£1.6 million for youth music

48 groups have been awarded almost £1.6 million through the Youth Music Initiative (YMI) to enable more young people to learn about and enjoy musical activities.

An after-school drumming project in Glasgow; educational music workshops for nursery children in the Highlands, seminars and discussions in Dundee and the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland are among projects to receive backing from Creative Scotland.

The funding comes as a new report on YMI reveals that 244,000 young people took part in 2016-17 across all 32 local authorities.

YMI also supports more than 1,200 jobs, 250 volunteering opportunities, 300 traineeships and more than 4,500 people benefitted from continuing professional development.

Announcing the funding and unveiling the report during a visit to Longstone Primary School’s YMI-funded Music from Scratch project, in Edinburgh, Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:

“The Youth Music Initiative is introducing music to thousands of young people who might otherwise only have limited opportunities to get involved in music making.

“The report provides clear evidence that young people enjoyed their YMI activities, making them feel happy, involved, excited and motivated. It demonstrates the importance of culture in supporting young people to develop their skills for life and learning and building confidence and self-esteem.

“The YMI has already helped ensure every pupil across the whole of Scotland are offered a year’s free music tuition by the end of P6, and as we celebrate Year of Young People, we have committed a further £9 million funding to the initiative in 2018/19. “

Claire Byers, Interim Director of Arts and Engagement at Creative Scotland said: “The report sets out a year’s worth of inspiring music activity taking place across Scotland, in schools and in communities. These new awards to community projects show that this work is continuing in the Year of Young People. YMI achieves its goal of increasing opportunities for young people thanks to thousands of talented and dedicated musicians, class teachers, tutors and coordinators working with young learners and helping to boost their skills and aspirations.”

YMI participant Robbie from East Dunbartonshire said: “I wanted to improve my skills and have the opportunity to explore different types of music that I wouldn’t have been able to at school. It gave me the chance to perform in a number of situations that wouldn’t otherwise have been possible. YMI has helped shape what I do massively.”

View the Youth Music initiative impact report here. List of projects awarded funding and more information about the Youth Music Initiative