The ARCO Project , in collaboration with the Prince Albert Community Trust, PACT , is raising money to purchase string instruments and music tuition for children living in the communities of Prince Albert and the Swartberg region in South Africa.

Although there is a rich oral musical tradition and "Karoo" sound emerging from this amazing little town at the foot of the Swartberg Mountains, some of the communities of this region are extremely socially and economically challenged with no access to resources that would enable a child to obtain skilled formal Classical instrumental music tuition. By leveraging online technology, lessons with skilled tutors have become a reality through ARCO and provided by one of the most sought-after music institutions in the world.

The ARCO Project was founded in 2015 in Soweto, South Africa, by Louise Lansdown, as a cross-continental online string teaching project between the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire of Music (RBC) and the Morris Isaacson Centre for Music in Soweto. Louise Lansdown served as Head of Strings at RBC and was assisted by staff and students from the Strings department in ARCO's formation. It is now based at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester, where Louise is Assistant Head of Strings.

Due to the Project's immense success in Soweto, ARCO India was formalized in 2021, with RBC collaborating with the A.R Rahman Foundation and the Sunshine Orchestra based in Chennai. The newest and third ARCO Project is the one currently being created in Prince Albert, South Africa.

The raison d’etre of the ARCO project is two-fold; firstly, to provide children in disadvantaged communities in South Africa with the opportunity to receive musical instruments and music lessons; and secondly as a teacher training programme for undergraduate and postgraduate students at the RNCM.

These students can choose ARCO as one of their music course electives, gaining invaluable online teaching and personal mentoring experience in a cross-cultural environment. Students are not financially compensated for their work with the ARCO Project and are required to teach a set number of students and hours per week, and are evaluated throughout the academic year on their progress.

Music is internationally recognized as a powerful tool for social change and upliftment. It empowers, inspires, enables, and brings joy and hope to communities across the world. Learning music promotes team building, discipline, fun, responsibility, enhances literacy and serves to bring people together. Thus, ARCO is committed to changing lives through music and, as an expatriated South African, Louise is passionate about using her advantageous position and resources in the UK to help young, gifted aspiring South African musicians.

ARCO is a registered Non-Profit Organization (NPO) in South Africa thereby securing its eligibility to apply for grants and funding through the South African Government and other philanthropic organizations in South Africa and the UK. Along with donations, ARCO is committed to raising GBP15,000.00/$19,000.00 for the purchase of String instruments and online teaching for the 45-50 students anxiously waiting to receive music lessons.

Your contribution and support towards this important endeavor can create an endless ripple effect of social and economic change as young musicians discover their potential through the power of music.

www.arcoproject.co.uk

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“The children and young people who take part in every Saturday Run, dance at the PACT POP Centre, play chess on the streets, perform at the #us4us concert, who hold a tablet in the interactive classroom at the primary school – these are the custodians of tomorrow and they will define what that future looks like. It is for us, the current guardians of culture and community, to open the doors.” – Ingrid Wolfaardt, Executive Trustee, Prince Albert Community Trust.

”ARCO are so excited to begin working with the incredible team at PACT and most of all bring instrumental and early years music to the beautiful young children of Prince Albert. With the collaboration and power of community via PACT we look forward to creating a musical hub and using music as a tool for education, excellence, cohesion, social change and most importantly joy!” - Louise Lansdown, Founder of the ARCO Project.