Pictured at the announcement of Music Generation as winner of the 2018 Allianz Business to Arts Award – Best Long-Term Partnership: (l to r) Sean McGrath CEO Allianz , Andrew Hetherington CEO Business to Arts, Rosaleen Molloy National Director Music Generation, Leo Blennerhassett Chairperson Music Generation. Pic. Robbie Reynolds
600 leaders from across the arts, cultural and business sectors were in attendance in Bord Gais Theatre on September 4th to applaud Music Generation, winner of the 2018 Allianz Business to Arts Award for ‘Best Long Term Partnership’.
The Allianz Business to Arts Award was presented to Music Generation by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD.
Now in its 27th year, the Allianz Business to Arts Awards recognises and celebrates imaginative, innovative and effective partnerships between businesses and the arts. The Award for ‘Best Long Term Partnership’ is given to organisations that have consistently made an impact through collaborative events or programmes over three or more years.
Music Generation is Ireland’s national music education programme, which was initiated by Music Network and is now co-funded by U2, The Ireland Funds, the Department of Education and Skills and Local Music Education Partnerships.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Music Generation believes that all children and young people are inherently musical and that every child and young person has the right to realise his or her creative potential through music. #EducationMatters #EdChatie” quote=”Music Generation believes that all children and young people are inherently musical and that every child and young person has the right to realise his or her creative potential through music.”]
Since it was established in 2010, the programme has grown to reach 22 counties in Ireland and now offers 48,500 opportunities each year for children and young people to engage in music tuition across a huge range of instruments, genres and styles. In December 2017 the Government made a commitment to expand the programme nationwide by 2022.
U2’s The Edge welcomed the news of the award:
“This was a big dream and it was always going to be a team effort. We can’t thank our partners enough for their passion and commitment to our shared goal – an accessible music education for every young person in Ireland. We are all so proud of everything Music Generation has achieved thus far and we look forward to working together long into the future.’
Power of Philanthropy
Caitriona Fottrell, Vice President and Director, Ireland, The Ireland Funds:
“We are absolutely thrilled to have received the Award. The journey and achievements of Music Generation are testament to the power of Philanthropy, which has brought about unprecedented change for the music education landscape in Ireland. Thanks to our partners U2, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation whose support has been vital to the programme’s continued success.
Accepting the Award, Rosaleen Molloy, National Director of Music Generation said:
“Partnership has always been the cornerstone of Music Generation. It has opened the door to untold musical possibilities for children and young people and has ensured that those opportunities will be available for generations to come.”
[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘Partnership has always been the cornerstone of Music Generation. It has opened the door to untold musical possibilities for children and young people and has ensured that those opportunities will be available for generations to come.'” quote=”‘Partnership has always been the cornerstone of Music Generation. It has opened the door to untold musical possibilities for children and young people and has ensured that those opportunities will be available for generations to come.'”]
“The vision behind Music Generation simply could not have been realised without the commitment of our Donors, our parent company Music Network, the support of the Department of Education and Skills and the Music Education Partnerships with whom we work, in which Education and Training Boards and Local Authorities play a key role. We are truly grateful for their partnership.”
Keep reading and learn more about arts education in this great piece by Chris Rooney “Taking the plunge into Arts Education”.
And remember to find us on Twitter @EdMatters and use the hashtag #EducationMatters to keep the conversation going.