Issue details

The sector is behind the Year of Music concept and are already beginning to plan for activity, from booking ST Johns Stadium, to the Grand Northern Ukulele festival securing funding from Arts Council to support their ambitions, to Townsounds being used as a pilot for a bigger ambition to the National Lottery Heritage Foundation.

Engagement with the sector via:

·         Music Classical Group

·         Music Festivals Group

·         Music Venues Group

·         Reprezent – a group looking at music inclusivity

·         Music Education Hub – already in existence but has adopted the lead for Year of Music for Children and Young People

There have been a number of public engagement sessions:

·         Music Mapping & Consultation– Fiona Harvey

·         Music Ecosystem Survey (infrastructure focussed) – Sound Diplomacy

Both available here: https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/arts-help-and-advice/pdf/music-policy-with-reports.pdf

·         Year of Music, Huddersfield Town Hall (June 2019) and Dewsbury Town Hall (July 2019) See appendix 3 for report.

·         Growing Places – phase 1

A creative engagement project within Queensgate Building, to encourage open conversations.

·         Growing Places – phase 2

This engagement has focussed on the concept of the Sound Space, however, the engagement has brought up valuable insights into the wider music ecology and Year of Music ecosystem thinking. This work is currently ongoing and will come to a close in March 2020.

·         Huddersfield Place Standard – comments in the Play& Recreation section highlighted the need for ‘a large music venue’, and in the Social interaction section ‘Music venue would be great’ Plans are to create a new Sound Space for Huddersfield, however, without the ecosystem around it being strong and resilient the building itself will struggle.