Department for Education support to National Youth Music Organisations not renewed

The UK Association for Music Education – Music Mark is disappointed that National Youth Music Organisations (NYMOs) have been informed that the Department for Education (DfE) will not renew their contribution of £525,000 towards their work. The DfE’s funding was only ever confirmed until March 2025 and the NYMOs – and Music Mark – are grateful that Arts Council England (ACE) have agreed to cover the funding gap in 2025/26 so organisations’ budgets are not immediately impacted.  Nevertheless this decision seems at odds with the Labour government’s rhetoric about the importance of both a creative education and the country’s creative industries when the success of both are central to the work the NYMOs deliver across the country.

NYMOs include national level bands, orchestras, choirs and other ensembles.  They cater for accomplished young musicians and cover a diversity of genres and musical traditions.  A full list can be found here.  NYMOs are already struggling with increasing core costs, VAT on independent school venue hire and an increasingly challenging fundraising environment.  Without ACE’s support, their funding situation would be critical.  It at least means that the 15 NYMOs can continue to offer their programmes for young musicians in the coming year as planned.

Bridget Whyte, Chief Executive of Music Mark, said:

We are proud to have most of the NYMOs within our membership and we regularly hear how their work inspires and develops young musicians from all backgrounds across the UK.  These organisations support students to hone their performance skills as part of an ensemble and also to learn mentoring and workshop skills which are pathways into the profession.  The NYMOs are passionately committed to bringing young people together in shared collaboration and creativity.  Their activities act as a powerful catalyst to enhancing musical progression, wellbeing, skills for life and ambition for careers in the UK’s music profession.  We welcome Arts Council England’s increased support to enable the NYMOs to continue their important work, but it is deeply worrying that the DfE have decided not to continue their direct funding to the NYMOs.

This decision comes in the same week as an independent report by Demos, commissioned by Music Mark, which identifies a funding gap of £161.4m between government revenue funding for Music Hubs and aspirations for provision in the next five years.  Music Mark and the NYMOs understand the pressures on public finances and that all government departments are making difficult decisions.  However, despite this, we would urge ministers to provide reassurance of the government’s commitment to promoting progression to the highest levels of accomplishment for young musicians in England, despite this removal of investment directly by the Department for Education.