Music for All has been helping disadvantaged individuals and groups to access music making for over 25 years. We know the benefits of music making are profound and reach well beyond just providing a creative outlet. Well-conceived, low cost music making initiatives can make a huge difference to the education, health and wellbeing of the disadvantaged and encourage social interaction and cohesion in a joyful and unique way.
Despite this, accessing music-making has never been more difficult. To highlight the decline of opportunity, Music for All is proud to launch the Music Makers’ Charter, which will ask supporters to join us in demanding:
Greater recognition of the powerful benefits of music making
More investment in music making opportunities across formal and informal settings
Increased support for disadvantaged individuals and groups seeking to access music making
With your support, this campaign will build awareness of the unique and wide-ranging benefits of music making, the current lack of music making opportunities and demand improved investment in music making in education, health and wellbeing.
The campaign is calling on supporters to join Music for All in promoting the Charter, pledging their agreement to the three key Charter aims in addition to outlining how they will support the Charter.
Examples include:
‘I am going to take up drum lessons and learn with my daughter’
‘I’m going to join a local choir’
‘I’m going to join a brass band‘
‘I am going to set up a ukulele ensemble in my area’
‘I’m going to offer free taster lessons to encourage potential new pupils’
‘My shop will donate 30 ukuleles a quarter to Music for All’s instrument awards programme’
‘We will allow customers visiting between 3-5pm every wednesday to have a taster guitar lesson with our resident expert’
See Music for All’s commitment to the Charter here.
Did you know?
Whilst 85% of independent schools boast orchestras only 12% of state schools have them and recent research has shown a significant fall in the number of entries for music GCSE.
Music therapy reduces agitation and the need for medication in 67% of people with dementia, significantly reducing the spend on anti-psychotic medication.
Playing music is the brain’s equivalent of a full-body workout. Playing an instrument engages practically every area of the brain at once — especially the visual, auditory, and motor cortex.
