News

How can we build a more comprehensive picture of music education across Liverpool City Region – including the opportunities available, who is accessing them, and where more support is needed?

To help answer this question, MusicFutures is partnering with Sound! Music Hub, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s music hub, on an ambitious new research project.

Together, the organisations have awarded the MusicFutures MRes Scholarship in Music Education Provision to Annabelle Gascoyne, who will lead a pioneering study exploring the breadth and depth of music education across the region. The research aims to identify existing good practice, highlight barriers to participation, and uncover opportunities to improve and expand provision.

Building a clear picture on Music Education

Annabelle’s project – “Generating Insights into Music Education Provision across Liverpool City Region” – will look to understand the data that already exists, how current provisions are being accessed, to uncover the gaps that exist to access as well as gain an in-depth insight into the sorts of challenges that people may be facing that makes it more difficult to access the opportunities available.

The research will explore:
• Mapping music education provision across the region
• Understanding non-participation and barriers to engagement
• Improving the use and consistency of participation data
• How to turn real-world activity into meaningful case studies for sector learning and reporting

Speaking about the award, Annabelle Gascoyne said:

“I am really excited about the opportunity to undertake this MRes at the University of Liverpool, I am passionate about music education and making it accessible for all. This project will allow me to use skills I have gained through both my work life and bachelor’s to understand what provision is currently available across the Liverpool City Region, and how this can potentially be improved in the future. I can’t wait to start working on it. 

Building on Sound! Music Hub’s expertise

Sound! Music Hub brings together a variety of organisations to deliver music education and career pathways to children and young people in Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Warrington.

Scoping research undertaken by MusicFutures into the Liverpool City Region music sector has highlighted the need for a more comprehensive understanding of music education provision for school-age children and young people.

Similarly, Sound! Music Hub has identified challenges relating to inconsistent data and the need for deeper insights beyond standard reporting. Addressing these challenges will help inform decision-making, strengthen understanding of the impact of music education initiatives and support the development of case studies showcasing successful pilot projects.

Mel Burton, Strategic Lead for Sound! Music Hub, said:

“At Sound! Music Hub, we are committed to ensuring that every child and young person across the Liverpool City Region and Warrington has the opportunity to discover, develop and fulfil their musical potential. We know that fantastic work is taking place every day across schools, music services, community organisations and the wider cultural sector, but we also know there is more to learn about how young people access these opportunities and the barriers some may face.

Annabelle’s research will provide invaluable insight into the strengths of our music education ecosystem while helping us identify areas for growth and improvement. We are delighted to be working in partnership with MusicFutures on this important project and look forward to seeing the impact it will have on future planning and provision across the region.”

Richard Anderson, Research and Innovation Associate at MusicFutures, added:

“I am very much looking forward to collaborating with Annabelle to bolster Sound! Music Hub’s exceptional efforts in supporting music education in the districts they work in. By integrating their expertise with the Institute of Popular Music’s sector mapping, this project will generate strategic insights to expand youth access across the region. Annabelle will employ mixed methods—combining statistical analysis with stakeholder engagement—to map and evaluate both state provision and the broader music education ecosystem.”

The scholarship marks another step in MusicFutures’ mission to establish Liverpool City Region as a world-leading hub for music research, development and innovation.

By developing a more detailed understanding of music education provision, this research will help identify what is working well, where barriers remain, and how opportunities can be improved. In doing so, it aims to support a more accessible, informed and sustainable future for music education across Liverpool City Region.