Trade Association forms part of Task & Finish Group, to advise DfE on planned investment of £25m on behalf of Members.
In June 2022 the Department of Education announced a £25m capital investment fund for musical instruments and equipment, including those adapted for young people with special needs and disabilities. The proposal formed part of updates to the National Plan for Music Education published under the banner of ‘The Power of Music to change lives’.
As part of the ongoing implementation of this revision the DfE needs to determine a delivery model for this funding which seeks to;
- maximise access for young people and schools;
- offer value for money;
- be delivered as part of a longer term strategy for managing instruments and music technology
Process & Scope
The Department has asked Arts Council England to convene a task and finish group of sector experts to provide recommendations in regard to delivery options for this funding. The MIA has agreed to form part of this group, and represent the interests of Manufacture, Distribution and Resale.
Initial meetings have taken place and the process is expected to last a few months, before a final submission is made. To be clear any proposal will provide the DfE with options and recommendations as key stakeholders, which will be considered alongside feedback from other groups. Any recommendations made will not constitute official Government policy or thinking.
Framework for discussion
The Task and Finish Group will be considering how the funding should be distributed and what it should buy. This includes thinking about whether it might be best for funding to go straight to schools, whether funding should go to Hubs, or to nominated third parties, This could mean a national organisation managing stock for the whole country, or national suppliers that local organisations (schools or Hubs) receive stock from.
These options may of course develop as the process continues, for example; it may be desirable to deliver different buckets of funding across a number of options determined by the type of instrument or technology being considered.
The MIA will be contacting members as the consultation develops to gather evidence and professional opinion that will inform its input and we will bring you more information in due course.
