Music is such a big part of Welsh life.
Singing at the rugby, school assemblies, anywhere we get the chance. For those of us with remarkable talent, though, there isn’t always the outlet to get further in the music industry. The Ed Sheeran Foundation aims to change this across the UK and allow young people the opportunities and industry links to turn their passion into success.
The popstar himself surprised students and young musicians across Splott in January by taking a tour of local schools and youth organisations to launch the foundation.
Fitzalan High School was among those lucky enough to get a visit by Ed Sheeran, his long-term songwriting partner and Aloud Ambassador, Amy Wadge, and the Welsh male group Only Boys Aloud. The school children were shocked to see Ed make a special guest appearance at their assembly which included performances by students. Performances by Ed and Only Boys Aloud were followed by a ‘lively’ Q&A session.
Second on his whistlestop tour of Splott, Ed and his entourage headed to Eastmoors Youth Centre where they met with Ministry of Life Education music students. These are students who have moved away from mainstream education to this space, where they are provided with alternative provision of informal music and media opportunities.
After speaking to staff about the barriers these young musicians face, Ed jammed out with 35 ‘astonished’ musicians, and they had the opportunity to show him what they could do. Jessika Kay and Kors were noted as standout performances of the day. The impact of this visit on the performers here was monumental. One MOL education student, Ryan, couldn’t believe the opportunity he had been given, claiming that he will ‘tell [his] grandkids about this one day’.
Finally, Ed and his team made their way to Cardiff Youth Service’s Grassroots project where they connected with Sound Progression. This is a local youth music charity which provides free music education across the city. As Ed and Amy made their way around, they were greeted with surprised young people creating music in every room. 15 talented musicians gave them impromptu performances, and have expressed that the experience has ‘inspired’ them to ‘keep going’.
Sound Progression’s founder Paul Lyons has said that seeing the shock of the young musicians faces ‘was gold dust’. This was certainly an experience they will not forget.
This tour of Splott marked the launch of the Ed Sheeran Foundation which will target areas of inequal opportunity and support their young musicians through education, support of grassroots projects, collaborations, and donations. The Foundation aims to raise awareness to the difficulties of starting a career in the music industry and aid these young people in their journeys.
Speaking on the foundation, Ed says: ‘Music education has shaped who I am. I’ve always enjoyed playing music, and it’s led to some of the best moments of my life. The Ed Sheeran Foundation is about breaking down barriers and opening doors to creativity.”
These three tour-stops will receive the first wave of grants along with the Aloud Charity. Sound Progression will receive a significant multi-year grant. The organisations have expressed their gratitude to the Ed Sheeran Foundation. One states that the grant will provide ‘stability’ and enable them to ‘plan and grow’ their offerings across Wales. The grants will be used to bring guest speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities, and will allow for weekly rehearsals at the Aloud Charity.
The gratitude for the Ed Sheeran Foundation is palpable. The Cabinet Member for Tackling Poverty, Equality and Supporting Young People, Cllr Peter Bradbury has expressed that this visit will ‘leave a legacy in Cardiff’ and will fill the youth of the city and their music scene with ‘inspiration for a bright musical future’. Where better to start this monumental foundation than in a country where music is part of almost everything we do. These young musicians will be given countless opportunities as a result of the foundation’s generosity and the visit from Ed himself.
Words by Ava Hicks
Featured image courtesy of Cardiff Council. No changes have been made to the image.