Access Music Project

Invested in the transformative power of music, AMP is a vibrant music education centre in Makhanda (Grahamstown). We connect young people with their creative identities and opportunities in the creative economy, in partnership with local schools. AMP is currently the only means by which children in Makhanda’s historically disadvantaged schools have access to formal music education and training.

AMP's vision is for South Africa’s youth to have equal ACCESS to music education, creative industry, cultural heritage and artistic possibilities.

Why is music education important in Makhanda?

Given the absence of arts education in the vast majority of South Africa’s schools, AMP plays a vital role for budding artists and creatives who are otherwise without stimulation, nurturing or mentorship. Music learning plays a significant developmental role in academic, social and personal life and opens young people’s worlds up to a wider range of study and career opportunities.

How we operate

Our success lies in having a pool of human expertise and physical resources that serves multiple schools, in order to create a high quality, diverse and exciting music programme with a wide reach.

We teach practical music, ensembleship, music literacy, music theory, general music knowledge and sound technology to provide learners with a solid foundation and formal certificates that enable access to further music study and career pathways. Our interconnected model runs from primary school through to post-school level.

Each learners attends lessons and rehearsals at our centre 3 afternoons a week for the entire school year, and each child remains in the programme for approximately 7 years, completing final exams with internationally recognised examination boards.

Our Doorways Programme then connects learners with post-school opportunities.

AMP also has a 1-year Internship Programme which benefits a young school leaver each year.

Read more about AMP's programmes. See our gallery. 

Our beneficiaries

Since opening in 2011, we have

• formalised fruitful partnerships with 8 secondary schools, providing music teaching that has benefited over 60 secondary school children to date;
• established permanent marimba bands at 6 primary schools, having benefitted over 270 learners so far;
• conducted music outreach projects for 4 school, benefitting over 240 learners.

We currently serve 25 children in our Core Programme and are raising funds for intake of 40-60 new young learners into the programme in 2019/20. 84 children are enrolled in our marimba ensembles.

See our website and Facebook page for more info about AMP!

AMPlify us!

There are many ways in which ordinary people can AMPlify AMP's work. Click on our projects below, or visit our website.