Thanks to the 500,000 Pounds grant, the Blackpool Music chiefs are able to save FREE tuition designed for school going children. The Blackpool Music Service is offering chances for children in the locality to play a musical instrument. The Arts Council Grant of 500,000 Pounds would enable the Music Service to run the institution for another three years. To overcome the inconsistent standard of cultural education the Government have decided to allocate 444,697 Pounds. As per the new plan of the Government, applications for cash were invited from music providers all over the country to constitute a “music hub”.
The Blackpool Council’s music advisor, Andrew White said that the council is really happy to receive the award. With this fund, the Blackpool children could be provided with excellent opportunities. Each year four students would be able to get interest free loans for instrument and FREE lessons in music for one year. Mr Andrew White said that every year they would bring musicians worldwide and organise orchestras, choirs and shows. He continued that the music service maintains good relations with the local schools and for the ensuing three years they could continue with what they were doing with the help of the funding.
The Government has announced its new strategy, The Importance of Music, in January and that changed the mode of funding. Arts Council UK was brought on board and the creation of musical hubs was their decision. Encouragement was given to Music service providers to partner with neighbouring groups with an aim to from musical hubs in order to secure more funding. Altogether 122 hubs were formed. Blackpool records forced them to remain as a single unit with out joining with others. Mr. White continued that though Blackpool is a remote and deprived area, the music service was able to reach great heights. The Federation of Music Services in its reports has mentioned Blackpool as outstanding and Blackpool was the winner of the Major Trophy awarded by the National Music Council.
When the concept of forming a musical hub was looked into, the music service found that what the hub is aiming to achieve has already been achieved by Blackpool. Bringing professional musicians and other musical organisations are not new to Blackpool. That is the reason for not forming a musical hub. The organisation is always concerned about the requirements of its students. Anyway music education hubs will come in to existence in the month of August 2012.
