Newcastle City Council has approved plans to establish a new charitable arm of the Newcastle Music Service, to be called Newcastle Music, aimed at giving disadvantaged children and young people in the city the chance to discover a talent for music.
The council's cabinet backed the move this week, saying it would provide access to additional sources of funding and help expand projects for deprived areas and for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Around 7,000 children a year already engage with the service.
Council leaders welcome the move
Speaking at this week's cabinet meeting, deputy leader Coun Mark Mitchell said: "The music service is a true success story, reaching thousands of children every year and helping them to build confidence and creativity."
Cabinet member for culture Rob Austin added: "The Newcastle Music Service does so much work across the city. I have seen first-hand how much it does. Creating a charitable organisation means we can do more work with more children across the city. The opportunities young people have had through this service have been amazing, and the impact it has - just being able to pick up an instrument may seem really small, but the confidence it brings and the impact it has is brilliant."
Expanding opportunities and funding
In recent years, Newcastle Music Service has played a pivotal role in both the MOBO and Mercury Fringe programmes. It has created opportunities for young people to explore a wide range of musical genres, gain experience of the music industry and perform in front of live audiences at major events.
This year, it is once again working with Generator as part of the Mercury Fringe, helping to create similar opportunities through songwriting workshops, event promotion projects and singing performances as part of the Mini Mercury Choir.
The council says additional funding would help broaden access to music, creativity and cultural opportunities through increased investment in local activities, particularly in under-represented areas of Newcastle, including the East End and Inner West. It would also enable more targeted and subsidised opportunities for children with SEND, care-experienced young people and families facing financial hardship.
Commitment to reducing barriers
Councillor Christine Morrissey, Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Families, said: "Establishing a charitable arm of Newcastle Music Service will open up new funding opportunities, allowing us to extend and enhance projects that support some of our city's most disadvantaged children and young people."
She added: "This could include increasing instrumental and vocal learning opportunities, expand performance and creative projects, and developing new programmes that improve access to music and culture in schools and communities across Newcastle. It would also enable us to provide additional support for talented young musicians who might otherwise be unable to access these opportunities because of financial barriers."
"We are committed to giving every child the chance to develop new skills, discover their talents and experience the benefits that music can bring. This proposal will help us reduce barriers to participation and ensure more young people can access high-quality musical opportunities, regardless of their background."
