DUN Laoghaire Rathdown County Council is to receive philanthropic funding over three years from U2 and The Ireland Funds to help Southside kids receive music tuition.
DLR Music Education Partnership is among nine new areas of the country selected for participation in Music Generation’s second phase.
Independent Councillor, Deirdre Donnelly, welcomed the recent announcement of funding for music projects in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown.
“This partnership will develop a range of affordable and accessible performance music education for children across the county, particularly to those who may not have access to music at present,” Cllr Donnelly said.
“I would like to congratulate the council’s Arts Officer, Kenneth Redmond, and his team for all their input into music development in the county.
“I also welcome the announcement that a Music Development Officer will be recruited for the council over the next few months to enable programme planning to commence.”
Ireland’s national music education programme, Music Generation, was initiated by Music Network in 2010, and is co-funded by U2, The Ireland Funds, the Department of Education and Skills and Local Music Education Partnerships.
Minister for State at the Department of Education and Skills, John Halligan, added: “The new programmes will create employment opportunities for musicians, as well as offering access to high-quality, subsidised vocal and instrumental tuition to hundreds of local kids who may otherwise not have the choice of access or the chance to participate.
“Bringing music into a child’s life has lifelong benefits and I am delighted that children will be given the chance to take part in this innovative scheme.
“The new Music Education Partnerships will be established on a phased basis over the next five years, with many schemes set to get underway in 2018”, Minister Halligan continued. “The project has been assured of long-term sustainability through a further commitment by the Department of Education and Skills to co-fund the new areas into the future, together with Local Music Education Partnerships.”
DLR Music Education Partnership’s (MEP) goal is to develop a range of affordable and accessible performance music education programmes for children and young people aged up to 18.
This will include the coordination of music tuition services within the area working in partnership with schools, community music groups and tuition centres in the formation of choirs, ensembles, access programmes, composition and songwriting projects across a range of musical genres and styles.
Local partners involved in the initiative include Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board, TUSLA, Southside Partnership DLR, Royal Irish Academy of Music, Blackrock Education Centre, IADT, UCD and Crosscare.
Music Generation is Ireland’s National Music Education Programme that sets out to transforms the lives of children and young people through access to high-quality, subsidised non-mainstream performance music education.
Established in 2010 by Music Network, Phase 1 of Music Generation was made possible by philanthropic donations from U2 and The Ireland Funds, which were gifted to progress the implementation of Music Network’s Feasibility Study for a National System of Local Music Education Services.
Music Generation currently works closely with Government through the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and the Local Music Education Partnerships (MEPs) established during Phase 1, which included South Dublin and Wicklow. Each of these programmes is now sustainably co-funded on an ongoing 50/50 basis with funding to ensure a long-term and lasting outcome from U2 and The Ireland Funds’ philanthropic giving.