European champion Black Dyke has been informed that they have been awarded £49,000 in what is the first part of an overall £147,000 package to support a far-reaching Three Year Strategic Music Development Plan for the band.

Major partners

The ground breaking award has been supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, and will see Black Dyke work with major partners including the West Yorkshire Music Hub and the Yorkshire Youth Brass Band as well as other leading UK-wide brass band organisations.

The strategy aims to see the Yorkshire band commission composers, work with professional soloists and to further enhance their extensive commitment towards youth development and artistic projects.

Strategic plan

The strategic plan will commence in February next year following discussions with Arts Council England's Strategic Music Development Manager (West Yorkshire).

Further details of what 4BR has been informed is perhaps one of the most significant Arts Council investments made in the brass banding movement in the UK, will be made in due course.

This is another immensely significant development for the band — and one which will also have great benefit for the brass band movement as a wholeBlack Dyke Director of Music, Prof Nicholas Childs

Significant development

A delighted Black Dyke Director of Music, Prof Nicholas Childs told 4BR: "This is another immensely significant development for the band — and one which will also have great benefit for the brass band movement as a whole.

This has been a major ambition for many years and to work with highly professional people to secure the funding for such a ground-breaking, far-reaching strategic development plan is something everyone is delighted and excited about."