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Band on the Wall

Legendary jazz and world music venue Band on the Wall, which closed for refurbishment back in 2004, reopened in September 2009 receiving £2.5 million in funding from Arts Council England.

Music policy

Our policy summarises the context for music and the Arts Council’s role. It sets out our vision for music and the priorities we have set to help us deliver it. Our ambition is to make it possible for audiences in England, wherever they live, to experience and be enriched by the best music from England and from around the world.

Music is a vibrant artform in England: more people than ever – young people, adults, professionals, amateurs – are playing, singing, creating their own music, downloading, DJing, buying, studying and listening to music.

The consolidation of the recording industry has been accompanied by an equally rapid growth in new technology – from iPods, DVDs and new digital channels to big-screen relays and internet broadcasting – and music has never before been so universally available.

Our funding supports the development of a diverse range of artists and organisations which produce and present the most inspiring musical experiences for audiences and participants across the country. 

The Take it away instrument purchase scheme is aimed at encouraging anyone who plays or wants to learn a musical instrument, and our large scale investment in Youth Music offers thousands of children and young people, particularly those with limited opportunities, the chance to experience and take part in music.

Related publications

Arts Council stakeholder focus research
Arts Council Stakeholder Focus Research

The Arts Council's ongoing Stakeholder Focus research has been running since 2009. The findings from …

Achieving great art for everyone consultation report

In 2009, Arts Council England embarked on a major consultation on its thinking towards a …

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Alice Neel: Painted Truths

60 major works by American painter Alice Neel are showcased in this, her first European retrospective. Championing portraiture during a period dominated by Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, Neel became an inspiration for the genre with her intimate studies of family and friends, including Andy Warhol and Meyer Schapiro.