Working Together for a More Inclusive Musical North East

Written by Inclusion Lead, Hannah Taylor; Music Connects Sunderland

The North East Music Hub Inclusion Strategic Group, led by Music Connects Sunderland, is built on a shared belief that every child and young person deserves the chance to explore, enjoy, and progress through music in a way that feels meaningful to them. Our region’s strength lies in its diversity, and our mission is to ensure that every learner, regardless of background, needs, or circumstance, can access high‑quality and inspiring musical opportunities.

A Day of Shared Purpose: Partners Day at The Glasshouse

In February, we were proud to bring colleagues from across the region together for our Partners Day at The Glasshouse ICM. The day created a warm and collaborative space where hub leaders, partners, cultural organisations and board members gathered to explore two intertwined priorities: Inclusion and Progression.

The day offered partners an opportunity to share their organisation’s approach to inclusion through thought‑provoking and insightful presentations. Conversations centered on the value of collaborative working and the belief that, by strengthening the ways we connect and communicate, we can collectively remove more barriers for children and young people across the North East.

Connecting Strategy with Lived Experience

Throughout the day, we engaged in conversations about removing barriers, embracing diverse musical identities, and strengthening our shared IDEA commitments. These discussions aligned with partners’ reflections that meaningful inclusion requires clearer structures, stronger communication pathways, and more opportunities to learn from each other’s practice.

The theme of who is missing from our provision emerged repeatedly. Partners highlighted the importance of widening representation, including youth voice, FE providers, grassroots groups, and culturally diverse communities. There was emphasis on ensuring we design “with, not for” the young people and families we serve. The appetite for shared CPD, and spaces to exchange both successful and challenging practice resonated strongly across conversations.

Conversations around data were especially powerful. Partners explored how thoughtful, purposeful use of inclusion data, paired with lived experience stories, can illuminate gaps, evidence persistent barriers (such as transport and cost), and help us build a more coherent, region‑wide picture. This desire for a simpler, shared data approach that will directly inform our next steps.

This collective learning will feed directly into our upcoming update of the Inclusion Strategy. Grounded in the wider NEMH framework and shaped by our community, we aim to further embed youth voice, strengthen local needs analysis, and deepen collaborative practice across all hub areas.

Looking Ahead

As we move into the next academic year, our focus remains clear: to champion inclusion as a shared, evolving responsibility across the North East and to challenge ourselves and each other to work more inclusively as a region.

Partners expressed a strong desire to contribute to solutions such as poverty‑proofing approaches, improving transport awareness and supporting families with clearer information. These insights will help shape practical, collaborative actions over the year ahead.

A continued focus on workforce development will also be key. Partners told us they are eager to work together on shared CPD, inclusive pedagogy, trauma‑informed practice, SEND inclusion, and developing the next generation of inclusive practitioners. This collaborative commitment strengthens our belief that inclusion is not the responsibility of one organisation but a collective endeavor, proving that together, we are greater than the sum of our parts.

Through strengthened networks, ongoing professional learning, and region‑wide collaboration, we are committed to building musical pathways that are accessible, empowering, and reflective of every young person’s unique potential.

Together, we are shaping a North East where every child feels they can musically thrive and where their voices, experiences, and aspirations help guide the journey forward.