Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Join the Biggest Free Music Making Weekend of the Year!
UK charity Music for All is thrilled to announce their annual flagship event Learn to Play is back for 2024 and are opening the opportunity for music providers across the UK to take part in ‘the biggest free music making weekend of the year!’
The event is held across the UK on the 11th-13th October and is open to everyone; regardless of age, experience and background and provides opportunities for participants to experience a free taster music making lesson from a musical instrument to a singing lesson!
Learn to Play aims to inspire, encourage and enable both new and lapsed music makers to enjoy the wide range of benefits of music making, as well as connecting and championing UK music providers such as community groups, retail music shops and music teachers through a shared celebration of music making.
A recent research study part-funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) found that music making has a profound effect on adult’s health by sustaining good memory and improving the ability to solve complex tasks.1 Following the study, the NIHR are encouraging older adults to return to music making in later life to help sustain better health and suggest promoting musical education when formulating public health policies. However, the government has recently imposed a 50% funding cut to art subjects at higher education level, including music lessons, which will impact the future of the UK arts, the creative potential of the next generation and the people who deliver quality arts education in the UK.
Sonali Banerjee continues: “The Learn to Play weekend is needed now more than ever and through our regional music making events, we aim to support vital UK music providers, as well as inspire as many people as possible in experiencing the unique joys and benefits of music making. We have extended Learn to Play to start on a Friday which opens up more opportunities for a variety of music providers to take part. We want to hear from anyone who is passionate about widening access to music making for everyone and join us in the UK’s biggest free music making weekend.”
The Learn to Play event not only allows the provider to join an inspiring community which advocates the life changing benefits of music-making, but taking part can also offer the following benefits supported by Music for All:
• Raise your profile locally and online through press and social media
• Generate sales in business
• Increase your teaching portfolio
• Recruit new members to your music group
• Engage your community in the joy of music making
Interested in taking part and becoming a Learn to Play ’24 provider? It couldn’t be easier to sign up, simply visit the Learn to Play Provider web page to find out more and submit a registration form.
Music for All will send you a physical Learn to Play ‘24 Promo Pack, access to an exclusive resource web page to receive the latest guidance and updates to help you run your Learn to Play event successfully and safely, plus you will be added to the interactive activity map on the charity’s website!