From September 2024, it is planned that budding musicians across Warwickshire will benefit from access to a new regional music hub.
Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet has today – Tuesday 23 January – approved an options appraisal proposal to establish, manage and operate a new regional Music Hub for Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire.
The options appraisal will explore joint management and delivery arrangements for the new Music Hub. It is anticipated the preferred option would be for a new legal entity to be established and jointly owned by the three local authorities.
This exciting development comes in response to the Department for Education's new geographic arrangements for Music Hubs, aimed at creating larger, more strategic hubs across the country. These proposed new arrangements are planned to come in to effect in the next academic year in September 2024 and will not impact on the current service provision of the Warwickshire Music.
A collaborative application, led by Coventry City Council, has already been submitted to the Department for Education, with the decision expected in April 2024. A successful outcome will secure continued funding for music education in all three geographic areas.
Alongside this activity, an equality impact assessment will be undertaken to ensure the new Music Hub caters to the diverse needs of communities across the three areas.
Cllr Kam Kaur, Portfolio Holder for Education at Warwickshire County Council, said: "Music plays a vital role in enriching the lives of young people, and we are delighted that we have over 12,000 children and young people who currently use Warwickshire Music to enjoy music and develop their skills.
"We are confident that this collaboration will be a positive step forward for music education in Warwickshire. We look forward to working with our partners in Coventry and Solihull to develop a vibrant and successful regional Music Hub that will inspire and nurture the musical talents of future generations."
A copy of this Cabinet report is available here: https://democracy.warwickshire.gov.uk/documents/s34832/New%20Music%20Hub%20arrangements.pdf
For more information about Warwickshire Music, please visit: https://www.warwickshiremusichub.org/