-Granger, such as help with homework, writing CVs, job applications, and more.

Pie’s Open Arms session runs every Friday from 5pm to 7:30pm at our Ramsgate HQ for young unaccompanied asylum seekers. The session has seen so many wonderful crafts, dances, music and collaboration. This has been a space for young people to relax, enjoy food inspired by their culture, connect with others and celebrating togetherness and openness.

With huge thanks to the support from NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group who have enabled these sessions to happen.

Danny

“I first came to Pie when I was 13 years old after someone who heard me rap in the park told me I should come along and show my talent. I remember that day very clearly still.

When I first came to Pie, I just got involved with the group who used to pass the mic around [Live Room]. There used to be 50+ MC’s and a DJ all passing the mic around. They had to really encourage me to do it the first time because I was shy, but I’m so glad they got me do it because my confidence lifted and that was the start! 

Afterwards, I got involved with Matt, one of Pie’s Creative Practitioners, and recorded songs and did music projects with him. 

When I was a little bit older, about 16/17, I helped the younger ones a couple times and got involved with song writing and running activities with them, alongside doing shows and recording my own music. I loved every moment! 

I am who I am today because of Pie! Because of the people that work there. If I had never gone that day when someone told me to, I wouldn’t be the artist that I’ve become. My confidence, my social skills, my abilities, even my music knowledge is all because of Pie. 

The best thing that I’ve learnt at Pie was to help others and be their biggest support if needed. 

Matt knows that I was really struggling in life at the time, so if someone else was struggling, I had to be there for them because that’s what Matt did for me. I have taken that with me later in life too.  

Pie means everything to me! If it wasn’t for them, goodness knows what I would have done and where I would be today. I appreciate all the team so much! 

Being involved with Pie has helped me be where I am today – I’ve got awesome job at Pilgrims Hospices and I’m still heavily involved with music. I’ve just released my Debut EP “Train Of Thought” It’s out on all digital stores and even on CD. After years of working on my craft ‘Poetic Justice’ is now ready to go get his dream! And it all started at Pie Factory Music!

The world I’m dreaming of for young people in the future, is that the world will be more together. These last few years have been awful for everybody, it’s divided the world. It’s like everyone is against each other instead of standing together and supporting one another. 

I want to see people smiling. Young and old. 

And I want the young ones to feel like they have a bright future ahead.

Stories like Danny’s bring home just how important the work we do to support, inspire and empower young people is. As we reflect on Pie’s 20th anniversary in 2022, we want to be here for the next 20 and beyond. If you like what we do, please consider donating to support our work.

Evan: Pie participant, Emerging Artist, Intern.

Evan joined Pie Factory Music when he was 13 years old. He was in a band at school and needed a space to rehearse. The band were excited to find out that Pie was free and aimed at young people, which at the time he describes as “practically unheard of in the area”.

Evan says: “I’ve always had a passion for playing and listening to music, but school didn’t provide me with any opportunities to be creative. It was too formal and structured. Pie Factory Music offered space to explore music in your own way, instead of it being part of a curriculum.”

After being at Pie for some time he started attending sessions on his own to play music with whoever was in the studio at the time. “I never thought I would have the confidence to do this” After a few years of attending our music sessions, we asked Evan if he wanted to be part of the Thanet Emerging Artists Programme, aimed at developing young musicians for a career in music. “This was a real turning point for me. I learnt so much on the programme, including how to set up and promote gigs, running live events and I had lots of opportunities to perform on stage. I’ve gone on to set up my own gigs and now work with a promotion agency.”

After finishing college, Evan joined our team as an intern and worked alongside us on our social media channels, making posters and designing adverts. Evan also helped to run the band room youth session. “I used to attend these workshops as a young teenager and I’m really proud to be able to give back to the charity in this way.” “I’ve always wanted a career in music, but it was being part of Pie Factory Music that put me on the right track to fulfil my ambition.”

Evan has gone on to study art at university and has become a popular musician, performing live solo and with his band. Evan performed at our 20th-anniversary event: The Big Gig on 3 December 2022 at Elsewhere Margate alongside emerging artists Debdepan and seasoned performer Falle Nioke.