Foden's Band has been successful in a 'Grants for the Arts' application to Arts Council England for funding for a three year project aimed at benefiting different areas of the banding community.

Funding

'Foden's next steps project December 2020 to July 2023', is supported using public funding by Arts Council England, with the grant worth £31,500 towards a total project cost of £61,888.

The funding will see the band deliver a number of online events including a free 'Winter School,' a virtual concert and a large number of 'karaoke' arrangements for players of different abilities to be accompanied online by Foden's players.

In addition, a number of significant anniversaries will be celebrated as well as the band hosting a female composer competition.

New commissions

The three year project will also include the up-skilling of band members to enable them to deliver workshops and lessons with hearing impaired youngsters, whilst a number of new commissions and valuable resources will be produced to benefit the wider banding community.

To help develop new audiences Foden's will work with artists from different genres, with funding also being used to enhance and market existing events through professional management and audience development.

The project will also see an increase in the band's youth outreach work, celebrating 10 years since the formation of the Foden's Youth Band with their Youth and Junior bands now boasting over 100 members.

The funding allows Foden's to deliver a wide range of exciting projects to benefit the banding community, encompassing those who have previously had difficult accessing and enjoying brass band music makingFoden's

Exciting projects

Speaking about the funding award Mark Wilkinson told 4BR: "The funding allows Foden's to deliver a wide range of exciting projects to benefit the banding community, encompassing those who have previously had difficult accessing and enjoying brass band music making.

It also allows us to raise the profile of brass bands by interacting with new audiences whilst also continuing to develop our work with our educational and instrument partners."

He added: "We are extremely grateful to Arts Council England for supporting our vision and artistic plans. I would also like to thank Carole Crompton (a former member of the band and now Vice President) for her expertise and guidance in submitting the funding application."

Busy year

The funding comes on the back of a busy year for Foden's.

Despite the restrictions imposed by the Coronavirus pandemic the 2020 Nor West Area champion has produced 16 virtual band recordings, six podcasts as well as a successful online Whit Friday event, Music Festival and Solo Contest with the online content being viewed over 750,000 times across the banding world.