29.10.2020: At the close of Black History Month, UK Music Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin talks to PRS for Music’s M Magazine about the need to make access to music education open to all.

He highlights the importance to the music industry and the socio-economic barriers some children face in getting access.

Speaking about how music education is vital to a diverse industry he said:

“Improving opportunities for music education is especially important when it comes to improving diversity in our industry. It’s mission critical that we ensure we are an open and inclusive sector, one that is accessible to people from all backgrounds – regardless of their ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, or socioeconomic circumstances.

As we come to the end of Black History Month, we should remember that talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. We need to ensure that as a country and as an industry we are creating opportunities for everyone – and that means ensuring the transformative benefits that a music education can bring are available for all to access.”

He also outlines the measures UK Music are calling for to help improve access to music education. Including:

• Implementing schemes, like those proposed by the Welsh and Scottish governments, to guarantee to meet the costs of learning a musical instrument through funding for instruments or lessons, would help break down financial barriers that many families face when looking at providing music education for their children.
• A need for progress on promised initiatives such as the Arts Premium.
• Music education also faces cuts at higher education, following a recommendation by the Office for Students, which we urge the Government to reverse

Read the full article here.