NEWS
THE BIGGER PICTURE @makingmusicuk
SINGING NETWORK UK
Making Music chairs Singing Network UK, a network for organisations with an interest in singing. It has been steadily growing over the last few years, and counting nearly 30 members, now covering most of the estimated 40,000 choirs and 2.2m singers in the UK: makingmusic.org.uk/campaignsand-advocacy/singing-network-uk In this current pandemic crisis, it has been invaluable that organisations have got to know each other over a number of years. It made it easy in corona times to agree a joint statement and letter to ministers to express frustration about governments’ lack of action enabling choirs to return, especially given the demonstrably strong positive impact of group singing on the mental health of the nation. Read more online: makingmusic.org.uk/news/openletter-singing-network-uk
A new ge n e ra t i o n r e a dy t o t ra n sf o r m t h e m u si c i n du s t r i e s.
Key report from Youth Music
Research featuring the voices of 1,300 young people This important report is from Youth Music, the charity investing in music-making projects which support children and young people, particularly those who don’t get to make music because of who they are, where they live, or what they’re going through. Frustration about the chances of young people to progress into the music industry led to this research into barriers. Social class was found above all else to influence young people’s chances of earning money through music. Those from lower income backgrounds were significantly less likely to be earning money through music than those from higher income backgrounds. A lack of access to relevant industry connections was the third most significant barrier young adults identified. This ‘who you know’ barrier is experienced even more acutely by those from lower income backgrounds. Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic
respondents were marginally more likely to be earning from music than white respondents. The biggest distinction was between higher income and lower income people from BAME backgrounds, meaning social class remained the most consistent indicator as to whether people were earning money from music. The research also uncovered how entrepreneurial young people are in their approach, unburdened by preconceived notions. So Youth Music have followed up with the creation of an Incubator Fund to harness that fresh thinking for the benefit of the sector. An ever innovative organisation, Youth Music’s reports present well-evidenced findings which frequently contradict anecdotallybased dearly held beliefs of the music industry. new.youthmusic.org.uk/ blueprint-future
CORONA CAMPAIGNING
Did you know? Every year, Youth Music funds more than 300 projects nationwide, supporting around 83,000 children and young people to make music, develop their skills, and progress on their chosen paths.
In July, after the Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) issued guidance for England that unjustifiably and disappointingly distinguished between professional and non-professional singers and wind/brass players, Making Music wrote to DCMS ministers and ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to explain the significant psychological and economic fallout. For members, we created tools to write to their MPs, asking to make it possible to #BringBackMyBand #BringBackMyChoir. The campaign video, a mash up of members’ virtual concert submissions, was viewed on YouTube more than 15,000 times. Finally, on 14 August, the DCMS announced that amateurs, including singers and wind/brass, could get back to limited musical activity – a significant step forward. makingmusic.org.uk/news
Autumn 2020 HIGHNOTES
5
