A SCOTTISH Government music education programme which aims to put "music at the heart of children and young people's lives and learning" has been saved after being  plunged into crisis after having all its funding put on hold.

Four days ago, Creative Scotland told stakeholders in the Youth Music Initiative, that supports 1200 jobs and benefits thousands of children, that their money had been paused and that the issuing of contracts has been deferred indefinitely.

But the culture minister Neil Gray has insisted that the YMI funding is "secure".

The Scottish Government is expecting Creative Scotland to put the record straight on the position, and to advise them of hos future funding arrangements will be taken forward.

The remaining local authority funding for the Youth Music Initiative this year is £5.06 million.

And Creative Scotland which has welcomed the apparent u-turn says it wlll now inform all involved.

The Creative Scotland announcement meant that many YMI projects across Scotland would have to be stopped forthwith and there is concern amongst those helping to deliver YMI that it is a threat to all music programmes in all local authorities.

Former First Minister Jack McConnell, who launched the YMI which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year said it was a "disgraceful decision".

He added: "This is cultural and social vandalism from the Scottish Government."

He said Fife-born trumpeter John Wallace, whose fanfare was played by young musicians at Holyrood on Monday for the late Queen and the new King, helped him set up the initiative in 2003.

Under the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative some £9m of public funds are committed each year for the provision of 277 music education projects, primarily in areas of social and economic deprivation, giving thousands of primary and secondary pupils the opportunity to try out instruments.

The Scottish Government's arts and creative industries quango has told businesses, tutors and teachers that it is the result of an emergency budget review announced by the First Minister due to the cost of living crisis.

The Herald:

The YMI has around 244,000 participants with at least 199,000 in school and 44,000 outwith school Some 32 local authorities take part in the initiative which supports almost 1200 jobs, most of which are believed to be freelancers.

But the culture minister said “While there is a brief pause in the distribution of funding while the Cost of Living Emergency Budget Review is completed, the funding for Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative is secure and will not be reduced.

“The Scottish Government recognises the important role this programme plays in nurturing the talents of children and young people across the country.

“We are working closely with Creative Scotland and expect local authorities to be informed of the up-dated situation as soon as possible to allow delivery of the programme to start, or restart with minimal disruptions.”

One contractor said: "I am totally baffled by this turn of events.  One minute we are told that funding is on hold, now it seems it is not.  I have not been told any differently, and until such time as I am, then the work remains stopped."

A Creative Scotland spokesperson said: “We welcome confirmation from Scottish Government that funding for the transformational work of the Youth Music Initiative has been secured. The Youth Music Initiative has given hundreds of thousands of children and young people across Scotland access to free music education across the past twenty years.

“This crucial programme supports provision of music education projects, primarily in areas of social and economic deprivation, that contribute to children’s wider development. We’re in the process of informing local authorities, staff and all involved with the work of this very welcome development.”

A circular seen by the Herald from Anne Langley, executive director of operations at Creative Scotland from four days ago said as a result of the Scottish Government budget review, "YMI funding is now paused."

She said: "We understand the significant impact that this will have on staff, freelancers, children and young people."

The Creative Scotland circular, had led to major concern among multiple businesses and freelancers who have said that projects will not be able to go ahead.

Ms Langley said in a circular to stakeholders it had received a statement in relation to YMI funding for this year which has resulted in the funding pause.

It states: “Due to the cost of living crisis the First Minister has announced an emergency budget review to assess all opportunities to redirect additional resources to those most in need, reduce the burdens on business and stimulate the Scottish economy.

"In her statement announcing the Programme for Government 2022/2023 the First Minister noted that this will mean hard choices. All Scottish Government portfolios have been asked to identify remaining non-contracted spend in 2022/23 and to defer issuing contracts indefinitely.

"We will continue to work with Creative Scotland to ensure that organisations directly affected are kept informed as the situation progresses."

The YMI is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, after being launched with the aim to eliminate barries for children and young people in accessing music tuition.

In May, to celebrate the 20th anniverary, Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “The Youth Music Initiative’s track record over the last 20 years is impressive not only for the free music education it offers children and young people across Scotland every week but for the way it has widened access to music making opportunities, especially in some of our more deprived areas.

“Since 2007 the Scottish Government has invested over £140 million in the Youth Music Initiative which is about much more than music tuition. It’s well known that children who take part in musical activities gain confidence and a range of transferrable skills that can boost their abilities in other subjects. Taking part in, and listening to, music is also good for the mental health and well-being of our young people.”

Fife-based music education group Beat Box Productions which has worked with YMI Fife for seven years, delivering project to over 5000 children were among those who  registered their concern at the move.

"It's a very worrying time for us, but more importantly for the future of music education in schools," they said. "We have seen in person the difference the expressive arts can make to children. "

The Herald: Norfolk County Council's music service faces cuts. Picture: MARK BULLIMORE

"As a result of calling for an emergency budget review, they have paused funding for non-contracted work across the country, meaning small businesses like ourselves have had to cease delivery of YMI projects in schools with immediate effect.

"We are working hard to make alternative arrangements with current schools to ensure their projects are able to continue.

"The Scottish Government have always claimed to be passionate about 'bridging the gap' - in our opinion, cutting funds from the arts is a direct contradiction to this. There is no other area of the curriculum that can bring people together in the same way music does.

We'd like to stress that this is a Scottish Government decision, not one by Creative Scotland, Youth Music Initiative or local councils. "

Creative Scotland says that YMI, which has received over £140m investment from the Scottish Government since 2007, has "transformed" music learning facilities for children and young people as it offers a more broadened network of support.

The programme reached 278,726 children and young people annually according to research published in 2021, which Creative Scotland says placed Scotland on the "global map as an international leader in youth arts".

There is now concern about the future of funding for free music tuition in schools.

The Scottish Government agreed a one-year deal to provide Scottish councils with an extra £7m to fund free music tuition following a manifesto commitment from the SNP in the campaign for May's election.

It came after it emerged that some council areas give pupils individual instrument tuition for free, but others had introduced fees due to budget shortages.

Some councils had introduced three-figure charges for individual music tuition in recent years due to budget shortages - and the number of pupils taking lessons dropped as a result.

Alastair Orr, a music teacher, campaigner and contributor to a Holyrood inquiry into problems of councils charging tuition fees said in the wake of the Creative Scotland ciruclar: "There is a dark cloud over the whole thing.

"This is a clear threat to one of the most successful music initiatives that has happened through the years."

Dumfries and Galloway-based freelance music tutor Susan Jarvis said: "I am so angry that this kind of decision can be made with no warning at all."

She has told Creative Scotland: "The sudden nature and timing of this decision causes YMI tutors like myself a particular financial blow – essentially an immediate loss of agreed work with no notice. 

"As regular tutors who rely on this block of work to make ends meet, we have been assured since early summer - in all good faith - that this project will go ahead but is waiting on funding release and paperwork sign off (and such delays are not unusual with Government funding). 

"So here we are, just into the start of a new academic year and days away from starting project delivery – with working time reserved for this project – only to be told that there is no funding – no work – no warning – no notice – no pay. 

"For many tutors this is a significant proportion of our income for this term, and the effect of loss of this income is immediate. I have worked with schools through YMI for seven continuous years and lived with the financial uncertainty of freelancing – because I see the huge value to schools, teachers and most importantly children.

"This follows so closely the huge financial loss to musicians and freelancers (significant, and much undervalued contributors to the growth of the Scottish economy) due to Covid, which has left us ‘most in need’ at this time. 

"But as important to me is the loss to the children of the unique positive benefits of music – to their wellbeing, educational development and mental health. Surely children are ‘most in need’ after Covid. 

"Music education might not put food on their tables, but its positive impacts will last for a lifetime."

The Scottish Government said that it understood that Creative Scotland had to inform partners - particularly freelancers - that there was a pause on Youth Music Initiative payments whilst the Cost of Living Budget Review was completed