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Jan 20 2022 
Music funding opportunities for January
January Funding Opportunities
At Take it away, we believe that music needs backing. For any music creator, knowing where and how to look for financial support for your projects is invaluable.
We update this page regularly with the latest opportunities and deadlines for creative grants that will help you on your musical journey.
Here’s what caught our eye recently (last updated January 2022)
Help Musicians announce £1m hardship fund
Unfortunately, we enter this new year with many musicians struggling to make ends meet due to Covid disruption.
Help Musicians will be making further payments to musicians facing financial hardship, with applications for support opening on 31 January 2022.
This new round will see a one-off payment of at least £250 made to those eligible, with higher amounts available to those in the most challenging financial conditions if we have sufficient funds.
Time to Power Up
Power UP is a new programme which will power up Black music creators & industry professionals, and will tackle anti-Black racism & racial disparities in the UK music industry. If you’re an exceptional UK-based Black music creator or industry professional ready to power up to the next phase of your career, apply today!
Deadline 17th Feb at 6pm
Grand Plan
Grand Plan is a fund run by creatives, for creatives. The founders have either observed or experienced the sustained and structural barriers which contribute to an under-representation of artists and creative people of colour in British arts & culture. They offer three £1000 grants per month to creative people of colour based in the UK who want to make a new cultural project happen.
Deadline 31st January.
🔗 Find out more and apply here…
Mobo Help Musicians’ Fund
The MOBO Help Musicians Fund can provide financial support to musicians making Hip Hop, Grime, R&B, Soul, music of African origin, Reggae, Jazz and Gospel, helping them create music, develop business skills and take their career to the next level.
Music creators can apply for financial support of up to £3,000 towards recording and releasing music.
As well as the above, supported artists will also receive a health consultation from a BAPAM specialist to talk through and address any issues.
Get instruments for your project from Music for All
Music for All invites groups in need of electric guitars (no amplifiers included) and/or ukuleles to apply for some very special instruments.
The charity also has up to 20 special Behringer MS-1 analogue synthesisers to award to deserving projects.
In addition, up to three awards of £2000 are available for projects to benefit those with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
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Nov 10 2021 
Music funding opportunities for November
November Funding Opportunities
For any music creator, knowing where and how to look for financial support for your projects is invaluable.
For any music creator, knowing where and how to look for financial support for your projects is invaluable. We update this page monthly with the latest opportunities and deadlines for creative grants that will help you on your musical journey.
Here’s what caught our eye in November.
Get funding application guidance from Help Musicians
Support is always available from Help Musicians and you don’t need to worry about deadlines, or funding rounds. They run ‘Get Set’ online sessions will guide you through the types of activities for which you can receive support, the application process, common mistakes and top tips, equipping you to write the best possible application.
The next one is on December 9th.
Mobo Help Musicians’ Fund
The MOBO Help Musicians Fund can provide financial support to musicians making Hip Hop, Grime, R&B, Soul, music of African origin, Reggae, Jazz and Gospel, helping them create music, develop business skills and take their career to the next level.
Music creators can apply for financial support of up to £3,000 towards recording and releasing music.
As well as the above, supported artists will also receive a health consultation from a BAPAM specialist to talk through and address any issues.
Grand Plan – a new charity
Grand Plan is a fund run by creatives, for creatives. The founders have either observed or experienced the sustained and structural barriers which contribute to an under-representation of artists and creative people of colour in British arts & culture. They offer three £1000 grants per month to creative people of colour based in the UK who want to make a new cultural project happen.
🔗 Find out more and apply here…
The Arts Council England
The Arts Council England has announced that its Developing your Creative Practice programme is open for applications. Grants of up to £10,000 are available to support the development of independent creative practioners working in dance, theatre, music, visual arts, literature, combined arts or museums practice.
The application deadline is midnight on 7 December 2021.
PPL Momentum Music Fund
The PPL Momentum Music Fund offers grants of £5k-£15k for UK based artists/bands to break through to the next level of their careers. Activities eligible for support include recording, touring and marketing.
Awards for Young Musicians
The biggest obstacle for many talented young musicians is a simple lack of money. They have the talent, they have the drive, but developing their musical potential can be an expensive endeavour. AYM offers up to £100,000 in grants each year to exceptional young musicians whose families are on a lower income. Their key criteria are musical talent and financial need, meaning whatever genre the musician plays, they can prove their eligibility without having to have taken formal exams.
Musicians can apply anytime after their 5th birthday and before their 18th birthday.
Win a Scholarship from Yamaha Music Europe Foundation
As one of the world’s largest manufacturers of musical instruments, Yamaha believes passionately in musical education. Since 1990, the Yamaha Foundation has granted scholarships to over 1000 young musicians across 33 European countries. The scholarships are granted annually and are aimed at students who are preparing for a professional musical career at a recognized educational institution within Europe. You must be 25 years of age or younger at the time the annual grant is awarded (usually February/March).
The scholarship takes the form of a one-time payment of between €1000.00 and €2000.00. Applications must have been received by the deadline of November 30, 2021.
The British Council
The British Council’s Music team works with over 100 countries to connect British musicians, educators and industry people with their counterparts and audiences around the world, providing opportunities to share knowledge and experience different cultures.
Here you’ll find the latest UK music opportunities and UK music funding resources from the British Council and beyond.
Click here for various funding opportunities
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Oct 13 2021 
October funding opportunities
Opportunities + Events
For any music creator, knowing where and how to look for financial support for your projects is invaluable.
We’ll be updating this page on a monthly basis with the latest opportunities (and deadlines) for creative grants that will help you on your musical journey.
The PRS Foundation Open Fund for Music Creators
In these unprecedented times, it’s challenging for creators to establish and sustain a music career. The Fund offers music grants of up to £5,000 to make their ideas happen. You can get support for:
- Creation of new music
- Music Creator fee (to cover your time and work)
- Touring and live performances
- Recording and release
- Creative residency costs
- Fees to creative collaborators
- Promotion and marketing (when there is also an element of creation and/or performance)
Deadline: Monday 18 October 2021.
Meet the Making Music 2021 Young artists
The Philip and Dorothy Green Young Artists (PDGYA) awards have helped kick start the careers of artists including Steven Isserlis, Elizabeth Watts and Craig Ogden, by providing up-and-coming classical musicians with opportunities to be booked for performances with Making Music’s 3,600+ group members.
Drake Yolanda Award
The deadline is looming for the Drake YolanDa Award, a funding scheme for emerging artists headed up by entrepreneur/philanthropist James JP Drake and saxophonist/broadcaster YolanDa Brown.
The scheme seeks to provide funding to independent artists to help them with upcoming projects that will develop their careers, which might include recording new music or videos, touring activity, a branding or marketing project, or purchasing new equipment. Ten musicians will receive £3000 each, with another ten getting £500. Applicants are encouraged from all genres.
Music for All
Music for All supports every type of music maker from community groups and schools, to experienced musicians and aspirational individuals picking up an instrument for the first time. They have now opened a new round of funding for applications from community projects. The closing date for this round of award applications will be 29 October.
Help Musicians
Have you heard of the ‘Do it Differently Fund, the MOBO fund, the Transmission Fund and the Fusion Fund?
Find out about these and more funding opportunities on this page by Help Musicians, a very helpful resource, updated regularly.
The British Council
The British Council’s Music team works with over 100 countries to connect British musicians, educators and industry people with their counterparts and audiences around the world, providing opportunities to share knowledge and experience different cultures.
Here you’ll find the latest UK music opportunities and UK music funding resources from the British Council and beyond.
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Jun 28 2021 
July | Opportunities, Events + Good Reads
A July Round-up from Take it away
It’s officially summer! The new season has brought a fresh batch of creativity and things to look forward to. Looking for some summer holiday music activities? Check out our post on DIY musical instruments which includes how to make carrot recorders and more! 🥕
From opportunities and events to good reads and inspiration, there are many musical things happening this month. Here is a round-up of some of the things we’ve had our eyes on recently and have enjoyed reading, watching, and listening to…
Opportunities + Events
Get involved in the UK’s biggest ever Thank You Party!
After a hard 18 months, we’ve all got someone to say thank you to. Whether it’s the frontline staff, the delivery driver, conductors for navigating zoom rehearsals, bus drivers, or friends and neighbours – Making Music want to get together to say thanks to them all! This initiative is taking place on Sunday 4th July and it’s very light touch if your singing, playing or organising skills are a bit rusty after 18 months! Read on to find out more from the organisers.
🔗 Find out how to get involved…
Music in Manchester – New Exhibition
This special exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum tells the story of Factory Records’ formative years from 1978-1982, and how their innovative work in music, technology and design gave Manchester an authentic voice and distinctive identity.
BBC Open Training
Do you know someone interested in music, presenting, radio production, event production, sound recording or engineering?
BBC Open are offering hands-on experience, masterclasses and mentoring to develop skills, your voice and your ideas with Open Music.
All whilst getting the chance to work with the BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Proms & other BBC teams in building, shaping, delivering (and possibly performing in!) a BBC Prom in 2022.
🔗 Find out more and apply here…
Music Engineering + DJ’ing courses
Are you between 16 and 24 and want to learn how to use a music studio and logic… and get a qualification too? Tutor Hub has started running some FREE courses. More info on their Instagram page: instagram.com/tutorhubltd
Join the NYO Community
Celebrate the return to live music as part of the world’s greatest orchestra of teenagers!
NYO are recruiting musicians to be part of a dynamic community of young people who are passionate about orchestral music, and who want to open up this music to their generation. In 2022, there are places for 1,000 teenage musicians to be part of the NYO orchestral community, in NYO and NYO Inspire – this is your opportunity to join in.
Youth Music NextGen Fund
The Youth Music NextGen Fund offers young creatives grants of up to £2,500 to make their ideas happen.
Built for creatives with a stack of ideas but a lack of finance, the fund is open to 18–25-year-olds (and under-30s who identify as Disabled). Successful applicants will use the money to launch a creative project, idea or business. YM want to support the future of the music industries. Singers, Rappers, Songwriters, Producers, DJs, A&Rs, Managers and Agents, right through to roles that have yet to be defined.
Deadline: Friday 9 July 2021.
Music scenes celebrated with ‘digital museum’
Bristol and Bath’s music scenes are being highlighted in a new location-based virtual tour with over 250 venues, studios and inspirational places are featured in a “digital museum”. The website, called Everything is Music, features interviews with artists, producers and historical venue information and you can use your phones to get the content in specific locations.
Music Museums in the UK
With the school holidays just around the corner, we looked into some music-based activities to inspire, amaze and motivate young musicians. Introducing the magical world of music museums!
All over the UK, there are buildings full of the history of local and global music-making. From self-playing instruments, a piano with six pedals to Bob Dylan’s guitar and Elgar’s gramophone, there’s a lot to discover.
Good reads + news
Watch 🎥 Future Sound Digital
Future Sound Digital is a series of free, short videos which will help you start your songwriting journey. The video tutorials give you a simple, engaging and accessible insight into how different artists express themselves through music; how they write songs; and how they became musicians.
The video tutorials feature talented artists Oscar Jerome, Sans Soucis and Arji Manuelpillai. They give tips, insights and advice on lyric-writing, composition and self-expression through music. Plus they offer inspiration for young people who aspire to connect with a career in the music industry.
Learning by Livestream?
Watching YouTube videos has been a popular way to pick up some new skills over the past decade, but livestreaming platforms such as Twitch have started to gain popularity with their real-time interactions.
This year, Liam Taylor became a Steinberg Certified Trainer and has gained recognition for his Cubase tutorial type livestream sessions. We caught up with Liam to learn more about his approach to learning how to produce music and get some advice for anyone looking to get started in this side of music-making.
🔗 Read on…
Accessible Reopening Checklist
Accessibility charity Attitude is Everything has published a 10-point Accessible Reopening Checklist in a bid to ensure deaf, disabled and neurodivergent fans are made welcome when full-capacity events resume.
“It’s free and easy to use, so there’s no reason for promoters, venue managers and event organisers not to embrace and implement this checklist,” said Attitude is Everything founder Suzanne Bull. “Deaf and disabled people are artists, employees, volunteers and fans, and they’re looking forward to returning to an inclusive world of sports, arts and culture. You’d better get ready.”
Why music is the heartbeat of gaming
“Music is a fundamental part of every game, but one particular genre goes further, making its soundtrack an essential part of the action. In music games, a player’s movements are bound to the score: you might reshape the songs with your actions, or be challenged to react to every riff, beat and snare.” Interesting article on the FT covering how music’s role in the world of gaming.
🔗 Read on…
What can classical musicians learn from jazz gigs?
Violinist Nicola Benedetti spoke to Classic FM about rejecting the “sewed up and perfect” ideal of what a classical concert should be, and why the live music experience should offer more than just a live version of a recording.
🔗 Read on…
UK pop pilgrimages: from Paul McCartney’s Kintyre to Giggs’s Peckham
With festivals looking thin on the ground, why not visit the places that have inspired some of our best songs and greatest bands. The Guardian have done a round-up including artists ranging from Pulp to Giggs!
🔗 Read on…
Listen 🎧
If you’ve not already discovered NPR Tiny Desk Concerts we highly recommend starting with the dulcet tones of Jordan Rakei!Aviemore composer Sonia Allori has not let deafness stop her from making music
“What’s missing is a clear pathway for young, deaf and disabled musicians coming through school and thinking ‘what’s next?’, ‘how can I make it in music?’. Great article featuring Take it away friend Sonia Allori!
🔗 Read on…
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Mar 16 2021 
Breaking down barriers to music-making for disabled pupils | The OHMI Trust
Breaking down barriers to music-making for disabled pupils | The OHMI Trust
The Take it away Consortium conducted research in 2019 which found that a lack of knowledge about the existence of adapted instruments is a major barrier to ensuring parity of opportunity in music-making for disabled children. Following this, we launched the Nottingham Pilot Programme with The OHMI Trust and Nottingham Music Hub to enable disabled children to participate fully in Whole Class Ensemble Tuition at primary school.
Two years later, the successful pilot has been extended!
Our partners at OHMI have written and shared the following article about the programme.
One of the greatest gifts a teacher can give is the opportunity to learn. Yet this often presents a challenge when catering for pupils with additional needs.
It’s certainly the case when ensuring Whole Class Ensemble Teaching (WCET) is truly inclusive. If a child is living with an upper arm impairment, how can she or he play a brass or stringed instrument which requires the use of both hands? An assumption often made is that it is impossible. It seems fairer for the child in question not to attend the music lesson lest they feel excluded.
As the UK’s leading authority on adaptation of traditional instruments, the musical instrument charity, OHMI, is uniquely positioned to provide solutions that give pupils parity of experience with their peers, and enable teachers to use uniform pedagogical approaches across a whole class.
However, before it could provide the appropriate instruments, OHMI needed to assess where pupil needs lie. In 2019, the charity launched its pioneering Inclusive Access to Music-Making (IAMM) programme with Nottingham Music Service (NMS) and Creative United. The objectives of the project are three-fold: to identify the needs of physically disabled pupils; to produce a plan for WCET; and to provide accessible instruments, enabling equipment, staff training and other interventions.
The results of the pilot were particularly compelling.
It identified the needs of 78 children who faced a barrier to instrumental music-making, 37 of whom had a requirement for adapted instruments and/or enabling equipment.
The success of the pilot led to the project’s extension in 2020. With the support of an Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grant, the project enabled the inclusion of a second year group of pupils in Nottingham, and to a second project with Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust (NMPAT).
In the latest survey assessing needs for the 2020-2021 academic year, 37 schools in Nottingham and 42 schools in Northamptonshire have identified pupils who would benefit from additional support on WCET.
Once needs have been pinpointed, the IAMM project serves to provide the most appropriate instrument or apparatus to allow each child to participate fully in the WCET sessions.
As Ian Burton, Head of Nottingham Music Service, comments,
“If there’s one thing I would urge schools to do, it’s this. However well intended, don’t make the assumption that an upper arm impairment precludes a child from making music to a high standard. OHMI has dedicated the last ten years to challenging assumptions on what’s possible but they can only offer help to the children that need it if advance notice is given to instrumental teachers of particular pupil needs.”
Peter Smalley, Head of NMPAT, is in full agreement,
“OHMI has come up with the most wonderfully innovative solutions for pupils in Northamptonshire. A trumpet stand which allows a pupil in Northampton to play his instrument one handed. An Artiphon which means two girls at a school in Daventry can switch to that instrument when bowing on their lap-held violin becomes too tiring. Where there’s a will – from the school, the pupil and from a Music Hub’s partnership with OHMI and Creative United – there’s almost always certainly a way.”
We highly recommend reading this case study for more information on the impact of the IAMM project in Northamptonshire, from the perspective of instrumental teachers Kate and John Bickerdike:
Are you a Music Hub, teacher or parent wishing to find out more about the data identified and experiences and techniques delivered by this programme?
Please get in contact with OHMI via the button below.
The OHMI Trust’s objective is a simple one: we enable children and adults with physical impairments to play the instruments they want to play, when they want to play them and where they want to play them (whether at school, in the home or in a professional ensemble).
Find out more and get in touch by visiting their website: ohmi.org.uk
Tell us what you think @takeitawaymusic
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Feb 09 2021 
February | Opportunities, Events + Good Reads
Welcome to our February 2021 update (well done, we made it through the longest January on record!) 🎉
From opportunities and events to good reads and inspiration, there is a lot happening this month. Here is a round up of some of the things we are looking forward to and have had our eyes on recently…
Opportunities + Events
Everyone welcome? : access and inclusion solutions for groups and events
Join Making Music for their upcoming free event where they’ll be looking at barriers which many people experience – both virtually and in the real world – and the impact this has on who can be part of music-making groups, who can come to concerts/events and what you can do about it!
Did someone say “FREE pianos”?!
Online music education platform, HDpiano, is giving away a brand-new full-size digital piano every week this year! You got to be in it to win it – good luck!!
Saffron Springboard
Saffron is a music tech initiative taking an intersectional approach to redressing the gender imbalance in the industry. The new Springboard initiative is providing 7 people with a 10-month program of mentoring, professional coaching and grants of £1,000-£3,000.
Deadline for applications: 26th Feb🔗 Download the application pack and apply…
Attitude is Everything Webinars
Want to ensure your event is as accessible as possible? Our friends at @attitudetweets are offering fantastic webinar sessions to provide quality training in improving accessibility and disability awareness.
Family Workshop at Home: Endangered Animals
This half term, join Wigmore Hall for an online challenge to create music together inspired by some of the world’s most endangered animals, from rhinos to turtles! You will learn about these incredible creatures, write lyrics, and compose melodies to form a new piece of music – all in one hour!
They will also release free pre-workshop activities at the beginning of half term, so if you would like to you can start getting creative together ahead of the workshop.
Virtual work experience with the Royal Marines Band Service
This 2-day Virtual Look at Life Course is open to young musicians and vocalists age 14+ and encompasses Q&A sessions, career presentations and tours of some of the Royal Marines’ Bandrooms. Young musicians who attend will be given a behind the scenes tour of The Royal Marines School of Music and the opportunity to pose live questions to musicians currently in training.
Music Technology Connectivity Series
‘Connectivity ‘ is a collaborative and innovative series of three online events delivered in partnership with Technology in Music Education UK (TiME), UK Music, Leicester-Shire Music Education Hub (LMEH) and the ISM, the MIA, JAMES, Creative United, Music Mark and the Musicians Union.
Our CEO, Mary-Alice Stack, will be speaking in the ‘Accessible Music Technology – Panel Discussion’ during Event 3 on the 10th March, so see you there!
NCEM Young Composers Award
National Centre for Early Music and BBC Radio 3 are calling for aspiring young composers to create a new work for the vibrant young recorder quartet Palisander.
The winning pieces will be premiered by Palisander in a performance at St John’s Smith Square, London on Thursday 20 May 2021 as part of the London Festival of Baroque Music and recorded for future broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show.Online Networking 101 | YPIA
Young People in the Arts are hosting a free online event with Isabel Sachs, founder of I LIKE NETWORKING. The session aims to develop networking skills and provide tips on how to draft a personal elevator pitch and make the most of an online networking event. There will also be advice on how to find the best online networking platforms.
Big 10 Minute Sign & Sing
Southampton Music Hub would love to see as many people as possible join in with Big 10 Minute Sign & Sing! Whether you’re in a school bubble or an individual learning at home or a whole school participating you can choose any song from the Song Bank to participate in this project. All ages and abilities are welcome to participate from pre-school right up to secondary school.
Introduction to Music Therapy
Join the ISM and Simon Procter from Nordoff Robbins on 24th February (2-3pm), for a free introduction to music therapy, which utilises and shares the positive benefits of music to help people living with significant challenges.
Good reads + news
Podcast 🎧
Emma Welton has composed a Sound Walk with and for autistic people, particularly those who are sensitive to sound. In this podcast she shares the evolution of the piece through a series of conversations and walks in her neighbourhood.How did the piano come to be? 🎹
Have you ever wondered how the piano was invented? Or what the differences between a clavichord, harpsichord and a piano are? Us too! Take it away retailer Markson Pianos has put together a very interesting article on the origins of this majestic instrument.
🔗 Read on…
How Covid is ‘creating a new genre’ for live music
“As an international touring DJ with an album to release, Hot Since 82’s hectic schedule for 2020 didn’t originally include playing from a hot air balloon.” Interesting article on the BBC covering how music and performing is adapting to the times – from Billie Eilish to the Barbican!
🔗 Read on…
#CanDoMusic
This UK-wide campaign was created to support school music teachers and signpost them to practical resources so that children and teachers #CanDoMusic in school.
It offers practical teaching resources, guidance on how to adapt to the ‘new normal’, advice on online teaching, and information to help individuals and organisations advocate for music in schools. Its mission is to celebrate and unlock the innovation of music teachers and senior leaders, ensuring that music plays a central role in rebuilding their school communities.
Created by the ISM, Music Mark and the Music Teachers’ Association. 🔗 Learn more…
National Open Youth Orchestra member Oscar, talks over coming barriers to music education
The recent Reshape Music report found that more than half of Disabled musicians who responded to our survey could not find a music teacher who met their learning style, suggesting a desperate need for training in inclusive practices for music teachers.
Oscar is a 17-year-old pianist and percussionist. He spoke to recently about the hurdles he has faced from a young age accessing music, and how he overcame them to become a member of the highly regarded National Open Youth Orchestra – the world’s first Disabled-led national youth orchestra for 11-25 year old Disabled and non-Disabled musicians.
🔗 Read on…
Spotify wants to suggest songs based on your emotions
‘Spotify has patented technology that will allow it to analyse your voice and suggest songs based on your “emotional state, gender, age, or accent”.’ A natural next step, or a step too far…?
🔗 Read on…
Interview with Charles Hazlewood
“A multi-talented musician who was once the drummer in a band, Charles Hazlewood has conducted orchestras around the world, taken opera to the townships and villages of South Africa, and founded Paraorchestra, who performed alongside Coldplay at the 2012 Paralympics and have played at Glastonbury. In a new TV documentary, Beethoven and Me (Sky Arts), Hazlewood explores his own obsession with Beethoven, the composer’s mental health and his most famous work, the Fifth Symphony.”
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Oct 15 2020 
Accessible Instruments Challenge Showcase
Accessible Instruments Challenge Showcase
Over the past few months, our eight challenge teams have been working hard to address the accessibility challenges of people who want to play or produce music, but find it physically challenging to do so. Their aim was to build on existing work and take further steps forward in making adaptive musical instruments more affordable, making music education in schools more inclusive and uncovering new solutions that haven’t been tried before.
The Accessible Instruments Challenge has been an exciting collaborative virtual project which brought together expertise in digital innovation and design technology, musical instrument making and lived experience of disability. The culmination of the project saw Creative United and Plexal host an online showcase event where the challenge teams and other contributors came together to share their ideas, solutions and responses to our challenges.
It was a wonderful couple of hours, with a fantastic exchange of ideas, solutions and conversation. You can watch the full event here and hear more from each team as well as some super interesting Q & As!
Below you’ll see the 3-minute video presentations from each team where they explain their challenge and what how they’ve worked to produce solutions. Enjoy!
Trombone Stand Team Challenge
Download Video TranscriptHead to accessibleinstruments.com to see the full challenge profile of this team.
Digital Bagpipe Chanter Team Challenge
Download Video TranscriptHead to accessibleinstruments.com to see the full challenge profile of this team.
Multisensory Production Team Challenge
Download Video TranscriptHead to accessibleinstruments.com to see the full challenge profile of this team.
One-Handed Clarinet Team Challenge
Download Video TranscriptHead to accessibleinstruments.com to see the full challenge profile of this team.
Supply Chain for Schools Team Challenge
Download Video TranscriptHead to accessibleinstruments.com to see the full challenge profile of this team.
Virtual Band Team Challenge
Download Video TranscriptHead to accessibleinstruments.com to see the full challenge profile of this team.
Violin Bow Holder Team Challenge
Download Video TranscriptHead to accessibleinstruments.com to see the full challenge profile of this team.
One-Handed Recorder Team Challenge
Download Video TranscriptHead to accessibleinstruments.com to see the full challenge profile of this team.
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Aug 28 2020 
Introducing the teams working on the Accessible Instruments Challenge
Introducing the teams working on the Accessible Instruments Challenge
Let’s get up to speed
Launched in June, the exciting Accessible Instruments Challenge has brought together a wide range of people with expertise in digital innovation and design technology, musical instrument making and lived experience of disability to focus on a series of practical and conceptual challenges that have the potential to materially improve access and inclusion in music making for disabled people.
These people have been split into 8 teams who are currently working together virtually to address 8 specific challenges. The aim is to make adaptive musical instruments more affordable, make music education in schools more inclusive and uncover new solutions that haven’t been tried before!
From Challenge Leaders and Collaborators to Advisers and Partners, there are now 49 incredible individuals taking part in this part of the IAMM initiative.
Without further ado, meet the teams and find out more about the challenges:
Supply Chain for Schools
Challenge: How can we build an effective supply chain of adaptive instruments into schools, ensuring that disabled children are able to fully participate in music education?
Following the success of our Nottingham Pilot Programme with The OHMI Trust and Nottingham Music Hub, this project will focus on the challenge of building an effective national supply chain of adaptive musical instruments and assistive equipment to meet the needs of disabled children attending mainstream schools across the country.
The Team
- Mary-Alice Stack – Chief Executive, Creative United
- Angela Suh – Strategic Relationship Manager, Creative United
- Paul McManus – CEO, MIA
- John Sandford – Retired Head of Music
- Adam Whittaker – Head of Pedagogy & Lecturer in Music, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
- Rachel Griffiths – MA Music Education, Instrumental Teaching
“I am delighted to be a part of this team to explore ways we can get accessible instruments to the places where they are needed. There is already some great work in this field and I’m keen to help us take the next steps in reaching those who will benefit from it to realise their musical ambitions.” – Adam Whittaker
Virtual Band Challenge: How can immersive technology remove the limitations that people with disabilities face with traditional instruments?
This challenge is about exploring and questioning the use of immersive technology to remove the limitations that people with disabilities face with traditional instruments, and aim to make playing and learning music more accessible and inclusive.
The Team:
- Ewan Morrison – Head of Visualisation, Hobs 3D
- Kadine James – Creative Tech Lead, Hobs 3D
- Billy Payne – Music Educator
- Martina Fatato – Designer
- Kat Kuczynski – Deputy Head, Glamorgan Music School
- Sarah Dunn – Music Teacher, Saltaire Music Tuition
- Junkerry – Composer, producer and musician
- Allen Namiq – Real Time Artist, Hobs 3D
“I am passionate about bringing music into people’s lives by helping remove the barriers that stop opportunities.” – Kat Kuczynski
One-Handed Clarinet Challenge: How can we improve the fabrication process and solve supply chain issues to make a one handed clarinet more accessible?
This team is focusing on a fabrication/supply chain challenge. Their aim is to improve production times and move away from the handcrafted, made to order model that currently exists. Could the production principles be applied to other instruments e.g. saxophone, can it be adapted to both Left hand alone; Right hand alone, and how can we meet unmet demand?
The Team
- Sharon Jones – Eagle Lab Engineer, Barclays Eagle Lab
- Peter Worrell – Woodwind Instrument Maker
- Clare Salters – Woodwind Tutor
- Hannah Williams – Export Sales & Operations Coordinator, The British Band Instrument Company
- Sophie Hyman – Prop/Model Maker
“I am passionate about inclusion and accessibility and delighted to find a project that combines music, accessibility and engineering.” – Sharon Jones
Trombone Stand Challenge: How can we standardise the production of a bespoke moulded Trombone stand to enable mass production?
The OHMI Trust had a winning trombone stand in their competition last year made by Swiss maker, Thomas Tschirren. The issue is that the shell is moulded around the player and this is currently only possible via multiple trips to Switzerland. This team is attempting to develop solutions to enable production to be standardised and reduce the need for bespoke creation of the shell.
The Team
- Thomas Tschirren – Hospital of Solothurn, Switzerland
- Tim Low – Assistant Manager, The OHMI Trust
- Chris Fower – Director of Creativity and Innovation, Warwick Music Group
“My ambition is that the team will learn from potential users and existing best practice to develop and innovate a trombone stand that can be economically and sustainably produced allowing a new cohort of children and adults to experience the fun of playing the trombone and the joy of making music!” – Chris Fower
Multisensory Production Challenge: How can we redesign music production for a visually impaired person?
This challenge is all about adapting mainstream music production software for use by visually impaired music producers and engineers, enabling them to practice their craft with maximum efficiency thereby allowing them to compete on an equal footing with their non-disabled counterparts.
The Team
- Richard Llewellyn – UK Education Manager, Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH
- Owain Wilson – Co-Founder, Digit Music
- Jason Dasent – Music Producer
- David Ward – Managing Director, TiME UK: Technology in Music Education
“Not enough people are aware of all the fantastic solutions that are being found and made available. With over 15% of the global population being classified as disabled, things need to change!” – Richard Llewellyn
One-Handed Recorder Challenge: How can we improve upon the design and production processes of the existing 3D printed one handed recorder?
A 3D printed version of the one-handed recorder has already been produced and successfully trialled in the Nottingham Pilot by The OHMI Trust. This challenge is working on the production/design and looking at how best to improve the small scale production of the existing recorder.
The Team
- Paul Yeomans – Senior CAD/CAM Trainer, Birmingham City University – Technology Hub
- Liz Wrighton – Freelance Musician
- Rachel Wolffsohn – General Manager, The OHMI Trust
- Simone Reid – Recorder Performer and Teacher, Polyphonica Recorder Trio
- Grace Barton – Musician, Polyphonica Recorder Trio
- Michael Piraner – Musician, Polyphonica Recorder Trio
- Luis Zayas – PhD, Queen Mary, University of London
“Knowing the positive impact access to one of these instruments can have, and having seen the design of the recorder develop over the past few years, I’m really excited to see where the Challenge could take us next and the opportunities it could provide for more young musicians!” – Liz Wrighton
Bagpipe Chanter (Digital)Challenge: How can we refine the prototype electronic interface that significantly improves the accessibility of the bagpipe?
During this electronics/engineering challenge, the team will build on the work of a young student who is playing a prototype bagpipe chanter. They will aim to complete the product design and further refine the electronics. Depending on progress over the next month, this could evolve into a coding challenge for the app.
The Team
- Sean M. Tracey – Developer Advocate; Tech Focal for Innovation, International Business Machines
- Duncan Menzies – P-bROCK Developer
- Courtney Reed – Research Student (PhD), Queen Mary University of London
“So far, two young people in the UK have started learning with a prototype of the one-handed chanter, and I’m very keen to refine the interface and have it ready for production/delivery as soon as possible!” – Duncan Menzies
Violin Bow HolderChallenge: How can a prosthesis that enables bow control be redeveloped into a modular device (hand/wrist/forearm) to reduce the bespoke part to the attachment to the body?
Lots of people with limb differences have limbs that stop at different points but need a device that attaches to a bow at one end and their arm at another end. This team is looking to discover solutions that can allow production of a modular device with the minimum amount of bespoke attachments as possible, in order to allow for fast production and greater reach.
The Team
- Nate Macabuag – Lead Designer, Mitt Wearables Ltd
- Ruth Lester – Honorary Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital NHS FT
- Rachel Wolffsohn – General Manager, The OHMI Trust
- Yaning Wu – Student, University College London
- Lindsay Higgs – Guitar Teacher
- Linda Crisp – Teacher
“This project is a great way of taking an existing piece of equipment and moving it on to the next stage thus making it possible for far more people to participate in music-making alongside their peers.” – Rachel Wolffsohn
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Aug 06 2020 
August Round up
There’s no doubt it’s been a tough year so far. However, summer has brought a renewed energy and things are starting to bloom in the music world!
From opportunities and events to good reads and inspiration, here’s some of the things we’ve had our eyes on recently…
Good reads + news
Comfort in Culture
“If we have culture at the base of everything, we have the resilience and the possibility of rebuilding no matter what comes our way because we are sustaining one another, and together, we’re stronger” Yo-Yo Ma
Google Arts and Culture has put together a project inspired by Yo-Yo Ma’s Songs of Comfort, where you can discover how the artist and other creatives find comfort in culture during the covid crisis. 🔗 Check it out here…
Do you know about the lap slide guitar?
🔗 Watch Tom Doughty introducing this beautiful instrument and explaining its differences to the traditional guitar.
This is part 1 of a series Tom filmed with us which we’ll be sharing on Facebook over the next few weeks. If you can’t wait for the rest, head to our YouTube channel!
As featured in our Guide to Adaptive Musical Instruments.
#CanDoMusic
This UK-wide campaign aims to ensure all children and young people can resume their musical learning this autumn. It offers practical teaching resources, guidance on how to adapt to the ‘new normal’, advice on online teaching, and information to help individuals and organisations advocate for music in schools. Its mission is to celebrate and unlock the innovation of music teachers and senior leaders, ensuring that music plays a central role in rebuilding their school communities.
Created by the ISM, Music Mark and the Music Teachers’ Association. 🔗 Learn more…
Video series – Musician’s in lockdown
We thoroughly enjoyed these mesmerising videos series focused on the plight of musicians in lockdown – always a joy to hear Sheila Maurice-Grey of the band Kokoroko!
Carbon neutral music-making
All pInstruments, many of which have been included in our Guide to Adaptive Musical Instruments, have been independently certified as carbon neutral – whatever colour you choose, it will be green! 🙌
“Music technology opens the doors…”
…to composition, songwriting, recording and music production, live sound, arrangement, orchestration, event management and many other creative music making chances and careers; for example, making music for film, games and animation. It is inclusive across all genders, ages, backgrounds and abilities.”
🔗 Read ‘Demystifying the world of technology in music education’ here. A brilliant piece from our friends at the ISM.
A feast for musicians’ eyes!
Springburn Park, a new theatre space in Glasgow, has used about 40 recycled pianos to create seating in their auditorium and isn’t it beautiful? 😍
Online Music Exams have launched their new website!
OME is a great alternative to traditional exams for many reasons, especially in light of lockdown restrictions.
“Live music isn’t merely some appealing adjunct, it’s a way I connect with my emotions, communicate with others, and periodically flee from ordinary life.”
We miss it too 💙 A great article by Rick Burin on the Guardian. 🔗 Read on…
Opportunities + Events
696 Resident Artists
The Hornimam’s 696 Resident Artists programme is calling for music artists at the cutting edge of south London’s music scene. During a year-long residency, Resident Artists will develop an artistic project in response to the Horniman’s collection of musical instruments which is one of the most comprehensive and exciting in the UK.
Do you know someone producing the best new Afrobeat, Jazz, Grime, Rap, R&B, Reggae and Soul music?
Are you an instrument maker, designer or technician up for a challenge?
Could you create or develop musical instruments that can be played without the use of one hand and arm? The OHMI Trust Competition is open for submissions!
Coventry City of Culture Trust Grants
A new initiative has been launched to provide micro-commissions to D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists in Coventry and Warwickshire. Projects can include theatre, live art, dance, music and poetry.
Digital members club for womxn in music tech launched by Saffron
‘Saffron is a non-profit organisation working to support and champion female-identifying and non-binary people (womxn) in music technology, challenging the current climate of the industry and offering training in music production, sound engineering and DJing, as well as artist mentoring and development.’
🔗 Learn more and join the club which will will provide year-round tools and opportunities for womxn to connect.
#YouthMusicNextGen – Podcast
Youth Music are recruiting a team to produce a six-part podcast series delving into social and political themes behind the music that they love. This is a great opportunity for someone in the early stages of their creative career!
St Hugh’s Foundation for the Arts
Just announced: a programme of ‘Artists Respond’ funding in 2020 to support artists living/working in the City of Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire (including North and North East Lincolnshire). The Foundation will be offering 8 grants of £750 to artists of all disciplines, at all stages of their practice. The aim of these grants is to enable selected artists to engage with their practice in whichever form feels most relevant at this challenging time, without the need to produce something at the end.
CLASH Studios x Digit Music
Sign up to attend the CLASH Studios x Digit Music Production pilot session in London this month! It will be focusing on accessible music technology. We’re sure this will be an amazing workshop with our friends Jason Dasent and Digit Music.
Lewisham Lounge Fest
Call out for young artists aged 7-15 and 16-21! Lewisham Music are hosting their first ever online music festival featuring an eclectic mix of diverse young musicians on Friday 14th August. Whatever your style, genre or ability they want you to take part – send in your recordings for a chance to feature on one of the digital stages.
Free Feldenkrais Workshop
Join the ISM on the 12th August @ 2-3pm for a free practical Feldenkrais workshop with violinist and Feldenkrais practitioner Emma Alter. They’ll examine how we hold emotional tension in the way we move and hold our physical selves. Wear comfy clothes!
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Jun 23 2020 
The Accessible Instruments Challenge | IAMM Hackathon
The Accessible Instrument Challenge | IAMM Hackathon Project
Music is a universal language – or at least it should be. But what if having a physical disability makes it difficult – or impossible – for someone to learn and play a musical instrument?
In 2018 we launched the beginnings of what has become known as the IAMM (Inclusive Access to Music Making) initiative, which sees Creative United and Take it away work closely with partners from across the music, tech and music education sector to raise the profile of music making by disabled children and adults, increasing awareness of the opportunities and sources of support available to enable more people to access music.
This has resulted in the formation and work of the Take it away Consortium, the Nottingham Music Hub Pilot Programme, and most recently the brand new Guide to Buying Adaptive Musical Instruments.
The research and projects undertaken have clearly shown us that, although there are lots of adapted instruments out there, many are prototypes or bespoke. For example, the one-handed clarinet provided to Nottingham pupil Redeem is one of only two in the world and takes many months to create. What happens when five one-handed clarinets are needed for other children to start learning with their peers at the same time?
With examples like this in mind, Creative United and partners have created The Accessible Instrument Challenge – an online collaborative project that aims to address the accessibility challenges of people who want to play or produce music but find it physically challenging to do so.
The Accessible Instrument Challenge aims:
Bringing together expertise in digital innovation and design technology, musical instrument making and lived experience of disability, multiple teams will build on existing work and aim to take further steps forward in making adaptive musical instruments more affordable, music education in schools more inclusive, and uncovering new solutions that haven’t been tried before.
From supply chain issues to making production software accessible for visually impaired musicians, find out more about the challenges each team will be undertaking.
I’m up for a challenge! Can I join a team?
Absolutely! We’d love for you to get involved and join us. Here’s an overview of who we’re looking for to make up each team:
Disabled and non-disabled musicians — Instrument makers — Designers — Manufacturers — Technologists — Inventors — Innovators — Music teachers — Academics — Students
Are you one of the above?
Applications close on 17th July – please get in touch if you’ve got any questions.
Our Partners
Funded by Arts Council England, the project is designed to raise awareness of the challenges facing people with disabilities playing traditional musical instruments and find practical solutions that will enable them to participate fully in music making.
Plexal
Plexal is the innovation centre and coworking space that believes in the power of collaboration. We’re building a diverse innovation ecosystem to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing society –starting with cybersecurity, mobility and inclusion.
Our innovation team delivers programmes for clients like Innovate UK and Transport for London, and specialises in forging connections between industry, academia, investors, startups and scaleups.
Our workspace is home to LORCA: an innovation programme that scales the cybersecurity solutions needed most by industry to make the internet safer for everyone.
In the inclusion space, we run the OpenDoor accelerator and are working with partners like UCL and Disability Rights UK to optimise our workspace for accessibility and champion disability-led innovation.
Our team is also bringing about a mobility future that’s sustainable, personalised, accessible, smart and secure. We’re working directly with government and industry to test, scale and deploy solutions that will radically transform the way we move.
And as well as hosting events – anything from meetups to large conferences – we’re home to over 900 innovators who are working in areas like mobility, AI, healthtech, cybersecurity, fintech, the Internet of Things, VR and more.
They enjoy community events, access to the EagleLab at Plexal makers’ space and services designed to help them scale.
The OHMI Trust
The OHMI Trust works to remove the barriers to music-making faced by people with physical disabilities. Any deficiency in an upper limb makes nearly all musical instruments unplayable to any reasonable standard. As a result, thousands are excluded from music-making, including most disabled children.
The OHMI Trust strives for full, undifferentiated, participation in musical life for disabled people through the creation and provision of adapted musical instruments and enabling apparatus. It also undertakes and commissions research into pedagogic practises, instrument design, and manufacturing methods.
Hobs 3D
Creative. Collaborative. Comprehensive. Hobs 3D offers one of the most complete ranges of 3D services in the world. We bridge the gap between digital and physical 3D creation, employing a select and diverse team of 3D printing specialists, model makers, product designers, 3D digital artists and MIxed Reality XR/VR/AR immersive storytellers.
We employ our creativity and technical expertise across multiple industries, working with the world’s leading companies from art & fashion to architecture, from computer gaming to construction, and from marketing to healthcare. We work closely alongside our clients as their creative department to envision, enhance and actualise their projects to the highest standards.
UCL
UCL is a diverse global community of world-class academics, students, industry links, external partners, and alumni. Our powerful collective of individuals and institutions work together to explore new possibilities.
Our distinctive approach to research, education and innovation seeks to further inspire our community of staff, students and partners to transform how the world is understood, how knowledge is created and shared, and the way that global problems are solved.
Creative United
Creative United is an independent Community Interest Company that provides finance-based products and services designed to deliver economic growth and social impact to the arts, creative and cultural sectors.
The Take it away scheme is one of its flagship programmes, which supports participation in music by providing interest free loans for the purchase of musical instruments, equipment and software to enable music making at every level.Press enquiries
Please contact us at: info@creativeunited.org.uk
