Calling all Community Engagement, Vocal strategy and Progression in Education Leads

Dear Colleagues

ASONE Hub is delighted to announce the provision of two-year contracts for Community Engagement, Vocal strategy, and Progression in Education Leads (2nd yr. funding dependent).

Prospective deliverers of these new extended contracts will be required to build, shape and maintain existing/new relationships with Schools and Community Groups, leading on Engagement and Progression activities (as outlined in the delivery plan approved by The Arts Council England) and supported by the wider ASONE hub team.  

This extended timeline supports our determination to reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency releasing deliverers to focus on continuous improvement, facilitating more young people to access high quality music making.

We have underpinned this activity with an updated and transparent procurement process (see below for process, timeline and deadline).

The individual/ organisation will be responsible for working in conjunction with the ASONE Hub Programme Director to meet targets that include: 

Community and School engagement lead

• Support schools to write and implement their “School music plan”.
• Signpost to resources and training opportunities.
• Organise projects that provide composition and performance opportunities.

Vocal strategy Lead

• Drive the teaching of music through singing.
• Embed teaching strategies within schools and choirs that create confidence in delivery and musical understanding.
• Encourage the establishment of choirs.

Secondary Support Lead

• Provide support for secondary school music teachers and their associated delivery partners.
• Help secondary schools to build their own ensembles and afterschool musical provision.
• Create opportunities for schools and students to work together.  

Progression lead

• Work in partnership to create a roadmap into existing provision.
• Provide opportunities for mobility across ensembles.
• Utilise/promote/introduce peripatetic teaching, digital resources, ensemble activity and community music making.

With all roles building links with community organisations/producing events to provide performance opportunities.

Calling all Cornish Ensemble and Choir Directors and Leaders

ASONE Hub currently administers Cornwall’s County Orchestral Ensembles and Choirs.

The Management team understands the importance of these programmes and strongly believe that their continued success is vital in supporting learners into higher levels of music education; creating clear progression routes for performers and associated supporting roles.

We also understand the role this event programme plays in:

• Celebrating the success of the Musical Directors and deliverers who have supported the participants.
• Showcasing musical traditions and opportunities to aspiring young performers.
• Delivering a cultural offer into the wider community.

Having had some time to review the role that ASONE Hub plays in supporting ensembles and choirs and now better understanding the history and dynamics behind this relationship, the team have decided that the programme would be better served as tenders offered out through the consortium and adopted from September 2023.

The benefits of making these changes are significant and include:

1. Redirection of the DfE investment to attract, retain and encourage Musical Directors to deliver these programmes as part of their own strategic growth and organisational/professional development.
2. Improve the qualitive nature of the music programme through review and discussion against a backdrop of specialist autonomism.
3. Release ASONE Hub staff to deliver other (equally vital) areas of delivery.
4. Two year contracted periods (funding dependent) that increase administrative and strategic efficiencies.

Tender Process/Timeline/Deadline

This updated tender process supersedes any previous process or historic communication style and the timings are thus:

1. Information release date - 10th June 2023.

2. Expressions of interest (EOI) open - 15th June 2023 at midday 12pm on asoneperform.com/page/funding

3. EOI closes - 22nd June 2023.

4. Those who are selected to apply based on EOI will be informed by 23rd June 2023.

5. Application window closes - 10th July 2023 at 5pm.

6. Application, scoring and selection - 10th to the 17th of July 2023.

7. Review/Cooling off period and panel.

8. Elected members of the SAG will confirm scoring and sign off. Rescoring if required.

9. Successful applicants/tenders announced by email - 27th July 2023.

Please direct any questions, suggestions and/or comments to [email protected]

As a flagship initiative of ASONE Hub. The tendering process will expect a high standard to be met and will include SMART monitoring and evaluation points following the delivery process.

ASONE Hub will ensure that there is a rolling CPD initiative running alongside the delivery of these contracts to support the successful organisation/deliverers and where appropriate, provide arm’s length administrative support (including the use of ASONE Community Hub) for enrolment, promotion and recruitment purposes (when required).

As a public sector funded organisation, it is vital that our tendering process is transparent and offered to all those who may be capable of delivering it.

ASONE Hub have sought the advice and sign off from the Strategic Advisory and Governance Board (SAG) to consider and plan for this change in the programme.

Your sincerely

Ryan Jones

Interim Programme Director - ASONE HUB