Generation of talent at risk, says music leader
A music education leader is warning that a generation of new talent is at risk from a reduction of tuition due to the coronavirus crisis.
Brian Cape, chief executive at Sandwell-based SIPS Education, said: “We’ve found during lockdown, through surveys and speaking to our children, that music has offered a lifeline to many, helping to get them through the tough times of the pandemic, offering a release and enabling them to express themselves and focus on something that they love in the long lockdown months, which, let’s face it, have been incredibly tough on our young people.”
Mr Cape said that with rehearsals and performances unable to go ahead due to current government guidance, it was a sector that had been hit hard, financially and with the loss of talent, as furloughed and redundant theatre and music artists seek alternative income.
“This is devastating; it’s such a life-enriching sector, to both performers and audiences, providing incredible mental health benefits all round. Not to mention a massive source of income.
"Many young people who were interested in the arts previously may not have been fortunate enough to be able to access tuition, either due to availability or financial constraints, which has been the case in deprived boroughs such as Sandwell, where we are based.
"In the current climate, affordability is a huge factor, but it shouldn’t just be a preserve of the affluent.
“Similarly, those students that were heading for a career in the arts may well be rethinking their future prospects with the sector in hardship; will it ever fully recover in our lifetimes?
"They may start to look for a ‘safer’ option, thus losing an entire generation of talent and potential – and that’s a huge loss to everyone.
“We’re in a position where we stand to potentially lose the current generation of talent.”
