Images: Orchestras for All and Mick Knapton
Transforming the lives of even more young musicians aross the UK…
Orchestras for All (OFA) is delighted to announce the relocation of its London headquarters to Sheffield, marking an exciting new chapter for the non-profit.
Since 2016 and following years of music-making activity at Camden arts venue, Cecil Sharp House – home to the English Folk Dance and Song Society, with whom OFA looks forward to retaining a close link – OFA’s new headquarters will be based at striking Grade II* listed building, Canada House.
The move to South Yorkshire comes following OFA’s national callout inviting followers and supporters to share recommendations for its new address, alongside an internal callout, a consultative review among OFA’s core team, Trustees and Ambassadors, and rigorous shortlisting using key selection criteria.
Though Canada House is currently unoccupied, Harmony Works, which promotes inspirational music education and works to enrich the lives of young people, had responded to OFA’s callout as it is in the process of carefully restoring and revitalising the building to create a thriving new music hub in the heart of Sheffield City Centre.
Despite Sheffield being one of the largest cities in the country, behind London, Birmingham and Manchester, and while it is already home to a professional orchestra, The Brigantes, it is without a full-time professional symphony orchestra. This makes Sheffield the perfect setting for OFA to widen its impact and further develop its three powerful programmes: National Orchestra for All (NOFA), Modulo and Music Leadership Training.
National Orchestra for All alum, OFA Ambassador and Sheffield local, Haseeb, said: “Now is the best time for OFA to be moving to Sheffield! It will be quite a convenient location for future courses, since many members would not need to travel as far. I love living in Sheffield because it's quite an outdoorsy city – the greenest city in the UK in fact and is right next door to the Peak District.”
“Sheffield is a great place for OFA to be based due to its rich musical heritage, being the stomping ground of bands like the Arctic Monkeys and rock bands, Pulp and Def Leppard, among many others. There are some amazing venues for performances to take place, such as Sheffield City Hall and Victoria Hall, which I hope OFA will be able to benefit from.”
Since OFA first launched in 2011, many other Sheffield-based musicians – including NOFA alum and current Orchestral Tutor, Nazar Khapsalis (watch video above), have experienced the life-changing benefits of playing with others in an ensemble. NOFA’s non-auditioned, mixed-ability youth orchestra is comprised of around 100 inspiring young members, who are welcome to play any instrument and come together from all walks of life – regardless of the daily challenges they might face.
Some NOFA members have later joined OFA’s governance team, including Haseeb and Youth Board member, Nico (another Sheffield local), who each play an integral part in supporting the charity’s development – from determining objectives and helping to define the culture and effectiveness of the organisation, to taking a hands-on approach when working at OFA’s live events.
The move to Sheffield also comes following OFA’s recent recognition as a new National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) from Arts Council England, which aims to support arts institutions to deliver creative and cultural activity against the outcomes in its 2020-30 strategy, ‘Let’s Create’.
Pictured: National Orchestra for All Ambassador, Haseeb, hosts a summer 2024 Modulo Meet in Birmingham.
The Arts Council’s vital funding is awarded to London-based organisations for a three-year period on the basis that their offices are transferred by October 2024, in a bid to improve access to arts opportunities and enable communities to flourish. This aligns closely with OFA’s bold vision: for all young people in the UK to have access to the joy of group music-making.
OFA’s national team – who since 2020, have been working remotely from Cornwall to Glasgow, Hampshire to West Yorkshire – hope to feed into the Arts Council’s strategy by sharing the charity’s inclusive practice in Sheffield.
Director, North, Arts Council England, Pete Massey, commented: “We are delighted that Orchestras for All has chosen to move its national base to Sheffield. Sheffield has a wonderful musical heritage and exciting plans for making music are central to its cultural offer.
“Orchestras for All will continue to work across the country but will build on its already strong ties with the city to create even more opportunities for young people to engage in music making, helping to develop their skills and confidence. We believe that everyone should be able to experience and take part in high quality artistic and creative activity wherever they live or whatever their background and this is a terrific example of that principle in action.”
Councillor Martin Smith, Chair of the Economic Development and Skills Committee at Sheffield City Council, added: “I am delighted to welcome Orchestras for All to Sheffield. The news comes just weeks after the announcement that English Touring Opera will also be making the city their home later this year, and I’m confident both will make brilliant additions to our already thriving cultural scene.
“Orchestras for All gives young people incredible opportunities to make music. Here in Sheffield, we are dedicated to creating opportunities for all our young residents and to create a city they can prosper in. That is why we are committed to supporting the development of a regional music education hub for young musicians here in the city through the Harmony Works project.”
Through OFA’s close partnership with Sheffield Music Hub and Sheffield Music Academy, it will be supporting the city’s vision to provide inclusive group music-making opportunities for all young people and local schools, while also helping to develop music education that’s robust, sustainable, vibrant and accessible.
This can be achieved through the training and delivery of OFA’s award-winning programmes and residential courses. Frequent collaborations with local youth leaders, music educators, artists, mental health advocates and wellbeing professionals alike will mean that OFA’s relocation can spark a truly positive ripple effect across the UK and inspire lasting social change. In future, the team will invest in new staff from across the region as well as share impact evaluation and key learnings at national conferences to amplify our messaging.
Co-Chair to OFA’s Board of Trustees and NOFA alum, Beth White, said: “We're so excited to be joining the music scene in Sheffield, helping the push to expand into areas where youth orchestras can have a positive cultural impact. Moving out of London is going to give Orchestras for All the chance to interact with many more individuals and charities, forging new relationships and breaking down even more barriers.”
A group of young musicians and their school teacher participate in the summer 2024 Modulo Programme.
Head of Sheffield Music Hub, Ian Naylor, added: “We are over the moon that this fabulous music education organisation will be moving to Sheffield. We have a longstanding partnership with Orchestras for All borne from mutually shared values in standing up for musical access and opportunity for children and young people from all backgrounds, welcoming musicians with a broad range of interests, putting young people at the heart of our work and sharing the joy of collective music making.
“The arrival of Orchestras for All here in Sheffield will have a profound impact on opportunities for our young people, schools and music making groups across the region - watch this space for some incredibly exciting collaborations and welcome to the greatest city on earth!”
On behalf of everyone at OFA, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to all those involved in our relocation this year and are eager to see what the future holds for our charity.
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