Children and young people

Two music education charities are joining forces to deliver a programme focused on improving the provision of the music curriculum in state primary schools.

Music Masters and Voices Foundation have announced a pilot programme for their partnership in which they will collaborate with 29 primary schools in one of the largest multi-academy trusts in England, The Kemnal Academies Trust, located across Kent and West Sussex.

According to a statement released by the two charities, the pilot will see the development of a curriculum framework that supports teaching staff and is informed by the needs and resources of the school communities. 

The programme plans to focus on academies and free schools, which make up more than 40% of primary schools in the country, as there is currently no statutory obligation for such schools to follow the national curriculum for music.

Voices Foundation CEO Manvinder Rattan said the programme “will fundamentally improve the music education experience for so many children”.

“The music education sector is remarkable in its diversity but it is quite fragmented,” Rattan added.

“I have long believed that, in order to make the greatest positive impact on children, we need to hold hands with our partners much more firmly. And that is exactly what we're doing here.”
 

Guildhall School of Music and Drama is set to launch a new national training network in performance and production for children and young people across England.

The network aims to “broaden the country’s talent pipeline” and will incorporate five existing centres across England, as well as an online centre for remote study.

It will offer one-to-one training, as well as group lessons and holiday courses in music and drama. 

Centres in Waterloo, the Barbican, King’s Cross - all in London - and Norwich and Taunton will form part of the network, each run in partnership with local arts venues and education providers, the Stage reported.

The network demonstrates “the depth and breadth of Guildhall School’s commitment to children and young people”, said Jonathan Vaughan, Principal of Guildhall.

“Our vision of becoming a sector leader in lifelong learning in the arts is being realised as we work to ensure the boundaries between the different levels of our training are porous and that people at every stage of life can learn with Guildhall School,” he said.

Alison Mears, Director of Guildhall Young Artists, said that a lack of investment in the performing arts in schools over the past decade had “closed down” opportunities. 

“Guildhall Young Artists is our response, as a leading conservatoire, to help increase and broaden the country’s talent pipeline, and to enable more young people to perform, create, improvise and collaborate at the highest level,” she added.

Sadler’s Wells has shared details of a choreographic project for schools and youth groups that will offer a chance to perform on one of the venue’s stages.

Making Moves will see 48 school and youth dance groups in England selected to take part each year, to create new dance works inspired by some of the world’s most renowned choreographers.

Starting in September this year, the initiative will provide participating groups with digital toolkits created by four professional dance artists, including a theme, suggested music, sources of inspiration and creative ideas for generating movement.

The group’s dance work will be performed at a regional venue during spring next year, with eight groups invited to peform on one of Sadler’s Wells’ stages in July 2024.

Director of Learning and Engagement at Sadler’s Wells, Joce Giles, says Making Moves will “celebrate the creativity and talent of young people”.

“We want to inspire young people by connecting them with the creative ideas and approaches of some of the most exciting dance artists making work today,” Giles added.

“Any school or youth group passionate about dance and performance should apply, and we look forward to making new connections with groups across England as part of the project's inaugural year.”

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has awarded £110,000 to 22 projects through its Small Grants funding programme.

The initiatives receiving support span the regions of Down, Mid-Ulster, Armagh, Fermanagh, Antrim and the North West.

“Thanks to National Lottery players and money raised for good causes, we are delighted to announce today funding to support 22 fantastic projects, creating more opportunities for people to engage with the arts, from grassroots level projects through to professional productions,” said Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

“This valuable funding programme will support a variety of high quality arts projects in locations across Northern Ireland, including performances, workshops and tuition.”

The Lurgan and Armagh George Russell Festival Society has received funding to support its George Russell Festival, a history, literature and art festival that began on 1 April and continues until 10 April. 

Funding was also awarded to Tempo Maguires GAC to provide weekly low-cost traditional museum classes; Lilac Cancer Support Ltd to recruit an artist to work one day per week in the Art Development Studio at its Community Hub; North West Cultural Partnership to fund a May to July festival celebrating the opening of a new £1.8m arts centre, Seaview Integrated Primary School for a 10-week block of dance classes; Down Academy Pipes and Drums for a music tuition programme at a local primary school; and Africa House NI for a series of arts development workshops and training for the African diaspora community. 

African theatre company Utopia Theatre has secured dedicated new premises for its recently launched Youth Academy in Sheffield.

The Youth Academy launched earlier this year and will move from its current home in St Mary’s Church to the new venue in the coming months. 

Utopia Theatre will use the new space to host workshops and performing arts classes for young people of African and Caribbean descent, as well as those from other minority groups. It will also offer a mentoring and training programme. 

The new venue is a 171-square-metre former hairdressing shop unit, located on The Moor. It was secured with the help of Hammond Associates, a Leeds-based company that specialises in making empty commercial property available to artists, arts and community-based charities.

The new premises, which are being offered rent and service-charge free on a temporary basis by landlord NewRiver Retail, will be fitted with workshop and rehearsal spaces.

The theatre will also maintain its base at The Crucible Theatre, where it is a resident company.

“It’s important that our Youth Academy members, alongside our brilliant team at Utopia Theatre, feel a sense of belonging and ownership and I’m confident this will provide a fantastic collaborative, supportive and vibrant workshop and rehearsal space,” said Mojisola Kareem-Elufowoju, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Utopia Theatre.

“It’s also important for us to be able to play our part in the regeneration and re-use of The Moor in Sheffield, so bringing a new lease of life to this area of the city is a real bonus. 

“We are immensely proud of our Sheffield roots and it’s brilliant to be able to play our part in shaping the future of the area by making use of commercial space which is otherwise unused.”