UK Musics Music Academic Partnership Marks 11 Years of Linking Education and Industry

Eleven years ago, UK Music launched the Music Academic Partnership (MAP) with a simple but ambitious goal: to close the gap between music education and the commercial music industry. The partnership celebrated its 10‑year anniversary last year with a ceremony at the House of Lords, where educators, industry leaders, politicians and former MAP graduates gathered to review the impact of a network that now spans the entire UK.

MAP began in 2015 with a core group of higher‑education institutions and two honorary members – the BRIT School and the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). Over the past decade the network has expanded to include further‑education colleges, awarding bodies, a charity, and a primary‑school music‑lesson provider. Its remit is clear: support the talent pipeline that feeds the UK’s global music economy by offering industry‑directed learning, staff‑development opportunities, and a platform for policy dialogue.

The partnership’s activities are designed to bring theory and practice together. The MAP Tour and guest‑lecture series place students in front of industry professionals, while staff members benefit from networking events such as the annual Summer Party, a flagship gathering for UK Music members. Each year MAP honours outstanding graduates through the Outstanding MAP Graduate Awards (OMGs). The 2025 ceremony took place at Liverpool’s Sound City, and the 2026 awards will be hosted in Manchester in partnership with conference organiser Un‑Convention.

Research and innovation are also central to MAP’s work. In Liverpool, the partnership supports the MusicFutures project, a collaboration that secured an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) grant to strengthen the city’s music scene through action research. UK Music’s backing of the University of Liverpool as lead partner of the consortium illustrates the partnership’s role in securing funding for projects that bridge academia and industry.

Policy influence is another pillar of MAP’s contribution. Members regularly contribute to discussions on the future of music qualifications, including proposed changes to level‑3 standards that were debated in the House of Lords. The partnership’s collective expertise informs UK Music’s work in the education, skills and careers space, ensuring that policy decisions reflect the needs of both learners and industry stakeholders.

In 2026 Access Creative College became MAP’s first further‑education member, signalling the partnership’s continued expansion into new sectors of the music education landscape. Today the network includes thousands of individuals across the UK – from students and teachers to researchers and industry staff – who engage in local music scenes and contribute to the sector’s growth.

UK Music’s chief executive, Tom Kiehl, has described MAP as a “valuable network that we are proud to coordinate.” The partnership remains a key element of UK Music’s strategy to support the next generation of music professionals.

For organisations or institutions interested in joining MAP, Dr Oliver Morris can be contacted at oliver.morris@ukmusic.org. A full list of MAP members and details on the OMGs are available on the UK Music website.

In summary, MAP has celebrated 11 years of operation and a 10‑year anniversary milestone. The partnership continues to facilitate education‑industry linkages, support research projects, influence policy and expand its membership base, thereby sustaining the UK’s reputation as a leading global music industry.