Amplify your voice for music education in NSW
Did you know that the NSW Parliament is holding an inquiry into music education in NSW?
The Music Education: Right from the Start project team and many of our collaborators from across education, research, advocacy and music industry sectors are already hard at work on our submissions to the Joint Select Committee on Arts and Music Education and Training in NSW.
We are calling on all advocates of music education – parents, teachers, students, musicians, arts and music lovers, industry workers, and all who value creativity in our community – to consider making one, too.
What the Inquiry is looking for:
In a recent submission-writing session hosted by Nexus Arts at Western Sydney University, Committee Members Julia Finn MP and Emily Suvaal MP offered some advice on what they may be interested to hear, and structuring submissions:
Students’ and parents’ voices!
Personal anecdotes and stories on how important music education is, including from students, teachers and principals, highlighting the power of music education in the community, and how it makes a difference
First-hand experience from current and long-time teachers who can speak to what it was like in the past to deliver music and arts education vs. now
Testimonials, while concrete evidence is also valuable
Any recommendations, including lessons from interstate
Submissions can take any form, including reports, first-hand accounts, personal stories. Ideally aim for between 1-4 pages
Organisations should describe their particular experiences, and organisations might include an executive summary, whereas individuals would describe personal experience and context
Submissions can include whether you’d like to talk further or present evidence to the Committee
You don’t have to address all the Terms of Reference – just the ones that are relevant to you and/or your position.
How to make a submission:
The Committee is open to public submissions until 25 July. Submissions can be made on behalf of organisations or come from individuals. There’s also the option to complete a simple questionnaire instead of making a formal submission.
You can lodge a submission by:
Uploading it to the Committee's website
Emailing it to ArtsandMusic@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Writing to The Director, Joint Select Committee on Arts and Music Education and Training in New South Wales, Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Alternatively, you may complete this online questionnaire.
Why your submission matters:
Evidence shows music learning provides numerous academic, social, and well-being benefits. Our initiative is focused on the issue of primary school music learning because that’s where it often begins – and music learning should start as early as possible for children to receive its full advantages.
As one of our collaborators recently said, “If it doesn't start in school, it doesn't happen outside the school.”
On 4 June 2024, the NSW Parliament backed the Labor Government’s motion to establish a Joint Select Committee on Arts and Music Education and Training. With cross-party support, this represents a potential breakthrough for better, smarter, more creative, and more fulfilling education for NSW school students.
With the Committee comprising MPs with a strong interest in the arts, set to explore concerns about how music and arts are being taught in schools – and the various other barriers towards equitable access to all primary school students, including limited initial teacher education – your insights and recommendations are crucial in advocating for quality, sequential, and ongoing music education for future generations.
Your voice matters! Together, let’s help shape the future of quality arts and music education in our state!
