The newly reopened music venue and charity, Bristol Beacon, has been appointed by Arts Council England to lead the West of England Music Hub in partnership with West of England Music and Arts (WEMA), as part of the Government’s new National Plan for Music Education.
Starting in September 2024, Bristol Beacon is one of the first music charities based in a concert hall to be a Music Hub Lead organisation. It means the Beacon will be able to connect its artistic programme to children and young people across the whole of the West of England region (Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath & North East Somerset, and North Somerset), enabling them to get involved with the music industry directly through encounters with professional musicians and performances.
Bristol Beacon will work closely in partnership with WEMA, who are responsible for the current music education provision in the areas surrounding Bristol. WEMA will continue to deliver music education services to these three areas under the new hub arrangement.
As the new Hub Lead Organisation for the West of England region, Bristol Beacon will receive £1,933,874 from the Department for Education. It will receive £1,455,692 to coordinate music education in the local area, plus £478,183 to invest in new musical instruments, equipment and technology tailored to the needs of children and young people in the West of England.
Key to the Beacon’s role as one of the new hubs will be ensuring that more young people in the West of England with special educational needs and disabilities have access to an excellent music education and have the opportunity to progress.
The music charity’s appointment is part of a major investment in a new generation of the nationwide network of Music Hubs. This investment will help to deliver the Government’s National Plan for Music Education, devised to give all children and young people the opportunity to develop their musical interests as far as they wish, including helping them to begin careers in the music industry.
Adam Kent, director of creative learning and engagement at Bristol Beacon, said, “Through the current music hub arrangements, we are already delivering our citywide music education programme in around 92% of Bristol’s schools, benefitting over 30,000 children and young people.
“Access to music can create a lifelong love of music, create joy and aspiration, and of course it feeds the UK’s future talent pipeline. We believe all young people should have the opportunity to engage in musical experiences – from learning instruments to participating in and watching live performances – and we have a strong focus on reaching everyone, with dedicated programmes to support young people with special educational needs and disabilities and those that are in or have experience of the care system.”
“We’re absolutely delighted to have been chosen to lead the new West of England Hub and look forward to working in partnership with West of England Music and Arts and reaching even more young people through our programme. This important work could not happen without this vital public funding for which we are extremely grateful.”
A 16-year-old violin player with Bristol Youth Orchestra explained, “The Beacon ensembles have really opened all my doors, as they gave me my first experience with the orchestral repertoire and ensemble playing that I have now completely fallen in love with and immersed myself in since.”
“The proficiency it has given me in sight reading and musical competency at an early age has opened doors to the Bristol Pre-conservatoire and National Children’s Orchestra. The generosity of Beacon tutors has allowed me to learn and experience orchestral conducting [and] had it not been for Bristol Youth Orchestra, I may never have had the chance to explore at such an early stage in my musical journey.”
The news comes after the completion of the once-in-a-generation transformation of the Beacon’s building, which has seen a radical improvement of its accessibility with improved access for people in wheelchairs; the addition of a Changing Places toilet; dedicated accessible dressing rooms; a new music education centre with recording studios; a fully accessible stage and load-in area with step free access from street level.
Bristol Beacon recently hosted a brand-new inclusive music event for young people in March this year, Together for Music, celebrating creativity and music-making of all abilities, and welcoming around 140 young people from D/deaf, neurodivergent and disabled communities from all across the country.
As a music charity, Bristol Beacon has also been recognised with many national awards for its dedication to music as a tool for social change and impact. This includes the Rocksteady Award for Progressive and Inclusive Music Education at the Music and Drama Awards, in recognition of its HOPE Creative programme, which supports care experienced children, care leavers and young carers to express themselves through creative activity.
The charity has also been announced as a Youth Music IDEA Champion 2024 after completing a 12-month Inclusion Diversity Equity and Access (IDEA) learning programme to improve its practices and commit to long-term change.
Music Hubs are partnerships that support, deliver and enable access to music education for children and young people within a local area. These partnerships are co-ordinated by a Hub Lead Organisation and can include schools, local authorities, community groups, music organisations, industry and more. There is a Music Hub for every area of England so all children and young people can access high-quality music education.