Ed Sheeran Calls for Music Education Funding

The singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has urged the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to allocate more funding for music education in schools, through his Ed Sheeran Foundation’s Protect & Grow Music Education campaign. In an open letter, Sheeran calls for two- hundred and fifty million pounds to support music teaching and the development of pupils’ creative ambitions, suggesting that music should be funded similarly to sports in schools. He highlights that learning an instrument and performing on stage has become a luxury, out of reach for many children. Ed Sheeran also advocates for more trained music teachers and better support for youth music groups outside the classroom.

This call follows concerns from musicians like Femi from Ezra Collective about limited music opportunities for children, particularly in schools. In response, the government pledged to expand creative career programmes and make arts education more accessible. They also plan to increase funding for music education and establish a National Centre for Music and Arts Education to support young people’s creative interests. However, advocates believe more action is needed to ensure all children have access to music education.