Brass Bands England will receive a significant funding increase for the next three years following the Arts Council England (ACE) investment programme announcement made on Friday 4th November.

BBE's increase is in percentage terms one of the largest in the music sector — rising from over £210,000 in 2022/23 to over £405,000 per annum from 2023 to 2026 to enable it to significantly broaden its core programme.

As an ACE Investment Principles Support Organisation (IPSO), BBE will support the sector to embed ACE's principles of ambition, dynamism, inclusivity and environmental responsibility across the banding community. IPSOs sit within the Arts Council's National Portfolio, a core group of organisations recognised as of national importance to arts and culture.

Best of art and culture

ACE has stated that the latest funding to 990 organisations of £446 million, "…makes certain that as many people as possible in England can get hold of the very best of art and culture on their high streets and in the community spaces of their villages, towns and cities."

Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said: "Thanks to this new government funding package, spreading more money to more communities than ever before, people living in areas from Wolverhampton to Wigan and Crawley to Chesterfield will now get to benefit from the deep economic and social rewards culture can bring."

The new funding period for Brass Bands England will begin in April 2023 and will run until the end of March 2026.

Delighted

Understandably, a delighted Kenny Crookston, BBE's CEO, said: "The confidence that the Arts Council has shown in our work is testament to the astounding commitment and resilience of our member bands, plus the remarkable dedication of our staff and trustee team.

Over the past few years our nation's brass bands have proved that they are strong assets to their communities as well as a valuable part of our cultural heritage. That kind of dedication deserves support at all levels."

BEE stated that the funding will it to retain its staff to continue providing support to member bands through provision of training, resources and one-to-one support. Core features and initiatives will be maintained alongside new resources focused on the increasingly important topics of Mental Health and Environmental Awareness.

Full capacity

Kenny Crookston continued: "This news means that we can be certain BBE will be operating at full capacity for at least the next three years, delivering our full programme of opportunities, with a staff team working full-time to support brass bands.

This is an excellent resource for our sector, and I hope that it will give more bands and individuals the chance to participate in our plans."

Annual events such as the National Youth Championships, Brass Band Conference and the Brass Bands England Awards will be maintained, with a revised Artistic programme to be launched in April 2023.

The BBE website will be updated, work will also be undertaken on the Brass Bands Archive, and BBE will be launching several new working groups alongside its planned Members Working Group. There will also be new career opportunities, both freelance and employed, to work with the organisation.

This news means that we can be certain BBE will be operating at full capacity for at least the next three years, delivering our full programme of opportunities, with a staff team working full-time to support brass bandsCEO, Kenny Crookston

Campaigns

In addition, a series of advocacy campaigns will include the existing 'Proms in the Playground' initiative to bring wider awareness of all things banding to the general public.

The hugely successful Brass Foundations education programme will also become part of the organisation's core activity until at least 2026, whilst other initiatives such as a new non-competitive Youth Festival as a complementary event to the existing Youth Champs will be launched.

Huge potential

Sarah Baumann, BBE's Education & Development Manager, commented: "This increased support for youth provision has huge potential for positive impact on our sector, providing opportunities to open up banding to the full diversity of our communities, and ensuring it remains relevant to participants and audiences.

We can now focus on longer-term strategic programmes to support young people, alongside our Music Education Hub partners, to ensure that banding remains a vital part of our communities for years to come."

Presentation

The full scope of planned activity from April 2023 to March 2026 will be communicated in more detail over coming months, including a presentation at The RNCM Brass Band Festival in January 2023. Individuals can register for BBE news or you can join as an individual or band from £25.