Friends from China Cead Mile Failte Co. Limerick VEC

MUSIC EDUCATION NETWORK By Eimear Brophy Adult Education Officer County Limerick VEC Saturday 22 nd January 2011

W HAT IS M USIC G ENERATION ? Music Generation is Ireland’s National Music Education Programme, funded by U2 and The Ireland Funds. It aims to help children and young people to access performance music education (vocal and instrumental) in their own locality.

B ACKGROUND T O M USIC G ENERATION Feasibility study ‘A National System of Local Music Education Services’ Sustainable development for music education- partnerships €5m U2 & €2m The Ireland Funds- national rollout of instrumental & vocal tuition

WHAT DOES IT OFFER? Music Generation offers funding and support to establish local Music Education Partnerships (MEPs) throughout Ireland.

WHAT IS A MUSIC EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP? A Music Education Partnership (MEP) is a local or regional group established to develop and improve the infrastructure for music education at local level.

I NTERIM S TEERING C OMMITTEE G ROUP : County Limerick VEC County Arts Office Munster Youth Officer, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Primary Schools Post-primary Schools Youthreach Centres Ballyhoura Development West Limerick Resources Foroige Limerick Youth Service NCW School of Music Music Therapy Ireland

WHO CAN APPLY? Only MEPs which include at least one statutory agency as a lead partner may apply.

HOW MUCH FUNDING IS AVAILABLE? 50% funding from Music Generation up to a maximum of €200,000 per year over 3 years. Matched funding, generated locally from MEP resources, may be a combination of monetary income and/or support in kind.

WHAT WILL MUSIC GENERATION FUND? Contribution to vocal and instrumental tuition costs. Establishment of instrument banks and musical equipment. Music Libraries Contribution to encourage the professional development of music education practice. Contribution to administration/co- ordination costs.

WHAT WILL MUSIC GENERATION NOT FUND? Other general costs directly related to the running of the service including buildings, productions, marketing, exchanges, examinations etc. However these costs may be included as locally generated matched funding.

WHAT CAN BE USED AS LOCALLY GENERATED MATCHED FUNDING? Monetary Income from any source. Support-in-kind which can include staff time, buildings and administration costs. Support-in- kind costs claimed as locally generated matched funding is capped at a maximum of 20% of the matched funding.

WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING? To ensure that funding directly impacts on the teaching of children and young people and allows new services to be established across the country, the following are ineligible:  Existing vocal and instrumental tuition  Any form of music education other than vocal or instrumental tuition  Curriculum support  Existing tuition provided by core staff in mainstream schools.

HOW WILL MEP S BE SUPPORTED AFTER MUSIC GENERATION’S THREE-YEAR FUNDING? Music Generation will provide three year seed funding to establish local services, which will be sustained by MEPs on a long- term basis. It is the intention of the Department of Education and Skills that MEPs will be continued into the future with Exchequer funding when the Music Generation donations cease.

WHAT IS THE QUALIFYING AGE RANGE? Music Generation is for children and young people up to 18 years of age.

WHAT GENRES OF MUSIC CAN BE INCLUDED IN MUSIC GENERATION? All genres of music including but not limited to blues, bluegrass, contemporary, classical, country, electronic, folk, fusion, gospel, hip hop, jazz, marching, military, music theatre, opera, pop, rap, rock, R&B, reggae, religious, soul, traditional, world etc.

WHAT TYPE OF TUITION CAN BE INCLUDED? Individual, group and ensemble tuition in all instruments and voice.

EXAMPLE 1: P ILOT M USIC E DUCATION P ARTNERSHIP (MEP) C ITY OF D UBLIN VEC Three-strand location model (Dublin, North, South and Inner City) Instrumental/vocal tuition and music curriculum support both within and external to the formal education system Range of music classes and types of tuition Funding for purchase, repair and maintance of instruments Developing bands Once Off Initiatives: CD Development, recordings, concerts

EXAMPLE 2: P ILOT M USIC E DUCATION P ARTNERSHIP (MEP) D ONEGAL M USIC E DUCATION P ARTNERSHIP Provides for instrumental/vocal tuition, workshops, master classes, summer courses etc. at a range of locations within the county. Two priorities were identified for use of the funding: Appointment of a Music Development Manager for Music Education Partnership Provision of funding for a string tutor Instrumental and Vocal tuition provided at reasonable rates Instrumental Music Bank and rental scheme Curriculum linkages Cultural link developed through the arts centre

C ONSIDERATIONS FOR C OUNTY L IMERICK Three Year Funding Available- Partnerships must demonstrate how they will generate matching resources locally and make the scheme sustainable in the longer term Need to identify what each partner can bring to the table in terms of assisting the development of the MEP e.g. financial supports, operational supports, premises, programme development etc. Social inclusion and geographical access Utilisation of existing resources and structures Availability of Instrumental and Vocal tuition in all genres of music Where will the focus of the services lie- within schools or outside in non-formal education sector or both?