The Foundation is supporting the charity More Music to put on a climate change festival in July 2025. The festival will be designed and created by hundreds of children and young people.
More Music is a music and education charity in Morecambe, Lancashire. It supports people of all ages and backgrounds to build confidence and spirit through the arts. The charity offers a diverse programme of:
More Music is based in the West End of Morecambe, which is in the most deprived 0.1% of areas in England. Many children and young people the charity works with face huge challenges, including hunger, fuel poverty, poor housing and difficult home lives.
Their projects have a positive impact in the lives of children in fragile situations, using music to find hope and discover new talents. They’ve also been shown to help young people grow in confidence and resilience through music-making activities. This includes young people experiencing mental health struggles such as isolation, anxiety, low mood and low self-esteem.
The community is near Morecambe Bay, a place of great natural beauty and biodiversity that’s home to internationally important wildlife and habitats. But More Music has found that local children tend not to feel a connection to the bay or have a sense of its environmental significance. Like Morecambe itself, this unique coastal ecosystem is at risk from climate change and rising sea levels.
With young people becoming increasingly passionate about the climate crisis, More Music saw an opportunity to:
The charity achieved this by putting on a climate change festival. They applied for funding from the Energy Saving Trust Foundation and received £40,000.
A team of 12 young people will lead on planning and producing the festival over 24 weekly sessions. They’ll be supported to research climate issues and choose focus topics, following discussions with experts and trips to sites of interest.
The team will then:
The project will also include 18-week residencies in two local primary schools, involving 400 children. Through a series of workshops, artists will open up space for children to explore their hopes and fears for the climate. This will also help them produce new creative work for the festival.
Throughout the project, More Music will partner with other local and national organisations that focus on nature, heritage and education.
This project has already inspired them in its early stages. We can’t wait to see what they come up with for the climate change festival next year.
More Music
The project is currently underway. It will culminate in a climate change festival in Morecambe for 2,000 people in July 2025. Its aim is to deepen children and young people’s understanding of their local environment and the need for climate action.
Taking part in the project will inspire pride and build participants’ knowledge. It will also give them the confidence to advocate and take action.
Darren Leadsom, Education and Inclusion Manager, More Music says:
“The music industry provides an excellent focal point for our young people to consider climate change in multiple ways. They’ve been thinking about sustainable merchandise, the hidden impacts of touring and how people travel to gigs. They’ve also looked at solar-powered stages, locally-sourced food, how to raise awareness through songs, and stage music events that educate and engage.
“Added to this will be the opportunity to learn more about the local ecosystem of Morecambe Bay and understand how the effects of climate change globally can be seen and felt locally. This project has already inspired them in its early stages and we can’t wait to see what they come up with for the climate change festival next year.”
Last updated: 26 February 2025
