A council has been appointed to lead the county’s music hub as part of a nationwide programme to provide access to high-quality music education for all children and young people.
Cambridgeshire County Council will run the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Music Education Hub from September as part of a consortium with Peterborough City Council.
The council, as the new hub lead organisation, will receive funding from the Department for Education (DfE) to coordinate a music education strategy through collaborations with providers and consortium member music teams.
It will also mean extra money to invest in new musical instruments, equipment and technology tailored to the needs of children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.
The new hub will work with Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Music teams to deliver high quality music education accessible to all through partnerships between educational, creative and community organisations within their local communities.
The appointment is part of a major investment in a new generation of the nationwide network of music hubs.
This investment will support the delivery of the government’s National Plan for Music Education alongside the provision by schools and give children and young people the opportunity to develop their musical interests, including helping them to begin careers in the music industry.
Matthew Gunn, head of the council’s music team, Cambridgeshire Music, said: “Music education is enormously powerful – it can enrich young people’s lives, help them connect with the people around them, and start them on the pathway to fruitful and fulfilling careers.
“The profile and funding this attracts will enable us to further enhance the exciting and innovative opportunities we already offer to the young people of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.”
