Protect Music Education: the time is now to respond

• Music services under threat from cuts proposed in a Government consultation
• In a recent survey most music services asked receive some funding from their local authority.
• Protect Music Education urges teachers, head teachers, parents, governors, pupils, musicians and the music industry to respond to Department for Education’s consultation which proposes that local authorities stop funding music services.
• Consultation response pack launched, including key polling figures, quotes from famous musicians and survey data.
  
  

The Department for Education recently launched a consultation saying that music services should be funded only by national and school funding. This would result in a cut of millions of pounds to music services. The proposed ending of such funding seriously risks the successful delivery of the Government’s visionary National Plan for Music Education.

A survey of 55 music hubs found that a majority received funding or funding ‘in-kind’ from their local authority. Even where this is not part of the Education Services Grant (Government Consultation) the funding could be put at risk.

By tampering with the delicate ecology of music education there could be unintended consequences such as undermining progression routes from school through to both university and conservatoire and an adverse impact on the creation of the next generation of musicians. With the music industry being worth over £3.5billion to the British economy, we simply cannot take this risk.

The British public have also shown their concern for the future of music education through a series of polls conducted by YouGov and the ISM:

• 85% of adults back Michael Gove’s statement, taken from the foreword of the National Plan for Music that ‘Music education must not become the preserve of those children whose families can afford to pay for music tuition.’*
• 74% of British adults who expressed an opinion think that the loss of music education opportunities, as a subject at school and as an extra-curricular activity will negatively impact the UK.
• 66% of those who expressed an opinion agreed that schools cannot provide music education alone; they need the support of a wider local music structure.
  
  

Now with the consultation deadline of 19 June 2014 drawing closer, it is time to respond to the consultation.

John Smith, General Secretary of the Musicians Union said:

‘The MU is committed to supporting music education and music teachers so that quality provision is accessible to every child. This will not happen if funding for music education continues to be cut. We urge the Government to urgently review the situation.’

Deborah Annetts, Chief Executive of the ISM, said:

‘It is vital that people respond to the Government’s consultation and get this damaging proposal removed. The Department for Education is undermining the National Plan for Music Education by recommending yet more cuts to music services.'

For more information about the campaign, including a video message, visitwww.protectmusiceducation.org. 

Editor’s notes

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 2,246 GB adults (aged 18+). Fieldwork was undertaken between 7 - 8 May 2014.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

In the foreword to the National Plan for Music Education in England, Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education and Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries said:

‘We would not have scaled the heights of artistic greatness in the first place without our pre-eminence in music education.’
‘It is important that music education of high quality is available to as many of them as possible: it must not become the preserve of those children whose families can afford to pay for music tuition.’

About Protect Music Education

The Protect Music Education campaign has been stepped up in response to a consultation document published by the Department for Education recommending that local authorities cut their funding for music services.

The campaign is supported by thousands of individuals, and over 75 key industry organisations assisting with the campaign, including the professional body for musicians, the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ism.org), the Musicians Union, orchestras London Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, organisations Royal Philharmonic Society, ABO, Music Publishers Association, Music Education UK and Orchestras Live, in the field of education Conservatoires UK, Trinity College London, UCan Play and several music services and hubs from across England.

Full list of supporters.