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National Music Award won by inclusive music initiative
An organisation in the ACT that provides a broad range of accessible music programs has won the Music Council of Australia’s national Music in Communities Award.
Music For Everyone is a community music organisation that makes music accessible to everyone, regardless of background, age or ability. “Members who leave the ACT often let us know that they can’t find anything like us in other parts of Australia – something for toddlers, children, teens and adults all under the one roof, to say nothing of our programs for schools, people with disabilities, and social inclusion groups,” says Artistic Director Vivienne Winther.
The Music in Communities Awards are an initiative of ‘Music. Play for Life’, the Music Council of Australia’s grassroots music advocacy program aimed at getting more Australians musically active. Inaugurated in 2008, the Awards offer a prize pool of $20,000 as an encouragement to groups that are often the unsung heroes of Australia’s cultural life.
In 2009, the Awards carried a ‘wellbeing’ theme, to draw out stories of local music groups and programs whose activities contribute to the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.
“This award recognises the unique qualities of our organisation. We provide such a broad range of music programs that make active participation in music an enjoyable part of life and achievable for people of all ages and abilities. It’s great to have our organisation recognised as the best in community music, not only in the ACT, but in Australia,” commented Vivienne.