The Ed Sheeran Foundation is working alongside the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to shape how libraries across the UK will support music education

Ed Sheeran has inspired a new government scheme to boost music education. The Ed Sheeran Foundation (ESF) will play a huge part in the government's Music in Libraries programme, which will create dedicated spaces to music in public libraries across England.

The dedicated spaces will support music education outside the classroom and help young people access free music mentorship and education. Ed, one of the UK's most successful musicians, has been credited by the Labour government for inspiring the new cheme after a conversation with Secretary of State for Culture, Music and Sport Lisa Nandy, while visiting Brighten The Corners in Ipswich, a not-for-profit music and youth arts organisation, which is also one of the Ed Sheeran Foundation's grantees.

After seeing Scotland's We Make Music Instrument Libraries firsthand through Tinderbox (a Scottish music charity supported by Ed's foundation), he instantly saw the potential of the existing infrastructure, including libraries, to expand access to music education.

Since then, Ed's foundation has been working closely with Lisa Nandy and her team to support the idea. The announcement of the Music in Libraries scheme is a huge step forward in the ambition to expand access to music education.

The government is investing at least £12.5million towards the programme via the Dormant Assets Scheme, allowing all 152 library authorities across England to file an application for funding.

In the coming months, Ed's foundation and other partners will work to co-design the library's requirements and direction, leveraging the foundation's music library connections and expertise to help the spaces reach their full potential.

Dr Renuka Fernando, CEO of the Ed Sheeran Foundation, said: "The Music in Libraries programme is an important step forward for music education. By expanding access to music beyond the classroom, our library network can help ensure that children and young people from communities across England have the opportunity to engage with music, regardless of where they live.

"ESF will work closely with government, libraries, music teachers, youth clubs and the music industry to help design the programme and maximise its impact. Through this collaboration, we hope more young people will experience the many benefits of music education, from building confidence and strengthening communities to fostering creativity, self-expression and positive mental wellbeing."

Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, said: "Music is our shared language. It brings people together, breaks down barriers and gives a voice to every community. At a time when too many people feel disconnected, music has never mattered more.

"As the song says, 'Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts.' But pop is getting posher, and that must change. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. After a decade of mindless vandalism that stripped culture and creativity from too many classrooms and communities, we are putting music back at the heart of education, investing in creative careers and backing grassroots music across the country.

"We believe music belongs to everyone, not just the privileged few. That's how we widen opportunity, strengthen our communities and ensure the UK's incredible fans and extraordinary musical talent continue to inspire the world for generations to come."

In the UK alone, more than 50 per cent of children aged 10 to 12 visited a library in the last year. The new investment builds on the importance libraries play in continuing to provide free access to learning and opportunities for children, and in ensuring that children have equal opportunities to expand their knowledge and potential.

Libraries that participate will be able to host workshops, live performances, tutoring sessions, music studios and recording booths, which will house state-of-the-art equipment, including a variety of instruments and mixing desks.

Previously, the Ed Sheeran Foundation focused primarily on enhancing music education in schools. Today's announcement signals a broadening of the foundation's aims to encompass out-of-school programmes and improved access to community music opportunities.

This expansion comes after Sheeran's notable success last year in helping to achieve the first substantial revision to England's music curriculum in ten years, following his open letter to the Prime Minister. To date, ESF has backed 22 grassroots organisations and youth clubs. Last year, Sheeran devoted much of his time to visiting schools and youth clubs across the country, listening directly to young people and teachers while exploring ways to bring music education to the fore.

In 2025, Ed Sheeran - alongside a host of industry heavyweights including Harry Styles, Stormzy and Annie Lennox - successfully helped secure the UK Government's pledge to introduce the first significant overhaul of the music curriculum in England in over a decade, following Sheeran's open letter to the Prime Minister. The curriculum shake-up included scrapping the EBacc measure to encourage pupils to study a wider range of GCSE subjects, including music and the arts, as well as a commitment to broadening the variety of music genres taught in schools.

Last summer, Sheeran staged his debut exhibition with HENI Gallery, entitled Cosmic Carpark Paintings, where he sold his own original artworks, raising over $1.25 million for the foundation.

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