Music education advocates - my latest Music Education Works enews is out, summarising the latest research evidence of the impact of music education + a digest of podcasts. See the enews here: mailchi.mp/65d6a30fffe3... Visit the Music Education Works website here: www.musiceducationworks.org.uk

Anita Holford is an adoptive parent and has shared a bit about her and her daughter's experience of #lifestorywork and life story books. And thank you, Anita, for the mention of our Creative Life Story Work podcast as well! writing-services.co.uk/why-lifestor... @anitaholford.bsky.social

In the latest episode I’m talking with the authors of a new book called Resonant Minds – the transformative power of music, which explores how we can use the powerful response that our brain has to music, with intention – to feel more, focus better, connect deeper and lead more resonant lives.

Latest research: A systematic review of music learning and wellbeing studies. 423 sources analysed - all except one, reported that learning music benefited student wellbeing. musiceducationworks.wordpress.com/2025/05/16/m...

Latest research: Learning to play a musical instrument at age 10-14 is likely to improve cognition musiceducationworks.wordpress.com/2025/08/13/l...

I am really excited to share my 50th podcast episode – which sees the return of my 1st guest, music education advocacy superstar Dr Anita Collins. Anita describes herself as an educator, researcher, writer in brain development & music learning but she's so much more than that. Hope you enjoy it!

In music and arts education, we often talk about giving young people a voice. But to really support care-experienced young people, we need to be aware of the sometimes fragmented and complex stories they carry with them - and the impact this may have on the way they show up in creative spaces.

Thank you so much, it was a pleasure working with your brilliant team, making such a difference to lives and learning 🙏

My latest Music for Education & Wellbeing podcast episode - with Pete Dale, Pam Burnard & Raphael Travis from the CUMIN network. We talk hip-hop, youth work, impact, & inclusive music education. Listen now on your fave app or DM me for the direct link to the audio on my website along with links.

What if funding processes were genuinely neurodivergent-friendly? That’s the ambition behind the work Rachel Pedley (Avant Cymru, Y/The Lab Wrexham) & I did for @taithwales.bsky.social, the funder of international learning exchanges. Link in comments 👇 Contact us if you’d like to do similar.

As IP radio overtakes AM/FM, are we ready for a world where audio isn’t bound by spectrum? What does this shift mean for public interest media, sustainability, and local voices? We explore the new era of radio—and why policy needs to catch up. #CommunityMedia #IPRadio

What could youth voice in #musiceducation look like if shaped by activism, systems thinking + relationships? I explored this with Mac Makes Music – it led to a report + conference talk: Beyond Youth Voice. Links in comments. 👋 DM me if you need help shaping + sharing your org’s story.

In the latest episode of the Music for Education & Wellbeing podcast, I talk with Jenny Young, Director and founder of Blue Cabin, a charity based in the NE of England that strengthens relationships between care-experienced individuals and the people in their lives through creative activities.

Fascinating & useful article 'What if we think of the arts as knowledge rich' by @patthomson.bsky.social on Cultural Learning Alliance website. Useful for anyone working in #artseducation. How do we translate into practical framing/messaging? www.culturallearningalliance.org.uk/think-of-art...

Thanks to everybody who listened to my last mini podcast, 'Do the arts culture and music have a framing problem?' Here's my latest, talking about how we might make a systemic shift to our arts CPD system to make sure the arts, music and culture are properly valued in public policy.

[PODCAST 46] Do the arts, culture and music have a framing problem? In this short (17 minute) episode of my 'Music for Education & Wellbeing' podcast I’m talking with … myself! I thought I’d do something different to mark the launch of my new website. Listen using your favourite podcast app.

Really useful summary and guidance for arts and cultural organisation about BlueSky from @artscouncilengland.bsky.social 's Digital Culture Network (who ironically, aren't on BlueSky!) digitalculturenetwork.org.uk/knowledge/wh...

Being exposed to inspiring people, ideas and practices outside of the usual areas I work in. #startsomethinggood

🚨🌱 The Chancellor is reviewing all public spending from scratch. Please join me in signing the @campaignforthearts.org petition to remind the UK Govt: the arts make our lives happier & our communities stronger. Now is the moment to invest in them. www.campaignforthearts.org/petitions/sp...

Funders: please do better, not just for neurodivergent people but for everyone! ♻️ I hope this will be shared, & noticed by funders. Each week I hear & feel, the pain of people who are a) at best, put off b) at worst, completely excluded, from your funding processes We all have to do better.

I'm now in the Freelancer Magazine directory: freelancermagazine.co.uk/account/dire... You can also find me at www.writing-services.co.uk. New website coming soon!

Thanks to everyone who's responded to our survey so far! It's great to hear your views. We'd love to hear from more people so we're extending the deadline to Sunday 16 March midnight. Please help us by filling in this quick survey (just four questions): forms.gle/BfiG4qj2uLVJ...

Something for the weekend? A little reminder of my latest podcast, an interesting listen if you're in music for social change, education, community and youth music.

A useful tool from the CRA Creators Rights Alliance - for freelancers, and those who employ them, to understand fees/ day rates: www.creatorsrightsalliance.org/freelance-da... Picture from 1Click on Unsplash

How did a youth music charity go from moments of almost giving up, to being core funded by Arts Council England, and respected by commissioners/funders in public health and youth justice? Listen in on my chat about resilience with Adam Joolia, CEO, AudioActive writing-services.co.uk/podcast-45-e...

Thanks to everyone who's responded to our survey so far! It's great to hear your views. We'd love to hear from more people so we're extending the deadline to Sunday 16 March midnight. Please help us by filling in this quick survey (just four questions): forms.gle/BfiG4qj2uLVJ...

My voice is shaping the future of UK live music, yours could too! Please share your thoughts on the UK music industry by taking the #MusicFansVoice survey 👉 musicfansvoice.uk

Food for thought and action from the brilliant Adeela Warley, for all communications professionals and leaders in not-for-profit sectors. www.thirdsector.co.uk/adeela-warle...

The Music Education Works website has been running for 10 years now. So we're looking for your views by Fri 28 Feb. How often do use it? How much would you miss it if it wasn't here? What should do next? Thank you for any feedback& insights 🙏 musiceducationworks.wordpress.com/2025/02/10/m...

The Music Education Works website has been running for 10 years now. So we're looking for your views and feedback. How often do use it? How much would you miss it if it wasn't here? What should do next ...? Thank you for any feedback& insights 🙏 musiceducationworks.wordpress.com/2025/02/10/m...

Latest research: Researchers at Zhengzhou Normal University, China find music education mitigates the detrimental effects of academic life on psychological well-being musiceducationworks.wordpress.com/2025/02/10/i...

Researchers from the Department of Music at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland studied the claim that music education can create social benefits in the school environment, and found a positive correlation. musiceducationworks.wordpress.com/2025/01/27/e...

A new 'sector snapshot' report on the state of the performing arts in Wales says that one of the “most persistent sources of frustration” is “feeling unable to rigorously communicate the social value & impact”. Does 'the arts and culture' have a framing problem? www.linkedin.com/posts/anitah...

New piece of research from the University of Sussex, on the correlation between academic achievement and uptake of music; and a new study from NorthwesternUniversity looking into singing and wellbeing for young people musiceducationworks.wordpress.com

Have you listened to the Music for Education & Wellbeing podcast lately? It's full of inspiration & advice from & for anyone working in music education, community music, music therapy, youth music ... There's a handy index on the podcast page on my website - see comments.

Fascinating music ed chat with @allydaubney.bsky.social & John Bergin, Newham Music, exploring 5 yrs of research into participation, prof dev, progression & sustainability & a model for a ‘rich music education ecology’. Listen on your podcast app or my website writingservices.co.uk/podcasts

Fascinating music ed chat with Dr Ally Daubney & John Bergin of Newham Music, exploring 5 yrs of research into participation, prof dev, progression & sustainability & a model for a ‘rich music education ecology’. Listen on your usual podcast app or my website writingservices.co.uk/podcasts

Fascinating music ed chat with @allydaubney.bsky.social & John Bergin of Newham Music, exploring 5 yrs of research into participation, prof dev, progression & sustainability in music ed, & their model for a ‘rich music education ecology’. Of interest for music services, hubs, music partnerships.

Thank you to Neil Baker for sharing this poem in the latest Dark Angels writers enews. As he says, "This has been a difficult year for so many people, in so many ways. There is so much about the state of the world just now that just doesn’t make sense." I hope this poem chimes with you too.

Interested in neurodivergence or neurodivergent yourself? You’ll find a rich seam of insights & experiences in these poems written by 15 writers, including myself: 26project.org.uk/neurodiversi... You can also now hear our radio interview here. open.spotify.com/episode/6D4X...

Excellent analysis of the drawbacks of the current/previous monitoring framework, looking forward to seeing what the new evaluation/outcomes framework brings for understanding the impact of music education hubs www.musicteachermagazine.co.uk/content/opin...

Find out about new funding & future learning re: music, social justice & research co-created with participants and higher ed. Expressions of interests 15 Jan, applications 2 May. Listen on your fav podcast app (search 'Music for Education & Wellbeing') or on my website and do follow the show!

Arrived in a windy and wet Manchester for the #MusicIndMusicEd MIME conference. Looking forward to it!

Young people & music are changing. Is it time we reframed ‘youth voice’? In our Beyond Youth Voice in music education report we share reflections on: 💡Systems leadership 🤝Prioritising relationships 💪Youth powered advocacy ⚡️Connecting, diversifying, and more macbirmingham.co.uk/about/mac-ma...