Orchestras for All partners with global advisory firm Hakluyt in a bid to boost inclusive music education

Transforming the lives of young musicians across the UK…

Orchestras for All (OFA) is delighted to announce an exciting new partnership with leading global strategic advisory firm, Hakluyt.

The partnership comes in a bid to amplify the charity’s impact and support young people aged 11-19 in the UK, who would not otherwise experience the benefits of group music-making due to the daily barriers they face – whether that’s as a result of physical disability, a mental health condition or learning difference, economic deprivation, rural isolation, or living in care or as a young carer.

This marks a pivotal moment for OFA, with Hakluyt’s generous support and expertise significantly enhancing our ability to fulfil our charitable mission and increase access to musical opportunities for young musicians, regardless of their background or personal circumstances, through our three inclusive programmes.

OFA’s Executive Director, Nick Thorne, said: “The Hakluyt team have been offering in-kind support since 2022 and for this, we are incredibly grateful. In 2024, Hakluyt has also committed to donating to OFA, making this relationship one of our most significant corporate partnerships to date, offering both financial support and advisory services.

“This critical funding will not only help OFA continue providing its life-changing musical programmes but also enable its participation in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2024. Through this campaign, OFA aims to raise vital funds to ensure more young people can access inclusive and transformative music-making opportunities.”

Read more: ‘Investing in youth leadership is crucial for shaping the future of the arts,’ says National Orchestra for All alum, Elen >

Pictured: National Orchestra for All musicians perform live in concert at CBSO Centre in Birmingham.

A partnership with purpose

In addition to its financial contribution, Hakluyt’s global network of corporate clients and decision-makers will open new avenues for OFA to connect with like-minded individuals and organisations that align with our charity's mission and values. By leveraging these connections, OFA will be better positioned to grow its impact, sustain its operations and break down significant barriers to music education.

Kayo Yoshida, who co-leads Hakluyt’s work with Orchestras for All, said: “Orchestras for All does invaluable work sharing the benefits of music with young people who have often been shut out of creative opportunities. I am personally delighted to be working with them and look forward to our partnership flourishing over the coming years.”

Alexandra Davison, who also co-leads Hakluyt’s work with the charity, commented: “The opportunities that Orchestras for All offers can be life-changing for young people. The myriad benefits of musical education to children’s development and educational attainment are well-known, and Orchestras for All is an organisation with a proven track record of widening access to music for those who need it most.”

With social responsibility remaining a key priority for Hakluyt, the firm is supporting several other non-profit and cultural partners around the world, in sectors from education and social mobility, to humanitarian aid and the arts – including Singapore Repertory Theatre, British Museum, Sesame Workshop and St. Jude India ChildCare Centres.

Modulo memories: A group of school students enjoy social time during their summer 2024 Modulo Meet.

Strategic guidance from global experts

As part of its collaboration with OFA, Hakluyt will provide pro bono strategic advice on topics that are key to the charity’s success. Hakluyt’s team of advisors, with experience spanning industries from government to banking, the arts to non-profits, will offer valuable insights on navigating key policy issues – particularly in the context of the new Labour government’s agendas around inclusion, opportunity, health, education and the arts.

This guidance will not only support our team in refining OFA’s strategies but also allow our charity’s voice to be heard in critical policy debates, amplifying our advocacy efforts for the young people we work with.

Creating opportunities for young musicians

One of the most exciting prospects of this partnership is the potential for OFA’s young performers to showcase their musical skill at Hakluyt’s client events.

These live performances would offer OFA’s young musicians invaluable opportunities to demonstrate the transformative power of music to new audiences, while also gaining experience and building their confidence. This would enable us to elevate our young advocates but also highlight the deep impact OFA’s vital work has on their lives.

National Orchestra for All pianist, Noah, said: “NOFA is a second home for me – a second family, a safe space. I can't recall any moment here that I haven’t enjoyed. I feel respected and heard – and it's here that I've made some of my closest friends.

“The music is catchy, and the staff are absolutely amazing. If you want to play an instrument and they don’t already have it, they’ll find tutors to help you join in. I feel so proud to be part of this organisation and I so look forward to what's next of it.”

A participant from our summer 2024 Modulo Programme added: “Modulo is amazing because you have the opportunity to play in a group, you learn brand new pieces that you never even thought you would play, and the people here are super nice – they’ll help you no matter what skill level you are.”

Looking ahead to our Big Give Christmas campaign

Finally, the announcement of our new partnership with Hakluyt comes at a crucial time as we prepare to launch our Big Give Christmas campaign on Tuesday, 3 December 2024.

Hakluyt’s support has enabled our participation in this campaign, which will strengthen our ability to fundraise and offer inclusive music-making activities to young people nationwide.

On behalf of everyone at OFA, we would like to thank Hakluyt for its continued belief in our mission and look forward to sharing further updates on this partnership over the coming weeks. Together, we can continue to transform young lives through the power of music.

If you’ve been inspired by our work and would like to discuss partnership opportunities with Orchestras for All, please contact our Head of Fundraising, Isabelle Acred, at isabelle.acred@orchestrasforall.org.

Please donate what you can to our life-changing programmes:

Orchestras for All seeks new headquarters – join the search!

As Orchestras for All (OFA) continues to expand and develop its reach and impact across the UK, the charity finds itself in an exciting new phase of growth and development.

We are now on the lookout for new headquarters that will provide much more to us than just office space; our new location could also be a hub for forging new partnerships, nurturing existing relationships and fostering creativity within the sectors of music education, mental health and wellbeing, youth leadership and engagement.

We invite you, our incredible network of supporters and followers, to join us on our search by sharing your expert insights and recommendations for where our new headquarters could be based.

A Modulo participant expertly conducting their ensemble

What are we looking for?

Our vision is a country where all young people have access to the joy and benefits of orchestral music making, regardless of the daily challenges they might be facing.

By relocating to a vibrant location that takes OFA’s strategy into consideration, we aim to amplify our charity’s impact, celebrate being truly national and strengthen our connections within the sectors we are so deeply passionate about.

We have now embraced a hybrid model of working and are based all across the UK, so our new headquarters will not merely offer us a physical space, it will also provide us with the opportunity to collaborate and innovate.

We are envisioning an area of the country where like-minded organisations and individuals can come together to share ideas, knowledge and resources. It should be a dynamic space, where music educators, mental health and wellbeing advocates, youth leaders and artists alike can join forces to create a positive ripple effect across the UK.

Anthony and the powerful National Orchestra for All (NOFA) trumpet section

We need your help!

We believe that the best suggestions often come from the participants of our programmes and the supporters who believe in our cause. Whether you’re a young person, teacher or tutor working with OFA, or someone who values the impact of music on young lives, your input is truly invaluable to us.

• Can you suggest a city or town that is well-known for its vibrant arts scene and/or commitment to young people?

• Is there a region in which the passion for music and wellbeing of young people seamlessly unite?

• Perhaps you have a personal connection to a place or organisation that you feel we should be teaming up with, to ensure our vision and mission become a reality?

We hope this callout will result in an exciting list of locations and partners that we can explore for our relocation, or give us food for thought about how we might engage with other brilliant organisations.

Orchestras for All Artistic director and conductor, Emma, leading the way with her violin

How to get involved

There are three key ways you can contribute:

1. Share your suggestions: Please complete the short questionnaire below, offering recommendations for where our new headquarters should be and explain why you think a particular place would be an ideal fit;

2. Spread the word: Encourage your friends, family and colleagues to participate. The more diverse and wide-ranging the suggestions, the better!

3. Engage in the conversation: Follow our social media updates and join the ongoing conversation about our potential new headquarters’ location. Your insights and perspectives are incredibly valuable.

Your recommendations will not only help to shape our future; they will also enable us to have a positive and lasting impact on the lives of young people nationwide.

We will research each and every recommendation, assessing their potential within the topics of strategic and partnership opportunity, accessibility, financial and environmental opportunity and impact, culture and values as well as participant and audience development.

Thank you for being part of our mission – stay tuned for updates and we can't wait to see where this collaborative effort takes us! Together, we can continue to smash down the barriers to music making that so many young people face every day.

Questionnaire deadline: 12pm on Thursday 28th of September

Vulnerable young musicians supported nationwide as Orchestras for All secures new Arts Council England funding

The funds will help Orchestras for All break down significant barriers to music-making for thousands of aspiring young musicians in the UK.

Orchestras for All (OFA) is delighted to announce that it has secured vital new funding from Arts Council England (ACE) to assist the charity in continuing its life-changing work.

Also known as the National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) Transfer Programme, the generous funding supports arts organisations to ‘deliver creative and cultural activity which delivers against the Outcomes in Let’s Create, Arts Council England’s Strategy (2020-30)’.

The news comes as ACE shares its plans to invest £446 million per annum in 990 organisations (including 276 new organisations of all shapes and sizes) over the next three years, following 1,700 applications to the programme – enabling even more people to enjoy the comfort, distraction and everyday wonders afforded to local communities through creativity and culture during tough economic times and wherever they are.

As part of the programme, successful organisations must be open to moving their registered office out of London to another UK-based location by October 2024 – this will present exciting new opportunities for OFA, which has fully embraced a remote/hybrid working pattern following the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the music education sector.

Benefits of the transfer might include strengthening the charity’s national team, effective new ways of staying connected, in-person meetings in different cities, exploring deeper partnerships with music venues and regions as well as allowing team members to collaborate in a way that works best for them, taking into account accessibility, flexibility and wellbeing.

National Orchestra for All Ambassador and young carer, Isaac, said: “This is fantastic news. I’m so glad that OFA’s got the funding to improve the lives of young people – just like they did for me. Their commitment for making a space where young people can thrive both musically and socially is unique.”

Read more: Musical Chairs 2022: experience the magic of performing with a live symphony orchestra at this epic one-day fundraiser >

Pictured: Young musicians from schools across the UK gather for OFA’s Modulo Programme at the RNCM

Youth Board member, Mars, added: “A big thank you to Arts Council England; NOFA has been something I’ve looked forward to year after year and thanks to this grant, I know NOFA will be able to inspire and empower a new generation of musicians.”

Over the past decade, OFA has strived to become fully national, broadening and diversifying its core team while also recruiting young musicians, maintained schools, music leaders and volunteers from across the country for its three powerful programmes.

Its inclusive, non-auditioned National Orchestra for All (NOFA) brings together 100 young musicians from across the UK who would otherwise be unable to access musical opportunities – whether that’s due to a physical disability, mental health condition, economic deprivation or rural isolation – while the charity’s Modulo and Music Leadership Training programmes equip under-resourced music leaders with the vital tools and support they need to run their own inclusive ensembles in schools and local communities.

Discover OFA’s programmes >

Former National Orchestra for All trumpeter, Kate, said: “It’s brilliant to hear that we’ve been chosen for ACE’s funding. It makes a massive difference to how we can deliver and create our programmes to those who need it most. It’s also amazing to see our wee organisation get recognised for the tireless work that we do – our young people are craicer!”

NOFA Ambassador and woodwind player, Joe, commented: “OFA will do so much with that amazing money. The Arts Council proves yet again that there will always be room for the creative industry and I’m so glad that we can go forward as part of that movement.”

OFA’s Executive Director, Nick Thorne, added: “This is a milestone moment for Orchestras for All; thank you to Arts Council England for believing in our vision to break down barriers to give all young people the life-changing experience of making music together. Thank you to every single person that has supported us on our journey so far, but special mention from me to the young people we work with who inspire me each day through their passion, energy and barrier-smashing enthusiasm towards our work.

“While we take this moment to celebrate, the journey doesn’t end here – our mission just becomes more important and support from current and new donors becomes ever more vital. Please join us as we continue to champion inclusive music-making nationwide.”

On behalf of everyone at Orchestras for All, we would like to thank Arts Council England for this incredible opportunity and our thoughts are with other organisations across the arts sector who will be receiving news today.

Please make a difference to a young musician’s life and donate today >