More than 2 million children ‘locked out’ of live music, according to new report

24 April 2026, 10:14

Cost and location are two key factors preventing young people from accessing opportunities in live music.

An estimated 2 million UK children are being locked out of live music, according to new research. Cost and location prevent access for two in five primary school pupils, says music charity Playground Proms.

A study, which surveyed 1,000 state school children aged 7–11, found that a whopping 40% of children have not seen live music in the past year.

This exposure varies significantly depending on where children live. In Greater London, 68% of children have seen live music, compared with just 43% in the north east. Of those who haven’t attended live events, 43% say it’s because tickets are too expensive and 37% say it’s because the events are too far away or difficult to get to.

A worrying three in ten children (29%) do not have access to a musical instrument they can practise on. However, two thirds (66%) say they would like to learn.

“Too many children are being locked out of music in the UK,” said Cathal Ó Dúill, founder of Playground Proms. “When nearly half of children are missing out on live music because of cost and where they live, that is not a cultural gap, it’s a systemic failure.”

He adds: “If we don’t act now, access to music will become a privilege, not a right.”

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It’s an ongoing concern for the industry. Back in 2024 the Cultural Learning Alliance (CLA) found that 42% of schools did not enter any pupils for music GCSE in 2024.

The research comes as Playground Proms announces its largest UK tour to date, supported by Arts Council England funding. The project is designed to tackle these access gaps by bringing high-quality live classical music directly into state primary schools, particularly in areas where opportunities to experience live music are more limited. The project will also see children going into care homes to share music with older residents.