Surrey Arts welcomes government minister and VIPs to one of its music centres

Surrey Arts, part of Surrey County Council, was honoured to welcome Rt Hon Damian Hinds (Minister of State for Schools), as well as representatives from the Department for Education and the Arts Council England to one of its music centres at St. Bede's School in Redhill on 15 March 2024.

The visit provided an opportunity to see, in practice, the role Surrey Arts plays as the lead organisation for the Surrey Music Hub and how it works in close collaboration with various partners to ensure access to high-quality music education for all children and young people across the county.

During the visit the guests observed some students having music lessons as well as enjoying performances by two beginner ensembles including an impressive, improvised piece performed by the Surrey Arts East Band "Blast Off".

Surrey Arts Head of Service, Sarah Lee, said "It was a pleasure to introduce the minister to the intricacies of our partnership model, and discuss in more detail how activities are delivered. During our discussions we highlighted several key points that we believe are crucial for informing policy decisions regarding music education."

Fran Matthews, Senior Officer for Music Education at the Arts Council England said "Music and other creative and cultural activities have enormous benefits for children and young people, helping them to express themselves, strengthen relationships with the people around them, and develop valuable skills that can lead to rewarding careers in a range of industries. That's why we invest over £465 million per year in organisations that offer children and young people opportunities to explore their creativity, no matter who they are or where they live, including over £76 million directly to Music Hubs on behalf of the Department for Education. Seeing music education in action like we did on our visit is so powerful and inspiring. It's fantastic to see the range of provision on offer through Music Hubs."

School Standards Minister Damian Hinds said "Music education is a vital part of a broad and ambitious curriculum and the Government's National Plan for Music Education sets out our commitment to ensuring that every child has access to a high-quality music education.

"Music Hubs play a vital part in delivering high quality music education in England, and it was fantastic to see the work of hubs in practice and how engaged young people were."

Denise Turner-Stewart, Deputy Leader of Surrey County Council said "We know that music and the arts have a profound impact on the lives of young people, and we are proud of the provision that Surrey Arts delivers which supports our 'no-one left behind' vision. The visit was a good opportunity to celebrate the work in Surrey that inspires so many young people."

Also in attendance were Belinda Lake from the DfE Music Policy team; Fran Matthews - Senior Officer, Music Education, Arts Council England; Sam Eden-Green - Relationship Manager, Arts Council England; Denise Turner-Stewart - Deputy Leader, and Cabinet Member for Communities and Community Safety for Surrey County Council and James Woods - Assistant Headteacher, St Bede's School, Redhill.