Charles Clarke, education minister, announced the funding at a launch last week in partnership with campaigning charity Youth Music and Arts Council England, the national body for the arts in England.
Through its Music and Dance Scheme, the department will make 400,000 a year available for the next three years to deve-lop national youth music organisations. Youth Music will administer the funds for music, along with a 1.2m contribution of its own and 255,000 over three years from Arts Council England to further support national youth music organisations. Youth Music was launched in 1999 with a 30m National Lottery grant.
Successful applicants for grants will receive funding for three years, which can then be spent on sustaining core activities, developing their programmes and increasing access to opportunities.
Further funding of up to 100,000 a year will be given to support youth dance organisations through the setting up of a national youth dance agency in partnership with Arts Council England.
Gavin Henderson, chairman of Youth Music, said: "We want every child and young person in the UK to have access to opportunities in the arts and this Treasury funding is a welcome boost for current and future national youth music organisations and the world of youth dance."
www.youthmusic.org.uk.
