RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Music and Dance Scheme helps to boost opportunities
for young musicians and dancers
In April 2003, Charles Clarke, the then Secretary of State for Education & Skills, announced a Music and Dance Scheme contribution of £400,000 a year for the three years up to 2005-06 towards the development of national youth music organisations. A further £100,000 a year has been allocated to support national youth dance in partnership with the Arts Council England through the establishment of Youth Dance England. These funding arrangements are set to continue.
Youth Music is administering the funds for music, along with a matching contribution of its own. The total fund to be spent over the three years will be in the form of awards to the national, flagship, music organisations that apply against fixed criteria. The organisations include the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, the National Children's Orchestra, the National Youth Choir of Great Britain, the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and the South Asian Music Youth Orchestra.
Successful applicants are receiving up to three years funding that can be spent on helping to sustain core activities, developing artistic programmes and increasing access to the excellent opportunities they provide. This includes extending and opening auditions, widening membership and broadening repertoire. For further details visit Youth Music at www.youthmusic.org.uk .
In November 2003, the Arts Council England in collaboration with the Department for Education and Skills announced the appointment of Linda Jasper to lead the development of a new national organisation to support and promote young people in dance. The new organisation - Youth Dance England - started work in February 2004 and has an office base at the Royal Academy of Dance in London. YDE was officially launched on 22 January 2005 at an event at the Royal Festival Hall, London. The organisation is identifying the full range of dance activities available to young people and seeks to create new partnerships between those providing and supporting these activities. It is working across the education, arts, private and community sectors for the benefit of all involved in youth dance.
