WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
It is seldom out of the news that central government and local authority arts funding is being dramatically reduced. Musicians' Union research highlights that arts provision in England, Wales and Scotland lost around a third of its value between 2010 and 2018, while councils in Northern Ireland reduced arts spending by 16%.
2024 has seen a succession of councils announce further swingeing cuts as they attempt to avoid bankruptcy, and arts budgeting has been one of the first areas to be targeted for cutbacks, with access to culture being downgraded in many schools.
That not only blocks pathways for those who could become our artists of the future, but for those who could become engaged, enriched audiences, too.
In short: inequality of access to the arts – and therefore social and educational inequality – is being cemented into the structure of Britain.
Disturbingly, a knock-on effect has hit the support work arts play in adult care, special educational needs and disability centres, schools, charities or specialist hospitals, where the need for assistance increases whilst funding decreases. All the indicators point to sectors within our community that desperately need help and support.
'Singing is like medicine.
It makes me feel so much better '
Care Home Resident
SENIOR GENERATION
Music is arguably the most powerful art form for engaging with people living with dementia, and can reach even the most withdrawn resident, provoking positive responses and bringing great pleasure. Musical activities in care homes can include musical concerts, playing instruments, sing-along groups, clapping games and choirs.
Benefits of these activities include:
-
Singing/playing music can improve the quality of life for residents, including those with dementia at various stages, and a range of other health issues.
-
In turn, this can help their carers and family feel more positive.
-
Care staff who sing have been shown to be more motivated and enjoy their work more, and homes that sing/play music regularly appear in surveys as happier places as a result.
-
There is even evidence that care homes and other settings saved costs elsewhere because of introducing such activities.
Following evaluation of music projects in Rochdale and Tameside care homes, a consistent picture of better communication, happier and more cooperative patients appeared, and even suggestions that music participation may lead to a reduction in the amount of NHS treatments and anti-psychotic medication required.
It has even been suggested that the right kind of music projects might help cut the cost of dementia care.
Angela Wild, programme officer for Tameside Public Health, and dementia champion, is clear:
'This work is leaving a lasting impression. Everyone should be doing it'
SCHOOLS AND SEND CENTRES
In 2021, 1500 head teachers in England responded to a survey by the National Association of Head Teachers. Nearly all the school leaders polled (97%) said that funding for SEND pupils was insufficient, and 95% said funding was also insufficient for those on education, health and care plans with greater needs.
Four-fifths said they had been forced to buy in extra services, including speech and language therapy, educational psychologists and mental health support, which prior to austerity would have been provided by local councils, often more cost-effectively. There is no evidence this situation is likely to improve.
Research indicates that music strengthens areas of the brain that, in children with ADHD for example, are weak.
Music strengthens the auditory, visual/spatial, and motor cortices of the brain. These areas are tied to speech and language skills, reading, reading comprehension, maths, problem-solving, brain organization, focus, and attention challenges.
Certain classical music builds a bigger, better brain; a study conducted by Donald Shetler, Ed.D., of the Eastman School of Music (Rochester, USA), found that kids who listened to classical music for 20 minutes a day had improved speech and language skills, a stronger memory, and greater organization of the brain.
In general, music:
-
improves children’s understanding of specific subjects, such as science, the alphabet, numbers, literature, maths, and history.​
​
-
improves attention and focus.​​
-
reinforces memory.
-
acts as a study aid.
​​
-
helps keep track of time.
​​
-
boosts energy.
-
promotes calm.
-
improves self-esteem.
​
-
reinforces desired behaviours.​
-
teaches empathy.
MOVEMENT AND DANCE
A research study by The Beth Johnson Foundation into the effects of dance and drama sessions in care homes concluded that the activities 'improve markedly (residents') level of self-esteem and self-worth'
Dance and drama activities in care homes include:
​
-
Seated dance sessions
-
Dance performances
-
Pantomimes
-
Ballroom dancing
-
Trips to the theatre and the ballet
Many young people with learning disabilities find it hard to comprehend what they are doing now and what they are doing next. A considered movement programme can support them to develop understanding of sequencing through choreography.
SEND children tend to have a higher risk of being obese. Dance provides an aerobic activity for them supporting weight control and cardiovascular health, can regain or increase muscle strength and balance while mastering milestones such as bending the knees while walking and hand–eye coordination.
Movement and dance also provide a unique way for SEND children who have difficulty with their communication to express themselves more freely, in a way that is universally understood. According to research from the Institute for Voluntary Action Research, 88 per cent of disabled young people participating in dance classes feel better able to express themselves while 75 per cent feel more physically fit.
The freedom that movement gives people releases endorphins in the brain that can promote a state of euphoria that lasts long after the music stops: students can effectively leave their cares behind on the dance floor and forget the things that might hold them back.
We welcome all enquiries, so please contact us here for a personal response.