£80 million culture boost for children in schools

Thousands more children will be able to learn instruments and play in orchestras or choirs thanks to a £80million investment by the government in music hubs.

Charities that help young people learn about different styles of music are also set to receive a further £1 million next year to support the next generation of musicians.

The multi-million-pound package has been announced alongside a manifesto commitment to offer an ‘arts premium’ to secondary schools to allow young people to learn creative skills and widen their horizons. The curriculum schemes that will receive a total of £85 million for 2020/21 are as follows: Music Education Hubs; In Harmony; National Youth Music Organisations (NYMOs) and Music for Youth; and cultural education (Heritage Schools, BFI Film Academy, Museums and Schools, ACE Bridge Network, National Youth Dance Company, Saturday Art and Design Clubs).

School Standards 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.”