The 2025 Music Mark Awards Winners!

At our conference dinner on Monday 17th November, we unveiled the winners of the 2025 Music Mark Awards! This year’s awards spotlighted the incredible achievements of our members who are driving forward inclusivity, sustainability, innovation and more across the music education sector. 

It was a night of celebration, connection, and recognition – and if you couldn’t join us, don’t worry! As well as discovering our winners below, you can see the full shortlist here. 

Talk into Action Inclusion Award, sponsored by Sing Up  

The Talk into Action Inclusion Award celebrates the work of members that is meaningful and innovative in widening access to music education. 

This year’s winner is… SLS 360! 

Sam Stimpson doesn’t just talk about inclusion; she equips people doing the work to lead with courage and authenticity. Her research sparked the “Talk into Action” campaign, shaping Music Mark’s pledge and resources. Through her consultancy SLS 360, Sam has supported Music Mark in delivering training, resources, and co-developing the Inclusion Pledge, run three ground-breaking cohorts of Emerge to Thrive (supporting over 50 EDI leaders in Music Education Hubs and NPOs with practical tools and peer support) and more recently, she launched the I.D.E.A.L Network which offers ongoing development, community, and strategy for inclusive leaders. Sam’s work has designed and led training for schools, Music Hubs, and NPOs that helps inclusive practice not just survive but thrive at every level.  

Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by pBone  

So much great work across the UK from organisations and individuals goes under the radar. We want to highlight this work, not only to celebrate achievements, but to share ideas and inspire others with what is happening around the country. 

And the winner is… Natalie Abel! 

Natalie has a heart for developing our students’ personal potential. She continues to work endlessly to create a diverse range of experiences for our students to become embraced within music enrichment opportunities. She leads two choirs, an orchestra (in partnership with our local Music Hub), two Rock Bands, our Starlight Band and has organised many concerts and musical events throughout this year, so that our students have a platform to showcase their talents and feel a sense of belonging. Attendance to clubs has increased this year, including an increase of Pupil Premium students and SEND students. Despite leading a Performance faculty and whole school enrichment opportunities, she continues to dedicate her time to support and encourage students to enjoy the many benefits of extracurricular musical activities, as well as nurturing our stars for the future! 

Digital Project of the Year, sponsored by SpeedAdmin  

This award aims to share and celebrate some of the most exciting projects and activity taking place around the UK, that have digital and technology as a key component of their success. 

The winner is…  Lancashire Music Service! 

The mobile music vehicle is a new initiative for LMS this academic year. The vehicle takes technology and accessible instruments directly to schools in an inclusive and accessible manner. This includes a wheelchair lift into the unique learning environment, fully equipped with sensory and bespoke digital tools for pupils to engage with. ‘Sound Yard’ sessions have been created to allow pupils to compose and record music with technology on board the vehicle. A large screen TV and built-in sound system enable groups to easily access software as well as hardware. High-quality industry-standard equipment such as Ableton Move and Push 2 instruments, iPad apps, accessible instruments and technology from our award-winning library, all support a brilliant musical opportunity for young people in Lancashire. 

Youth Initiative of the Year, sponsored by ABRSM 

Celebrating youth-led projects, this award seeks to highlight the work of children and young people in making great music initiatives happen. There are no parameters on what projects should be, other than they be led by youth voices. 

And this year’s winner is… Lewisham Music! 

Radio Lewisham is a diverse youth-led radio station giving a platform for all young people in the borough to explore and share music in an impactful, creative way. It is run as a partnership between Lewisham Music and the Young Mayors team. 

Created by former Lewisham Young Mayor Jentai Gen-One as part of his manifesto, Radio Lewisham has youth voice at its core. The station champions young people’s voices by broadcasting music and shows 24/7 all curated, produced, and presented by Lewisham’s young people. Off-air, 3 young people who make up our Station Manager team oversee everything else, from technical management to spending.   

Since February 2025, Radio Lewisham has provided 65 hours of free radio and DJ training to young people in the area, regularly engaged with 12 community partners, and supported 68 participants. Overseeing this outreach programme are top radio/music industry professionals who provide valuable expertise and training. 

This Is Not A Rehearsal Sustainability Award 

This award celebrates members tackling the climate crisis through music education, highlighting artistic responses, creative leadership, and innovative practices that inspire change and reflect environmental consciousness across the sector. 

The winner is… Stacey Anderson from St Philomena’s CP School! 

Our school tackles the climate crisis through music by combining creative performance with environmentally conscious practice. All pupils access free music tuition in recorder or ukulele, using durable, shared instruments to reduce waste and promote inclusive arts. We have a school orchestra using pre-loved instruments, teaching children the value of reuse and care. Each class performs a musical assembly every half term, often themed around eco-issues such as ocean pollution, climate action, or protecting nature. We embed music across the curriculum to deepen learning on sustainability topics. In our “Recycled Rhythms” workshop, pupils created and performed using junk percussion, turning waste into art. Our performers travel by public transport to venues including Fairfield Halls and Young Voices, reducing our carbon footprint. We also sang at a local retirement village, using music to build climate-aware connections across generations. Our work shows how music can inspire reflection, responsibility, and real change. 

Congratulations to everyone who was nominated for a Music Mark Award, those who made it onto the shortlist, and of course our winners, for all of your hard work and innovation within the music education sector! And don’t forget to start thinking about who you’d like to nominate for the 2026 awards.