About

Since 1953 the National Music Council has existed to celebrate and promote the value and enjoyment of music. The landscape in which it operates has changed considerably in that time and there are now a plethora of organisations working in this arena, some of which overlap with the work of NMC. 
The Executive Committee sought advice on what the future of NMC might look like, and following a report from independent consultant Leslie East took the decision in May 2015 to suspend operations. The report recommended and Executive Committee agreed that there is value in the networking opportunities NMC provided and as such, the NMC has rehaped the organisation with a much looser remit focussed around networking.

The NMC Music Education Awards, which recognise at a national level the work undertaken by local authorities and music education hubs, will continue under the stewardship of the Music Education Council from 2015. Any queries should be directed to admin@mec.org.uk 
The Executive Committee continues on in a voluntary capacity in order to meet their obligations as trustees of the charity and enquiries about any other aspect of NMC’s work should be directed to admin@nationalmusiccouncil.org.uk 

Since then, The NMC has continued to operate as a network of music organisations, under the banner of Music Network UK, with a common desire to work collaboratively in discussing the challenges and opportunities facing music in the UK, and specifically by holding regular round-table discussions with key decision makers and agencies. These discussions have been held on-line during the COVID pandemic.

Recently, there have been round-table discussions looking at the impacts of BREXIT on musicians and propoters, and the challenges presented by COVID-19 and the various regulations affecting performance, rehearsal and travel.

In 2002 the Council was delighted to welcome Dame Cleo Laine as its President

Trustees	Dave Cross Barbara Eifler Dick Hallam Gil Limor Peter Linnitt (until December 2018) Paul McManus Mark Pemberton Katy Spicer
Executive Committee Members	Association of British Orchestras Association of Professional Recording Services Generator English Folk Dance and Song Society Incorporated Society of Musicians Making Music Music Education Council Music Industries Association

UK Charity Number	249178
Principal Address	c/o Association of British Orchestras, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA

Mission Statement

The National Music Council seeks to celebrate and promote the value and enjoyment of music, which contributes, in all its forms, to the cultural, spiritual, educational, social and economic well-being of the United Kingdom.

Aims

The Council’s work is driven by three key aims:

1	To provide networking opportunities for Members and other stakeholders and to facilitate and improve the exchange and sharing of information of relevance to their concerns.
2	To provide a debating forum for Members and other stakeholders and the mechanisms for issues to be prioritised and, when appropriate, pursued and resolved.
3	To provide the means for informing and influencing decision-makers and those other stakeholders upon whom the music industry depends, and for raising the public profile of music.

Behind them lie several important guiding principles:

1	That the work of the Council should complement its members’ own activities.
2	That the Council should recognise and promote the vital inter-relationship that exists between all industry sectors and musical genres and the mutual benefits to be derived from bringing organisations together.
3	That the Council should operate as both leader and facilitator and work on behalf of its membership as a whole.
4	That the focus of the Council should become more external without jeopardising the services required by members.
5	That the Council should be flexible enough to be able to respond to the developing concerns and needs of its membership and those of its other stakeholders, including: – related organisations not in membership – the public – politicians and decision-makers.