London,
26
October
2022
|
11:32
Europe/London

Camden receives £20k from Universal Music to provide more pupils with subsidised music lessons

Up to 70 children in Camden whose families receive housing benefit or council tax support will receive subsidised music lessons thanks to a £20,000 grant from Universal Music Group.

Camden Council’s Music Service currently offers half-price music lessons to all primary school pupils who are eligible for free school meals. The service are now extending this offer to some families who receive housing benefit or council tax support thanks to the generous £20,000 grant.

The grant given by Universal Music Group, a world-leading music company based in Camden, will support up to 70 children to learn an instrument this year.  

  Councillor Marcus Boyland, Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families

Music and the arts not only inspire creativity across all areas of school life but can also improve young people’s mental health and wellbeing. As an old Camden musician myself, I know the value in learning an instrument and playing live. The sense of achievement you get, the friends you make and the joy you bring stay with you all your life - it is brilliant.

That’s why we want to support families as much as we can to ensure all our children and young people can have access to music education in Camden, regardless of their background. In Camden, we offer subsidised music lessons for all primary school pupils who are eligible for free school meals – and, thanks to the grant from Universal Music, we will be able to extend this offer for some primary school children whose families receive housing benefit or council tax support. We are hoping to extend this offer even further to ensure every child can access music and are looking into ways to do this.

 

Councillor Marcus Boyland, Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families

As supporters of Camden Music Service ever since our move to King’s Cross, we’re pleased to be able to assist them in offering subsidised music lessons to some of the many talented young musicians across our local borough.

A Universal Music Group spokesperson

Camden’s Music Service and Camden Learning, with support from Camden Music Trust, will be hosting the Camden Schools’ Music Festival next April at the Royal Albert Hall. This is the borough’s first large-scale in-person schools’ music event since the pandemic and will bring pupils from each school in the borough together to sing in a massed choir. For the first time the event will also be live streamed for those unable to attend in person.

Eligible families should apply for lessons at camden.gov.uk/instrument-and-voice-lessons-in-schools. Proof of eligibility may be required.

For more information on Camden’s Music Service, please visit camden.gov.uk/camdens-music-service.