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Ed Sheeran launches UK music education charity

The Ed Sheeran Foundation aims to address inequalities in music education and support youth programme development across the UK

By Hanna Ellington on 13 Jan 2025

Gary Lightbody, Charlotte Dryden & Ed Sheeran


image © Bradley Quinn

Global superstar Ed Sheeran has launched a UK-focused youth music charity with the aim of increasing industry and government support in development and education.

The Ed Sheeran Foundation is poised to address inequalities in music education, particularly in underserved areas. It has already partnered with 18 schools and grassroots organisations, impacting over 12,000 young people.

“Music education has shaped who I am. I’ve always enjoyed playing music, and it’s led to some of the best moments of my life,” Sheeran says.

In support of the new initiative, Sheeran voyaged to Northern Ireland last Friday (10 January) to visit three partner organisations: Drake Music Northern Ireland, Hotbox Entertainment and the Oh Yeah Music Centre.

Joined by Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, who helped found the Oh Yeah Music Centre, Sheeran met music programme participants, joined in a band rehearsal and took part in a Q&A with aspiring promoters and producers.

“Music and the arts are badly underfunded in Northern Ireland,” Lightbody says. “The Republic of Ireland government spends the equivalent of £25 per capita on the arts; Wales spends £10 per capita; Northern Ireland only spends £5 per capita. As a result, access to music education here is miles below where it should be.”

“Furthermore, Northern Ireland is often excluded from British arts initiatives. That’s why it’s so significant that Ed has expanded to include Northern Ireland in his Foundation work. I’m genuinely excited about what this means for music in the UK as a whole, and, on a personal level, I’m particularly encouraged by what it could mean for Northern Ireland.”

“Providing opportunities for breaking acts is an essential cornerstone of our business”

Oh Yeah Music Centre CEO Charlotte Dryden echoes this: “The funding of the arts in Northern Ireland is at an all-time low and the cost of living is not getting any easier, so to have this support from Ed Sheeran is incredible.

“Music education is a vital part of a child’s development and we want to ensure that we can play a part in supporting young people that may face barriers to get involved in music. Thanks to the Ed Sheeran Foundation we will be able to provide 100 young people with access to music that will include instruments, mentoring, tuition and performances. We aim to incorporate existing projects, as well as working with our partners and will be engaging with schools as part of this,” she says.

Last year, UK Music reported the national music industry contributed a record £7.6 billion (€9.1bn) to the economy in 2023. Yet, disparities remain in terms of access to music education: a 2019 survey from record industry trade body BPI revealed one in four schools serving disadvantaged communities offer no music lessons at all.

Sheeran’s institution aims to rectify the gap by providing access to instruments, creating practice and performance opportunities, and opening pathways to the music industry. The efforts have inspired local organisations to step up their efforts, with Shine Promotions committed to contributing £10k towards the purchase of instruments.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with local musical talent in Northern Ireland for over 30 years, and it’s incredible to see the breadth of musicians from this country that are now projecting influence internationally,” says Alan Simms, CEO of Shine, which runs the legendary Belfast venue The Limelight (cap. 750).

“Providing opportunities for breaking acts is an essential cornerstone of our business, and I believe it helps in a small way to contribute to a vibrant and exciting artistic ecosystem.”

 


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