Music Development Plans Strike a Chord at Council Meeting
Posted on: Friday, November 8, 2024Plans to make the district more musical were discussed at this week’s Newark and Sherwood District Council Cabinet meeting. Since the creation of the new Portfolio for Heritage, Culture and the Arts last year, music development has been a focal point at the Council, with the revised Community Plan Objectives placing increased emphasis on music as a way of showcasing excellence in the district, bringing communities together and supporting wellbeing and increased civic pride.
One of the objectives within the Plan is to champion and promote the arts, culture and heritage and to explore opportunities for having themed music and art events that focus on individual communities, celebrating diversity in the district.
In order to achieve this goal, the Council has been working with local musicians and music providers at a series of in-person Alive With Music sessions. Feedback gathered from these successful events in May and October has informed a plan, funded by existing budget within the Heritage and Culture Business Unit, which will begin with the recruitment of a temporary freelance Music Network Co-Ordinator over a 6-month period.
This co-ordinator will help to create a Newark and Sherwood Music Forum, bringing interested parties together to co-create opportunities for collaboration.
Future plans which have been formulated with feedback from the Alive With Music sessions include exploring opportunities to develop Newark Festival across the year with mini-Hustles supporting local bands; supporting and fostering more choirs and music groups across the district; delivering accessible pop-up music events; and supporting young musicians and music education in schools.
Councillor Rowan Cozens, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and the Arts, has been at the forefront of the plans, and said: “Music is so vital to our communities and can have real social, economic and educational benefits. There are many amazing music providers and smaller events happening across our district; what we need is to bring them together to support and develop what they already do as well as feeding into new and exciting projects so that more of our residents can experience their benefits.
“Recently, we have brought two classical music concerts by award-winning musicians to the Palace Theatre as well as supporting the operational cost of bringing the West End production of Blood Brothers to the town which proved hugely popular with sold out shows and fantastic feedback. This just emphasises that there is an appetite for quality music events in the district and our new Music Network Co-Ordinator will work to nurture this.”