Co-production of the organisation: Developing democratic management practice in a music therapy project for and by trans and nonbinary communities

While there is a burgeoning interest in co-production across the arts therapies, there is little literature available on co-producing the organisations providing therapies. In this article we aim to go some way to address this gap. Drawing on a previous conference presentation by the same authors, this article explores coproduction practice within a United Kingdom-based music therapy project for and by trans and nonbinary people, Phoenix Song Project. Discussion focuses on the value of co-production, and specifically in responding to the needs of trans and nonbinary people. Music therapy literature about working with trans and nonbinary communities provides one context, along with the situation of trans healthcare experiences in the United Kingdom, and some key co-production texts. The article summarises the organisation’s co-production journey so far, followed by individual reflections on the felt experience of each author. While both authors are Phoenix Song Project committee members, one is the founder and a qualified music therapist, while the other is a community member who works in social care, but not in a UK-regulated profession. There are parallels and divergences between our respective reflections, and we explore how factors informed the development of our coproduction. We identify the balancing act inherent in simultaneously engaging in practice informed by our values in the present, while also imagining and working towards a future practice that embodies co-production values more fully.