Galway Music Education Partnership, which recently launched its website as part of its bid to Music Generation for funding, is calling on parents, music teachers and professional musicians to get in touch and have their say on the future of music education.
Music Generation is Ireland’s National Music Education Programme funded by U2 to the tune of €5 million and a further €2 million raised by The Ireland Funds. Galway Music Education Partnership is aiming to make a competitive bid by the November 3 deadline for funding to provide children and young people up to the age of 18 with music tuition in their own locality. It is hoped the website, www.galwaymep.com, will act as a central community resource gathering opinions and updating parents and teachers on the progress of GMEP’s application.
GMEP would like to hear from parents who are seeking music tuition (vocal or instrumental lessons ) for their children. Parents are asked to log on to www.galwaymep.com and complete a short questionnaire designed to find out the gaps in music education provision in different parts of the county and to identify demand for new programmes of music tuition. Information from parents will be used to map current areas of need and contribute to the draft countywide music development plan for submission to Music Generation in advance of the November deadline for applications. Primary and post primary schools are also being surveyed and Galway Music Education Partnership invites those schools who have not already responded to the surveys to log on to the website and complete the online surveys by Friday September 23.
Teachers who are interested in becoming involved with the GMEP are invited to attend a special information morning for instrumental/ vocal teachers which will be held in Galway Education Centre (beside the GMIT campus at Cluain Mhuire in Wellpark ) on Monday September 26 at 12pm. At this meeting, music teachers and musicians will be updated on the proposed draft music development plan and will receive information on potential teaching opportunities that may arise if the application to Music Generation is successful. A database is currently being compiled of all music teachers who have capacity in delivering additional programmes and music teachers can register on www.galwaymep.com Speaking at the launch of the website, Seosamh Mac Donncha, Chief Executive Officer of County Galway VEC and chairman of Galway Music Education Partnership said: “As lead partner County Galway Vocational Education Committee, together with City of Galway VEC, is proud to co-ordinate this strategic partnership approach to music education provision in the city and county. We look forward to completing a successful application which will deliver a high quality, consistent, and sustainable music education service for young people in Galway that is inclusive, accessible and realistically achievable within a three-year timeframe. This is an exciting and inspiring initiative and, if successful, could be a unique creative opportunity for young people in Galway in music making.”
Galway Music Education Partnership is led by County Galway VEC and City of Galway VEC together with Galway County Council, Galway City Council, the local action groups in Galway, Údarás na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, the main music schools in Galway and representatives from primary and post primary schools. Funding has been provided under the Rural Development Programme by Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta, Galway Rural Development and FORUM Connemara Ltd to conduct research in the county. The City of Galway VEC is providing funding to conduct research in the city.
For more information log onto www.galwaymep.com
