06.11.2024

Music for All’s Learn to Play 2025 has been named a grant recipient of The NAMM Foundation. Selected as one of 32 grantees serving music makers across the industry segments in 29 American states and six countries worldwide. The Foundation works with organisations providing access to music-making opportunities to a variety of different communities and demographics, including those who are under-resourced. 

‘With generous financial support from NAMM and independent donors, the Foundation has charted a course to become the largest and most philanthropically impactful music foundations of its kind,’ said Julia Rubio, executive director of The NAMM Foundation. ‘We are proud to support organisations that demonstrate a significant commitment to the creation of more music makers and music industry careers, especially in communities that traditionally lack these opportunities.’ 

The grants serve the Foundation’s mission to advance participation in music making and offer quality access to all people. Music for All will utilise this grant to support the organisation’s Learn to Play programme, bringing taster music lessons to individuals of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.

“Through the ‘Learn to Play’ events we aim to inspire and support as many people as possible in experiencing the unique joys and benefits of learning to play an instrument which could turn into a lifetime of enjoyment. We welcome all age-groups and particularly encourage youngsters who may not have the opportunity to experience music lessons at school, to come along and try out an instrument of their choice. Music making is a form of self-expression, a therapeutic tool and provides a channel for creative energy. It builds social connections, enhances cognitive skills and improves well-being and we strive to encourage more people to experience these health and educational benefits. At Music for All we make it our mission to support disadvantaged music makers with limited financial resources to access music making, and the ‘Learn to Play’ events are a fundamental part of this work – an enormous thankyou to the NAMM Foundation for supporting this project in 2025.” – Sonali Banerjee, General Manager, Music for All. 

NAMM and The NAMM Foundation share a vision to significantly grow and diversify the global grant making programme, with responsive investments that deepen impact, expand internationally, and balance representation across industry segments and funding priorities. This year’s grant-making programme sets the stage for a strong future in realising this vision. 

Music for All has spent nearly three decades supporting disadvantaged music makers, we know music making can transform lives. It builds social connections, enhances cognitive skills and improves well-being and our mission is to encourage more people to experience these health and educational benefits. The UK has an extensive and extremely talented professional and amateur music making community and their willingness to share their musical knowledge is the backbone of Learn to Play. Learn to Play is Music for All’s annual flagship event, designed to inspire and enable people of all ages and abilities to experience the joy and benefits of making music. Working with music shops, community groups, and educators, Learn to Play connects music providers with new and returning musicians across the UK.

About The NAMM Foundation 

Since 2006, The NAMM Foundation has been guided by its commitment to social responsibility in its efforts to create more music makers worldwide. Inspired by the generosity of the music products industry, The National Association of Music Merchants launched this philanthropic arm to serve its mission of strengthening the music products industry and promoting the pleasures and benefits of making music. 

About NAMM 

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is the not-for-profit association with a mission to strengthen the $19.5 billion music products industry and promote the pleasures and benefits of making music. NAMM comprises over 10,000 global member companies and individual professionals representing a global workforce of over 475,000 employees. In addition to The NAMM Show and NAMM’s member services, The NAMM Foundation advances active participation in music-making across the lifespan of learning. 

For more information about NAMM, please visit www.namm.org