Royal Birmingham Conservatoire partners with Arts Council England in new national project

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) has announced it will partner with Arts Council England in a project aimed at developing talent in communities across England.

The Fair and Inclusive Classical Music project will see the conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University, work with professional and community-based orchestras, educators, broadcasters and record labels to help widen access to classical music over the next decade.

Darren Henley, Arts Council England chief executive, said: ‘We are already supporting projects that are delivering some fantastic work to improve access for all but there is a need for much more collaboration to make sure that no one misses out.’

The project was launched in response to new research published in Arts Council England’s Creating a More Inclusive Classical Music report, released earlier this month. You can read Classical Music’s full news story about this report here.

RBC’s Learning and Participation programme works regularly with over 2000 young people and their families across the UK, with many of the programmes focusing on equity and inclusivity in classical music. The Conservatoire continues to diversify its student population, employing strategies including free access to auditions, bursaries for musicians from diverse backgrounds, and long-term partnerships with education organisations and charities.

Richard Shrewsbury, head of learning and participation at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, said: ‘Royal Birmingham Conservatoire is delighted to be a key partner in this initiative. Our own track record of engaging and enabling young people who would not otherwise get the chance to progress on their musical journeys reflects our existing commitment to widening access and inclusion.’

The Creating a More Inclusive Classical Music report is available to download from the Arts Council England website.