Music Hubs combine to inspire music education opportunities in the region

A joint bid to Arts Council England has been successful in uniting Nottinghamshire and Nottingham music hubs to deliver music education opportunities in the region.

From September 2024 the new music hub consortium led by Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries with Nottingham Music Service will increase the range and reach of music opportunities across the region for communities, children and young people.

With existing partnerships in place at a local, regional and national level, the joint force of Inspire and Nottingham Music Service will support the delivery of the Local Plan for Music Education and provide progression routes and inclusive access for children and young people. At the heart of the hub consortium lies the shared passion that every child and young person should have the opportunity for high-quality musical experiences regardless of their background or ability.

The funding gives the consortium scope to develop school/CPD networks and identify and remove barriers to participation. Developing skills and partnerships to support progression routes for young people into creative

industries will be key through the ongoing delivery of bold, innovative and inclusive programs. Together, the hub will make a lasting and positive difference in the lives of thousands of children and young people across the region, empowering young musicians and inspiring a lifelong love of music in communities across the city and county.

Peter Gaw, CEO Inspire commented,

“We are delighted that our application to be the Hub Lead Organisation was successful. As a consortium partnership covering Nottinghamshire and Nottingham, Inspire and Nottingham Music Service plan to coordinate with our partners to increase the range and reach of our work with children and young people. The funding will give us scope to build on our respective provision, but also look for collaborative ways to enrich our programmes across City and County.”

Ian Burton, CEO of Nottingham Music Service added,

“The new hub consortium represents a positive step forward in the collective effort to make music education more accessible and impactful across the region. By uniting with Inspire under a shared vision of world-class music education for all, we will provide an inclusive and vibrant musical education landscape”.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, 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."

Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director, Arts Council England, said: “We can all relate to the importance of music in our lives, and the Arts Council welcomes

the Department for Education’s continuing support for music education and the role it plays in the lives of children and young people. The Arts Council’s ambition is for every child to be inspired by the arts. This funding will support the new generation of Music Hubs to build on the great work of the programme to offer children across the Midlands opportunities to take part in musical activities, including learning an instrument, singing or exploring how music is created and produced.”

For more information about Inspire the lead hub organisation visit Culture, Learning and Libraries visit inspireculture.org.uk/nottsmusichub

For more information about the work of Nottingham Music Service please visit: nottinghammusichub.org.uk