ACE and DfE more than double the number of National Youth Music Organisations

The new NYMOs are The National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain, Open Up Music (helping schools set up accessible orchestras for disabled young people), Awards for Young Musicians (providing support to young musicians from low-income families), UD (supporting young people to explore Black music and culture), Pagoda Arts (teaching young people about Chinese music and culture), The National Youth Folk Ensemble (enabling new arrangements of folk music), Orchestras for All (which offers life-changing orchestral music-making experiences to young people facing significant barriers) and Sound and Music (creating opportunities for those aged 11 –21 to compose and create music).

NYMOs already established are The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, National Youth Choir, The National Youth Jazz Collective, British Youth Music Theatre, Milap Festival Trust (SAMYO), Music for Youth and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

When combined, the 15 Organisations will provide opportunities for young people right across England to make, perform and enjoy a range of music, offering inclusive performances, music programmes, residencies and workshops to help develop the skills, experience and musical knowledge of young creatives.

All 15 will receive funding as part of the Arts Council’s 2023-26 Investment Programme, with the DfE contributing £524,410 a year towards the programme.

ACE’s chief executive, Darren Henley, said: ‘The organisations joining the programme will provide thousands more young people with the chance to experience the joys music can create, and to learn skills that will stay with them throughout their lives, whether that means making music for fun or pursuing a career as a professional musician.’

The Minister of State for Schools, Nick Gibb, said: ‘High-quality music education is an important part of children and young people’s lives, both in and out of school, which is why the Government published the National Plan for Music Education last year and the Model Music Curriculum in 2021. I want to see more young people across the country given the opportunity to make music, so I am delighted that we are expanding the number of National Youth Music Organisations. This is an important step towards the ambition set out in the National Plan, for all children and young people to have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally.’

More information on the NYMOs is available at artscouncil.org.uk