B:Music, the charity responsible for Town Hall and Symphony Hall, ran the festive fundraising campaign, the Gift of Music appeal from 25 November to 6 January.

With an initial target of £15,000, the campaign aimed to raise money to enable the charity to inspire a love of live performance by removing barriers to participation and opening up a world of music to the region’s diverse communities.

The funds raised will go towards:

• Providing opportunities and experiences for free to those who would otherwise be unable to take part.
• Providing bursaries for young people to access free music tuition at B:Music’s B:and Together fortnightly ensembles or annual summer school, in turn helping local young musicians to develop and realise their potential.
• Offer free and subsidised tickets to local families and groups who would otherwise be unable to visit Town Hall and Symphony Hall. For many, this may be their first ever experience of live music.

The income will additionally play a small part in helping B:Music sustain their programme of entirely free performances which are a fantastic introduction to a variety of genres and a vital platform for emerging artists to showcase their talent.

Rachel Cranny, Head of Development and Impactfor B:Music said, “A huge thank you to everyone who generously donated towards our fundraising campaign – we would not have been able to reach our ambitious target without you. Your money will make an enormous difference and offer potentially life-changing experiences to local young people and communities. The benefits of experiencing and making music are widely accepted, but sadly now more than ever, many people are unable to access opportunities.

We were blown away by the response of our audiences and supporters who, despite the current financial pressures, generously donated. The amount of money raised exceeded our expectations and we’re delighted with the outcome. It was brilliant to see the different ways in which people got involved. We were thrilled that the team at Goldman Sachs in Birmingham chose to support our appeal with their office fundraising this Christmas. Our audiences at both Town Hall and Symphony Hall were also incredible, donating over £4,000 in bucket collections after selected performances during the six weeks.

Festive fundraising is always so important for charities and for arts organisations. It plays a vital role in raising awareness of the breadth of our work and why we need extra financial support to make the greatest possible impact. We are so heartened that our supporters share our passion for spreading the joy of music as far and wide as possible.”