Eric Clapton, Elton John and Robert Plant are among the artists who have backed an open letter written by singer Ed Sheeran to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, asking him to fund music education in schools.
The letter, which Sheeran shared on Instagram, is also backed by such artists as Coldplay, Harry Styles, members of Mumford & Sons, Snow Patrol and more. It asks Starmer to approve a music education package worth more than $300 million to “repair decades of dismantling music.”
“Learning an instrument and getting up on stage – whether in school or a community club – is now a luxury not every child can afford,” reads Sheeran’s letter. “As an industry, we bring [nearly $10 billion] into the U.K. economy, yet the next generation is not there to take the reins. Last year was the first in over 20 years without a UK global top 10 single or album in the charts. … The time to act is now.”
“Artists and industry can’t deliver on the world stage for the U.K. without schools, youth clubs and stages at home,” it continues. “Music in and out of school should be for all, not a few.”
Among the specific things the letter asks for: funding music in schools in the same way that sports are; training up 1,000 music teachers and stopping the closures of university music departments; launching 500 music apprenticeships nationwide; and diversifying the music curriculum.
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