🚨 We've written to Education Secretary Gillian Keegan raising serious concerns about the squeeze on grant funding for arts courses in Higher Education. The decision undermines Treasury ambitions for the creative industries and leaves our talent pipeline in jeopardy.

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🗣️The Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) has criticised the move, calling it “poor practice” for keeping existing music hub staff, particularly freelancers, 'in the dark' about decisions that will impact their future employment.

'These real-term cuts to creative education courses will be absolutely devastating'

Read our response to government's new squeeze on funding for creative arts subjects in English universities 👇
loom.ly/eXQZmUA

ISM Members’ Day 2024 - one week to go! 🙌

Stay tuned for a full day of focus groups, workshops, music from Filkin's Drift & Brixton Chamber Orchestra and In Conversation with ISM President-Elect 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 OBE and Katie Derham. #ISMmembersday

Absolutely. We must also not forget that as a result of this unnecessary and costly restructure, jobs could be put at risk. And does any of this improve music education #StoptheEbacc ISM

In the ever-evolving world of music, the ISM offers a host of benefits that support musicians across many genres, roles and at different stages of their career 🎶 

Learn more about ISM membership: loom.ly/8d-Zu1M

Thank you to the lovely staff at Harley St Hearing for my appointment today, as part of the Musicians' Hearing Health Scheme supported by ISM and Help Musicians. Spotted my old flute teacher on my way out - a brilliant sign!

Today applicants to Hub Investment Programme were told if they were successful. The Arts Council England release states that this is a landmark event and cements the NPME. BUT still crisis in teacher recruitment & no resolution to ongoing TPS funding crisis.Department for Education sort it

The very best of luck from ISM as you embark on your new exciting journey. Just wanted to say with just over 2 weeks till Members Day you have been a fabulous President pauline black 👏👏👏👏👏

The DfE and ACE's lack of transparency throughout the Music Hub Investment Programme is concerning.

Although lead hub applicants find out if they've been successful on Monday, they won't be revealed publicly until May. No justification has been given 👇

loom.ly/0JWI0Us

We welcome investment in music education, but we have some questions about the £25 million capital grant for musical instruments for music hubs 🎺

Read ISM Chief Executive Deborah Annetts' letter to Schools Minister Damian Hinds 👇

loom.ly/J9eVwIw

Government promote the creative sector as a key area for growth, but their actions speak louder than words.

These budget cuts will have a detrimental impact on opportunity and our talent pipeline. DfE should think again.

I am trying to understand the thinking Department for Education . How does the decision to cut funding
align with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport cultural ed plan and HM Treasury
announcement that the creative industries would drive economic growth. Govt policy is a mess Barbara Keeley 💙 🇺🇦
theguardian.com/education/2024…

New webinar 📣

Professor Martin Ashley, Lucy Hollins, Margaret O'Shea & Charles Béquignon-MacDougall explore differing barriers to singing such as lack of teacher training, culture, importance of legacy & transition, changing voices, and time.

🗓️ Thursday 2 May, 4-5pm: loom.ly/IUYCVgk

Breaking the singing barrier - ISM Trust
Looks like a great line up of webinars coming soon from ⁦ISM⁩ & ⁦Voices Foundation⁩ for vocal leaders, teachers and heads of schools etc. ism.org/advice/singing…

The Independent Society of Musicians is the UK’s professional body for musicians and a nationally recognised subject association for music.

We have been supporting generations of musicians since 1882 🎶
Learn more about the ISM 👉 loom.ly/r3FS9QA

2nd great piece The Times and The Sunday Times
today covers 200 top musos signing a letter calling out Ai and tech cos assault on human creativity. The letter makes all the points ISM and others have said. We must regulate Ai to stop the harm to creatives & their work
thetimes.co.uk/article/079284…

Please read two standout out pieces The Times and The Sunday Times today. The first focuses on the perfect storm facing classical music by Richard Morrison. It covers music ed disappearing from our schools , the strange funding decions by Arts Council England and Brexit. A trenchant read
thetimes.co.uk/article/490fba…