£101 million boost to enable children to access music education

EVERY child in England will be given the opportunity to learn to sing, play an instrument and make music with classmates thanks to a £101m investment in “high quality” music education.

The new funding will create nearly 50 music hubs around the country to provide the impetus to ensure the Government’s National Plan for Music Education is delivered.

Rolled out by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Education, the 43 hubs are to be spread across the country to help deliver musical activities, equipment and teacher training to children and young people, partnering with organisations including the London Symphony Orchestra.

The move is a huge boost to the Daily Express’s Strike A Chord crusade to save the nation’s failing music education, and the latest hubs are in addition to a previous pledg to create a society in which everyone is “able to participate in music”.

The music hotspots will also form part of the Arts Council England 10-year Let’s Create strategy, which aims to unlock creativity across the country regardless of people’s background, circumstances and location.

New hubs will work in partnership with 43 lead organisations including schools, colleges, universities, local authorities and cultural organisations, to form a regional music network tailored to area-specific needs.

Music Hubs are partnerships of schools, local authorities, community groups, music organisations, industry and more, coordinated in each area by a hub lead organisation.

Plans include Hull City Council’s hope to work with regional partners on introducing young people to brass band music, a genre with which the city has a significant history, while in London four new hubs are to benefit from the expertise of music venues and ensembles including the Southbank Centre and the London Symphony Orchestra. Glyndebourne Festival Opera, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and BBC Proms are also involved in the push, with hub lead organisations to receive more than £100 million from the Department for Education.

This figure comprises £76 million in regular funding for the programme and £25 million to invest in musical instruments, equipment and technology, with specific resources designed for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Darren Henley, chief executive at ACE, said: “Music education is enormously powerful – it can enrich young people’s lives, help them connect with the people around them, and start them on the pathway to fruitful and fulfilling careers.

“We are excited to announce this investment in a new generation of Music Hubs, which will support the brilliant work of our dedicated music teachers across the country, and help bring high-quality music education to even more children and young people in every part of England.”

School Standards minister Damian Hinds added: “Studying and engaging with music isn’t a privilege, it’s a vital part of a broad and ambitious curriculum – and all children and young people should have access to an excellent music education and all the knowledge and joy it brings.

“Music Hubs play a crucial role in delivering high-quality music education in England and our newly announced Hub Lead organisations will ensure every child across the country has the chance to develop a love for music, whether it’s through singing, learning to play an instrument or creating their own music.”