I am very proud to be the Chair of Sunderland Music Hub Board and take my responsibilities very seriously.
Sunderland Music Hub works with schools and partner organisations to deliver, support and champion music-making activity across the city. The aim is to unlock musical potential and ensure every child or young person in Sunderland has the opportunity to make music. To this end equal weight is given to all music-making activity regardless of instrument, genre, or skill level. At the heart of all the Hubs activities is the belief in the potential of music to change lives and that every child or young person has the right to engage in music-making activity. It is this belief that makes me want to support, advise, and help as much as possible, not all Hubs have the same enlightened approach.
Lizzie Nixon manages the Hub and has been very influential in championing a more musically inclusive approach to all of the Hubs activities in both formal (schools) and informal settings. What is particularly impressive is the way the Hub is responding to the musical needs and aspirations of young people in Sunderland. In order to do this the Hub recognises that it cannot work in isolation and building a range of effective partnerships has been a very important factor in the development of its work. These include Together For Children Sunderland (the Hub Lead Organisation), Sunderland Empire, Summer Streets Festival Sunderland, Mind Washington, We Make Culture, National Youth Choirs, Sing Up and Arts Council England.
One other partner that I would like to give a special mention to is the national music charity Youth Music. They have been fundamental in bringing a change of attitude and approach to working with young people in recent years with musical inclusion at the forefront of all their funded activities. Sunderland Music Hub has been successful in applying for a Youth Music Fund A grant to develop a stronger music provision for young people aged 12-19 in Sunderland North, working with young people in settings across the area to deliver music activity and co-create an ensemble in that area of the city.
If you are interested to know more about some of our partners here are some links ...
