Last week, the Government has announced a further £80 million investment into music hubs across the country to benefit thousands of children.
The aim of this multi-million-pound investment is to deliver on the Conservative manifesto commitment to offer an ‘arts premium’ to secondary schools, allowing children to develop and learn more creative skills.
The package announced by the Department for Education and School Standards Minister, Nick Gibb, also includes a £1 million cash boost to charities to support young musicians and £4 million in funding for a series of other cultural education programmes, including in film making, dance and theatre.
Minister Nick Gibb said:
“Music, arts and culture play an essential role in enriching pupils’ education and we want to give as many young people as possible the opportunity to learn an instrument or perform in a choir or a band.
“Our continued investment will play an important role in helping young people widen their horizons and access all the opportunities that learning a musical instrument can provide - whether that be playing for pleasure or performing.”
In total, music hubs have been supported by £300 million between 2016 and 2020, part of an overall investment of £500 million in the arts.
Local MP, Caroline Dinenage, commented:
“I am very pleased to see this vital investment going into music hubs across the country.
“We need to give children the best education possible, not only in academia but also in cultural education that can offer them diverse opportunities. I look forward to seeing how this investment will bring new and exciting opportunities for local children.”