Young musicians across the Humber region get £1.7m funding boost

About £400,000 will be spent on new instruments, Hull City Council said

Young musicians across the Humber region will benefit from a £1.7m investment in musical education.

A Humber Music Hub will be set up from September covering both side of the estuary.

It will be run by Hull City Council's Music Service in partnership with council music services in East Riding and North and North East Lincolnshire.

About £400,000 will be spent on new instruments, equipment and technology, the city council said.

The Arts Council funding is part of a national campaign to encourage music across the country.

Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England, said: "Music education is enormously powerful - it can enrich young people's lives, help them connect with the people around them, and start them on the pathway to fruitful and fulfilling careers."

The money will be used to fund a variety of musical genres including brass band music as well as supporting the youth section of the City of Hull Band based at the Albemarle Music Centre.

The service covering both sides of the Humber Estuary will be run from the Albemarle Music Centre in Hull

Sarah Maxfield, Area Director North, Arts Council England, said "The North of England has a proud tradition of music education in many genres, including brass and classical music, which we know can enhance lives and provide opportunities for making a career in the creative sector.

"So I'm delighted that the new strategic partnerships we're announcing today will ensure that more children and young people receive a varied and high quality music education through a diverse range of musical activities and which is tailored specifically to the needs of the local area."

The article has been amended as the original figure quoted was incorrect.