Music Mark welcomes two new Trustees and discusses national instrument stocks at 2022 AGM and Big Meet for Members

On 13 October 2022, members of the UK Association for Music Education – Music Mark convened in person and online for the organisation’s AGM. Music Mark’s current Chair of the Board of Trustees, James Dickinson, guided the membership through the annual report and accounts for 2021/22 and welcomed two new Elected Trustees to the Board.

Music Mark is governed by its membership which is made up of over 450 organisations and individuals who each have a vote at the AGM.  A good number of these members joined the meeting, which was held as a hybrid meeting, with the majority attending virtually.

The annual report and accounts for the previous year reported another successful year of activity and financial management and included details of the ongoing support from Arts Council England which the Charity receives to support the organisational and workforce development of the Music Education Hub Partnerships.

Following a call for nominations from the membership, a voting process was run in the summer to identify two new Elected Trustees who would join the Board from the AGM.  James thanked all seven candidates who put themselves forward and reported that although it was close run election, Clair McColl and Gemma Price have been confirmed as the board’s two new trustees.  The CEO, Bridget Whyte, welcomed these appointments, looking forward to working with the refreshed Board into the future.

Following the AGM, a Big Meet took place to discuss instrument stocks.  Jack Nissan from Tinderbox in Glasgow presented details of a pilot scheme in Scotland which is placing instrument stocks in libraries for the community to borrow as they would a book.  This was followed by a presentation from Creative United and Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts about a scheme to assess pupils prior to delivery of whole class ensemble projects to ensure all pupils’ needs had been considered and adaptations to instruments were made to ensure all could participate.

Closing the meeting, Bridget Whyte gave a short update on the Capital Fund which has been identified in England for the purchase of instruments and technology.

A recording of the Big Meet can be found here.