North Tyneside Council has been appointed by Arts Council England as the lead partner for a regional Music Hub consortium from September 2024.
The new consortium includes Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, South Tyneside, and Sunderland local authorities.
This is part of an ambitious national programme to provide high-quality music education for all children and young people.
Music Hubs are partnerships of schools, local authorities, community groups, music organisations, industry and more.
North Tyneside Council will receive a total of £3,649,277 from the Department for Education with specified funding allocated to each local authority to continue activity which continues to meet local need whilst expanding opportunities regionally for all young people in the North East.
The North East Music Hub will receive £2,746,933 to deliver and support high quality music education for children and young people in the region, plus £902,344 to invest in new musical instruments, equipment and technology tailored to the needs of children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.
It will utilise diverse partnerships between educational, creative and community organisations, in their local communities and throughout the country.
North Tyneside Council’s appointment is part of a major investment in a new generation of the nationwide network of Music Hubs. The investment will help to deliver the Government’s National Plan for Music Education and give all children and young people the opportunity to develop their musical interests as far as they wish, including helping them to begin careers in the music industry.
North Tyneside’s Elected Mayor, Dame Norma Redfearn DBE, said: “This is fantastic news for children and young people across our region. The funding will open new opportunities in music and give young people the chance to gain skills, grow in confidence, and form new friendships. I look forward to seeing the project take shape, and I’m proud that North Tyneside will play a leading role in its delivery.”
Julie Dorr, Lead of North Tyneside Music Education Hub and Chair of the consortium said: "With this new investment, we're poised to extend the reach of our Music Hubs across the North East, ensuring a broader and better music education for all. Through committed educators and new partnerships, our goal is to nurture the musical talents and interests of young people, supporting them to achieve their full potential.
“For young people, it goes beyond notes on a page and learning to play an instrument; it's a gateway to connectivity, creativity, skill development, and self-discovery. This funding paves the way for more children in our region to access these opportunities."
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."
Sarah Maxfield, Area Director North, Arts Council England, said: “The North of England has a proud tradition of music education in many genres, including brass and classical music, which we know can enhance lives and provide opportunities for making a career in the creative sector. So I’m delighted that the new strategic partnerships we’re announcing today will ensure that more children and young people receive a varied and high quality music education through a diverse range of musical activities and which is tailored specifically to the needs of the local area.”
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high-quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision. www.artscouncil.org.uk.
