New research hub to tackle inequalities in music across the UK

A first-of-its-kind project to address inequalities in music and improve links between music research and the public kicks off this month, hosted by the University of Southampton and run through the Centre for Music Education and Social Justice.

The new AHRC Hub for Public Engagement with Music Research will bring academics and non-academics together to connect music research to real world settings, and inform government policy to make a lasting impact on musical communities across the UK.

The Hub, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), will provide expert guidance on academic research that responds to longstanding inequalities in music education and the music industry, as highlighted in recent government reports. For example, this year’s Misogyny in Music report exposes sexism, bullying and abuse in the industry.

The Hub will also support the Government’s manifesto statement that “The arts and music will no longer be the preserve of a privileged few.”

Over two years, the AHRC Hub will fund four ‘spoke’ projects on themes of ‘health and wellbeing’, ‘civic and cohesive communities’, creative education’ and ‘technological innovation’. Expressions of interest will soon be invited from academics, music practitioners, charities and organisations working in/across community, education, health or music industry sectors.

A series of in-person networking events for researchers, music professionals and music organisations will be held in November and December across the UK, hosted in Cardiff at BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff Bay; in Glasgow with the Scottish Music Centre ; and in Belfast with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland at The MAC Belfast .

Dr Erin Johnson-Williams , project lead and Lecturer in Music Education and Social Justice, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be launching the Hub. The projects we’ll fund – collaborations between academics and creative communities – will explore under-funded and under-resourced areas of research and music. The Hub will also offer training through our Public Policy Southampton and Public Engagement with Research units, to enable researchers and practitioners to forge ways to impacting policy around music and social justice.”

Dr Benjamin Oliver , Associate Professor of Composition and co-lead for the project, said: “There are huge, often systemic inequalities in music education and within the music sector more generally – for example limited access to learning instruments at school, reduced uptake of music at GCSE and A-level, and deeply embedded discrimination within parts of the music industry. The Hub will work to understand some of these issues and activate change.”

Lisa Tregale , project co-lead, said: “Over the last 30 years there has been a consistent decline in music education and music making in community and health settings. It is important that sectors work together, not only to achieve maximum impact and delivery but to have robust evidence to tell the most compelling case for support for the future.”

Christopher Smith, Executive Chair of AHRC said of the Hub: “Music creates communities and shared moments that last a lifetime. Our music industry is a world player, with UK artists and musicians streamed and listened to across the globe. There are huge challenges facing the music industry, including the impact of a decline in young people studying music which affects the future of the industry and the struggle of small live music venues to survive.

"This makes our new AHRC Hub for Public Engagement with Music Research a vital contribution to the future of music, part of our commitment to policy evidence-based research to support the creative industries. It will take a deeper look at the challenges facing music and help fund projects that involve the public in finding solutions that can help the sector thrive.”

Upcoming events:
• Thursday 7 November 2024: Launch in Southampton (University of Southampton)
• Monday 18 November 2024: Cardiff (BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff Bay)
• Tuesday 10 December 2024: Glasgow (Scottish Music Centre)
• Wednesday 11 December 2024: Belfast (The MAC Belfast)

A series of online webinars and virtual networking events will also be released over the next few months. Visit the project website and Eventbrite pages for more information and to sign up.