'Passing it On'

‘Passing it On’ seeks to promote an interest in traditional music education in the informal sector. This is education with a small ‘e’ – for traditional skills in any area are largely passed on from ‘master’ to ‘apprentice’ on a small scale - but it is education with a big impact. This is not textbook learning, this is hand to hand, ear to ear passing on of skills.

As an ‘enabling organisation’ ‘Passing it On’ will try to highlight and promote the work of individuals and organisations and encourage the sharing of ideas and experience. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to the encouragement of the passing on of traditions, but there are now plenty of examples of initiatives that have worked. We can see the results of work started by individuals a generation or more ago and, as far as the folk revival is concerned, we are well into the second or third wave of the legacy of these efforts.

‘Passing it On’ will highlight and celebrate achievement – not just the high profile ones, but also the ‘voice of the people’, the unsung heroes who are the driving force behind these traditions.

‘Passing it On’ is acutely aware of the importance of youth but fully appreciates the value of the older generation. One of its core concepts will be ‘the folk arts apprentice’. ‘Passing it On’ will seek to enable this passing on of traditional skills working and helping to provide a network for individuals and organisations sharing similar aims.

‘Passing it On’ will be an enabling organisation. Whilst it will initiate some pilot projects it will be our working partners who will be delivering the real achievements, working as they have always done but ‘stronger together’ with the resources that Passing it On can develop.