Instrument Amnesty Scheme
Providing young people with free musical instruments.
Brain development
Playing an instrument stimulates the brain, improving memory, abstract reasoning, and cognitive function.
Our Instrument Amnesty scheme rescues unwanted and unused instruments and finds them a new home with young people who are in need of an instrument.
The competition is aimed at composers aged under 30 from London and the South East who fulfil at least one of the following self-identifying criteria:
- Come from a global majority background
- Have been eligible for free school meals or from a working class background
- Identify as neurodivergent/ASD/ADHD
- Have a physical disability or long-term limiting illness
- Have a learning disability such as (but not limited to) dyslexia or dyspraxia
16
The number of free instruments we’ve given to children
16
The number of children who have benefited from the scheme
Why our scheme exists
The experience of playing a musical instrument is positively associated with lifetime change in general cognitive ability.
We want to ensure as many children as possible are able to reap the benefits of learning and playing.
The scheme in action
Sidney’s Story
Sidney first played a violin when he was 7 years old. His local Music Hub, Croydon Music & Arts, visited his school and provided music lessons over a few weeks. After that, he did not have access to the instrument again until he had started secondary school, where his love for the instrument continued to grow.
As Sidney progressed, he reached the point of taking his Grade 8 in April 2022 but needed a better violin to continue progressing. Sidney’s family were not able to afford the one they wanted to buy, so we loaned the violin that Sidney still uses today. The new violin boosted Sidney’s confidence, allowing him to achieve a Distinction in his Grade 8.
In April 2023, Sidney used that violin to perform in a a concert with us at Fairfield Halls.
Susie’s Story
Susie was loaned a violin via our Instrument Amnesty Scheme in 2018. Recently, Susie has been offered a place at Manchester University to pursue a degree in music. She has joined several orchestras at Manchester and is even teaching children to play the violin.
Susie’s Mum, Claire, was thrilled at the value of gathering unused instruments to share and inspire children to pursue music in their further education.