Sligo & Mayo Music Education programmes to receive share of €1.6million U2 fund

Music Generation, the U2 and Ireland Funds supported National Music Education Programme, today announced that Louth, Mayo and Sligo have been selected for participation in the first round of the programme.

Over the next three years, Music Generation will award a total of up to €1.6 million to these counties to help children and young people access vocal and instrumental tuition in their local areas.

The programme is enabled by a €5 million donation from U2, with a further €2 million being raised by the Ireland Funds, to support the development of a national music programme providing instrumental and vocal music tuition for children and young people up to 18 years of age. Music Generation was formed to roll out the Music Education Partnership model, which was developed by Music Network in 2003. A Music Education Partnership is an interagency structure that is led by a Local Authority or VEC. Music Generation earlier this year put out a call for applications from local Music Education Partnerships across the country seeking to apply for funding.

A spokesperson for U2 said, “The four members of U2 were fortunate to attend a school where there were great music teachers; many Irish schools have none at all and this imaginative national programme is intended to start to correct that unfair state of affairs in our education system. Children and young people will finally have a much greater chance to access music tuition.”

Tony Ó Dálaigh, Chairman of Music Generation said, “These three counties rose straight to the top when an independent panel examined the proposals from around the country. These are regions with a strong track record and commitment to music which was reflected in the high standard of their applications. Music Generation will now offer the opportunity for these counties to build on their development and expand provision to new areas of need.

For more on Sligo’s Music Education Programme log on to www.sligomep.com.

Music Generation will provide three-year seed funding to establish local services, which will be sustained by Music Education Partnerships on a long-term basis. It is the intention of the Department of Education and Skills that Music Education Partnerships will be continued into the future with Exchequer funding when the Music Generation donations cease. Funding for up to twelve Music Education Partnerships will be awarded on a phased basis from 2011-2015, most likely in three locations at a time. Music Education Partnerships are eligible to apply for 50% funding, up to a maximum of €200,000 per annum over three years.

From SligoEvents here via MusicGeneration.ie