Are you involved in creative music making that makes a positive impact on people’s lives, or looking for extra funding to start new projects or extend your work? If you’re based in Cambridgeshire and you know of or run a local, music-based, project that needs support, we want to hear from you. We've just opened applications for our fifth round of funding (see here for the projects we supported last time) - organisations, families and individual young people are all urged to take part, and applications can be as creative as possible.
The nitty gritty: we're able to offer grants for up to £1000 (for organisations) and up to £300 (for individuals), and can contribute in total up to 50% of the project's cost. The only requirements are for the project to take place in Cambridgeshire and to have the potential to enhance lives though music, particularly in these four areas:
· Music education – are you looking to launch a novel programme in your school to teach music differently to students who struggle with conventional music teaching? Or are you working with an exceptionally talented music student with either physical, social or learning disabilities, who wants to develop their talent in new ways?
· Music access - how about setting up a music club or choir for groups that might struggle to start something themselves?
· Music innovation – do you have bright ideas for technology to help disabled people make music, or ideas for how sound could be used to help people interact with music in a different way?
· Music therapy – struggling with funding for music therapy for your child? Or perhaps your organisation is looking at ways that music can be used to support positive mental health?
These are just a few ideas. Previous funding rounds, together totalling more than £14,000, have seen us supporting organisations and individuals to help fund choirs for people living with dementia; provide instruments and tuition for young people with autism or those with illness or additional needs; pay for music therapy sessions, music workshops or high-tech equipment; and facilitate music training for teachers.
We're incredibly proud to support a growing number of projects that are unlocking people's worlds through music. We'd love to add yours to them.