MUSIC-MAKING young people in Blackburn and Brierfield will benefit from a grant of almost £500,000 from the National Foundation for Youth Music.

Lancashire as been given the cash through More Music, the Morecambe based community music and education charity.

The national charitable foundation is giving £151,800 this year with further grants of up to £307,000 being made available over the following two years for work with young musicians in the county.

This new funding from Youth Music will bring new opportunities for young people in the most challenged communities of Lancashire to engage in music-making that transforms their lives and connects them to the wider community.

Projects will take place in Skelmersdale, Brierfield, Blackburn, Preston and Fleetwood, where young people will make new music in the way that they want to.

They will be given the opportunity to perform and record in community venues and libraries.

More Music is one of 13 organisations around the country that has been selected to become a strategic partner of Youth Music. Over the next three years.

It will use the cash towards the national charity’s aim of creating a musically inclusive England where every child can access music-making opportunities, regardless of circumstances.

Many of the young people Youth Music supports face significant challenges in their lives.

These may arise from economic issues, from disability or lifelong health conditions, mental health or behavioural issues and from other life circumstances including living in rural isolation, being a young carer or refugee.

Pete Moser, artistic director of More Music, said: “This new three year fund will allow us to build on 20 years of work in Lancashire and to create new partnerships that truly will change the lives of hundreds of young people.

"Inspiring people through music is what we do best and this new Youth Music programme will allow us to bring this work to young people in the most challenging communities of Lancashire. Transforming lives through music again and again. We are very excited.”

Matt Griffiths, chief executive officer at Youth Music, said: “We’re really delighted to be working with More Music as one of our strategic partners to deliver an exciting programme of music-making opportunities for children and young people in the North West.

"These three-year grants will really help to develop and sustain music-making locally, taking our investment in the region to £954,000 in this funding round.”