Abandoned on the day of my birth, left in an orphanage for 2 years, then adopted into a brilliant family, I feel fortunate and blessed. I loved school but at the time, I did not know that I was dyslexic. I left school with no qualifications, believing, at the time, as had been told, that I would never be able achieve academically. I was not allowed to do music at school because I was not ‘good enough’ at English or maths. I was told I was bad at languages, art, pretty much everything to be honest.
Fast forward to today. I speak French, Finnish, some Hindi and some Arabic. I have recorded 18 albums, given concerts in more than 100 countries, sold out concerts at the South Bank in London and played for presidents, sheikhs, kings, criminals, children, the homeless and the dying. I played to over 15,000 people in North Korea, gave music workshops for young Taliban soldiers and was held by Muslim fundamentalists in Pakistan. I have been honoured by the Crown Prince (now the King) of Bahrain for my work with intercultural dialogue. I also make films and have won international awards for doing so.
A turning point for me was in 1998 when I received a grant from the Princes Trust. It wasn’t about the money, which of course helped, it was about being recognised as being worthy. For those who say that the Royal Family are out of touch with the real lives of ordinary citizens, I would disagree. The Princes Trust helped and inspired a dyslexic orphan from a dockyard family in Portsmouth, who dreamed of bringing the world together through music and the arts, achieve great things.
Maybe I had something to prove to myself, pushing myself hard, or just maybe I just love creating, giving, and sharing creativity with people. Either way, I am still telling stories and re-inventing myself, and I will never stop.
“Jason Carter builds extraordinary bridges between cultures; we are proud to have Jason with us.” – Sir Sherard Cowper Coles, former British Ambassador to Afghanistan, Israel and Saudi Arabia
“.Jason helps to build much needed relationships across borders that the technological forces driving globalization could never achieve.” – Neville McBain, former British Council Director Iran, Uzbekistan, and Saudi Arabia
Please get in touch if you would like to see my full CV or Bio. jason (@) inspirecreativeinternational.com
