"Thanks to the generous support of Ecclesiastical Insurance and the Movement for Good Awards, we can expand this project and bring the joy of music and song to more new communities in Ireland, helping to build stronger connection between people and making an even bigger impact." Sharon Rollston, Cheif Executive Music Network
Music Network Receives Movement for Good Award to Support Innovative Lullaby Residency for Migrant Communities in Clare
Music Network is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a share of £500,000 from Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards, which is contributing over £1 million to good causes this year. This generous award of £10,000 will support the delivery of the Music Network Lullaby Residency, a transformative project designed and led by Dr. Eamon Sweeney.
The Lullaby Residency aims to foster social, cultural and artistic inclusion for migrant communities in County Clare. It brings together young children and their families through cultural exchange, music and play, offering a meaningful opportunity to build relationships and celebrate diversity.
Music Network, Ireland’s national music touring and development organisation, is committed to making high quality live music accessible to communities across the country. The organisation works to support musicians in developing fulfilling careers and to create opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to connect through music.
Following a successful pilot, Music Network, in collaboration with glór, Ennis, and North West Clare Family Resource Centre, will expand this project to engage new communities in Clare. The grant will also support the mentorship of musicians to deliver Lullaby Residencies in the future extending the programme’s impact.
Over several weeks, participants in rural County Clare will gather to listen to and share lullabies from different cultures. Skilled musicians with expertise in creating impactful music education projects will lead the sessions, leaving a lasting positive influence on the lives of children and their families.
This project is set to strengthen community bonds, promote cultural understanding and provide valuable musical experiences to both new and established communities in Clare.
The awards are designed to help charities make a real difference in their communities. More than 1,000 charities applied for the funding which is being put towards causes supporting education and skills, rural and community development, heritage, arts and culture, and climate change and environment. The winning projects were selected against four criteria: impact and effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and care and compassion.
The Movement for Good Awards large grants provide charities with flexible funding that can be used within three years and for a blend of project and core funding costs.
Speaking about the award, Sharon Rollston, Chief Executive of Music Network said: "Through music, we can discover the common threads that bring people together, and in a world too often focused on our differences, finding what unites us is more important than ever. Our vision is of a culture that increasingly values live music as an essential part of a healthy, vibrant and diverse society. Thanks to the generous support of Ecclesiastical Insurance and the Movement for Good Awards, we can expand this project and bring the joy of music and song to more new communities in Ireland, helping to build stronger connection between people and making an even bigger impact."
Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “We understand the importance of longer-term funding for charities, especially when trying to bring ambitious new ideas to life and get larger transformative projects off the ground. Through our large grants, we are actively championing innovation, giving charities the backing they need to propel their plans forward and turn creative ideas into practical solutions that benefit society. Benefact Group is the third largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity ourselves, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do and all of our available profits go to good causes.”
Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group. Music Network is funded by The Arts Council.
Main image - Movement for Good large grant award winner – Music Network. Pictured Sharon Rollston, Chief Executive of Music Network with Scott Hayes, Head of Relationship Management representing Ecclesiastical Insurance, proudly part of the Benefact Group. Photo by Leon Farrell, Photocall Ireland
