Activity
Music Champions
At The Spark we believe that everyone is musical and at a key time in their development, we want children to have access to high quality, musical, playful encounters.
Working in partnership with Leicestershire Music Hub and Leicester City Council Early Help team, this project supports early years practitioners and musicians to work in schools, children’s centres and nurseries to explore and play with sound and music.
Project Aims
This 2 year project champions early years music for children aged 0-5 by developing the workforce in depth (supporting 20 early years practitioners and professional musicians across the 2 years) and breadth (training, peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange). The project will culminate in an early years symposium in 2025.
This project has been made possible with funding from Youth Music, Children in Need, Leicester City Council Early Help and Leicestershire Music Hub.
Space and support for creative exploration
The project supports 5 partnerships each year (5 musicians working with 5 early years practitioners), supporting them to develop their knowledge and understanding of early childhood music making through a programme of training, mentoring and experimentation. The project allows time for each partnership to explore and play with sound and music, working with children and families each week over a period of up to 15 weeks.
Year 1: 2023 – 24
We have worked with the following settings and artists over the last year:-
- Maisy Neale and Little Peepul Nursery
- Richard Stone and New Parks Children Young People and Family Centre
- Beth Hartshorne and Beaumont Leys Children Young People and Family Centre
- Robin Grace and Mowmacre Hill Primary School
- Simon Lubkowski and Thringstone Primary School
Year 2: 2024 – 25
We are excited to be working with the following settings this year:-
- Belgrave Children Young People and Family Centre
- Eyres Monsell Children Young People and Family Centre
- Allexton Day Nursery
- St Barnabas C of E Primary School
- Millfield LEAD Academy
The project will start in December with 2 days training and induction. Watch this space to find out more as the project develops!
Previous Music Champion Projects 2020-2022
Early Years Music Champions was a two-year project (2020-2022) run by Leicestershire Early Years Music Network led by The Spark Arts for Children.
The goal was to promote the role music plays in the communication and language development of children aged 0-4 years, providing training and network opportunities for musicians and early years practitioners.
Membership of the network was available to anyone with an interest in developing their practice and championing music in Early Years, including practitioners, musicians and venues.