2025 was a year of landmark intent. What does it mean for 2026?

The wins: 

• New funding for youth spaces, a commitment to youth voice and wellbeing, better geographical equity, and school curriculum reform that finally takes music seriously.

The gaps: 

• A lack of specific support for small and diverse-led organisations, slow response to digital change, and missing detail over long-term investment in mental health.

The verdict: 

• Intent alone is not enough. Success will depend on all Government Departments being joined-up to deliver on their promises.

What Happened?

• Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy is the first national youth strategy in over 2 decades, and was co-created with youth and expert advisory groups. Published alongside a state of the nation report, the vision is for a future where all young people, no matter their background, have the skills, opportunities, and connections to thrive and are empowered to shape their own lives and the community around them.
   
• The Curriculum and Assessment Review final report was published in November, analysing the national curriculum (and its associated testing measures) in primary school, secondary, and 16 – 19 education. The first review in over a decade, the brief was to make recommendations to ensure the curriculum is cutting edge and fit for purpose for a rapidly changing world. The Government response gives some specifics of how the recommendations will be taken forward.  
   
• Arts Council England – an Independent Review set out to assess Arts Council England’s role, structure and effectiveness (in case you didn’t know, Arts Council England is Youth Music’s main funder, contributing £9,651,000 of National Lottery funding annually). Undertaken by Baroness Hodge (so referred to as the ‘Hodge review’). The Government ‘strongly welcomes’ the findings. Responses from them, and Arts Council England, are forthcoming.
   
• The 10 year Creative Industries Sector Plan was published by Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in June 2025 as part of the Government’s industrial strategy. It aims to ensure the UK is recognised as the best place in the world to make and invest in film and TV, music, performing and visual arts, video games, advertising and beyond, and increase annual investment in the Creative Industries to £31 billion by 2035. It touches on creative education, careers advice and routes into the industries.

Youth Music's Analysis

The reports collectively span hundreds of pages, and thousands of words – too many for us to summarise. So, we’ve focused our analysis on the things that matter most to Youth Music, young people and our partners. Including:

• The importance of music and the arts
• Commitments to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access (IDEA)
• Geographical equity
• Youth voice and co-creation
• From national to local funding decisions
• Creative careers and progression in music
• Funding
• Mental health and wellbeing, Tech and AI and Climate justice

Download our analysis here to find out the headlines, opportunities, and challenges for our work.