The Power of Music Fund
New fund offers grants for choirs and singing groups
Are you in a choir or singing group that is a lifeline for someone living with dementia and their carers?
We are delighted to announce that we have partnered with The Utley Foundation to offer 100 grants of £1,000 each to eligible choirs and singing groups.
The new fund is a response to last year’s Power of Music report, which called for investment in music programmes for health and wellbeing, among other recommendations.
It is also inspired by the ‘Our Dementia Choir’ documentary, which features the creation and development of a choir in Nottingham. Presented by Vicky McClure, whose grandmother had dementia, the programme made an appeal for more funding to be made available for other dementia choirs and singing groups.
Through the £100,000 fund, community choirs and singing groups will be able to apply for small grants to cover the travel, room hire, refreshment or administration costs that can get in the way of making music groups a viable option for those with dementia.
To help get money to people fast, the fund will work on a first come first served basis, weighted to ensure grants go to people across the country and to reflect diversity. Opening for applications on 13th February for 48 hours, the first round of grants will be awarded at the beginning of March.
More information for applicants on the registration process is available here.
The Power of Music
This fund is a precursor to a wider £5 million Power of Music fund, which will offer larger grants to projects wanting to harness the power of music to improve their community’s health and wellbeing. The fund is due to be launched by the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) in partnership with The Utley Foundation and other funders later in the year.
Sunita Pandya, interim CEO of the National Academy for Social Prescribing, said: “Our Dementia Choir is probably one of the best-known examples of what we call ‘social prescribing’ – that is, connecting people to activities, groups and services that can improve their health and wellbeing. We know that choirs and community singing groups aren’t just a way for people to pass the time, but can make a lifechanging difference to people’s mental and physical health.
“That is why we have partnered with The Utley Foundation, to award small grants to local dementia choirs who may be struggling with basic costs like room hire and travel after a challenging winter.
“Over the coming months, we plan to drive forward the recommendations of the Power of Music report, and work with partners to fund more music projects having an impact across the country.”