Developed by Music Network and funded by the Creative Ireland Programme, the Music Network Instrument Hub at instrumenthub.ie is a new, national information resource to help support music-making by providing details on where to hire, borrow, purchase or find funding for musical instruments in one easy-to-search location. This resource has been developed to make it easier for more people in Ireland to take up a musical instrument, and to help existing musicians to access suitable instruments.
An extensive database on instrumenthub.ie offers information on the many ways to access musical instruments in Ireland currently. Searchable by instrument, musician level, activity and location, it provides information on almost 200 organisations including music schools providing instrument hire with tuition, instrument lending banks, instrument makers and repair specialists, instrument bursaries, music tuition bursaries and scholarships, instrument shops, group performance opportunities, instrument recycling schemes and more.
Instrumenthub.ie also provides a range of information resources to help guide parents, music students, music groups and performers of all styles of music through the process of selecting and investing in musical instruments.
Music Network plans to use the Instrument Hub as a platform for establishing new programmes to address the need for instrument provision for particular sectors of the community, with an initial focus on instruments for older people. New initiatives will be advertised on instrumenthub.ie as they become available.
Commenting on the launch, CEO of Music Network Sharon Rollston said: “Music-making is a vital and vibrant part of our culture. Finding the right instrument can transform a musician’s potential, but we know that at times it can also be a difficult and costly process. The Music Network Instrument Hub aims to address this by providing information on existing opportunities in one easy-to-access location. Meanwhile, we are also looking at ways to add to what’s currently available, by developing new strands of support for communities and musicians not currently being served.’’
The Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin T.D. said: “Learning to play a musical instrument and participating in making music with others is good for us, both as individuals and for our society as a whole. Music-making brings new friendships, opportunities to socialise and pure joy to many people’s lives, at any age. The Creative Ireland Programme is proud to support this new initiative that will help people to find suitable and affordable instruments, regardless of whether they are a total beginner, a professional, or someone turning to music for pleasure later in life. If you are thinking about taking up a musical instrument, then we urge you to take a look at instrumenthub.ie. Finding one might be easier than you think!”
To celebrate the launch of instrumenthub.ie, Music Network is calling on music lovers around the country to take to social media to share what playing a musical instrument means to them, with the hashtag #WhyIPlay. Music Network is also releasing Why I Play, a series of short films featuring seven of Ireland’s leading musicians to help raise awareness of the many benefits and joys of learning to play a musical instrument.
Whether you’re looking to purchase, hire or borrow a musical instrument, instrumenthub.ie will help you find what’s on offer in your area. Let’s get playing!