Stars including Sir Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and Stormzy are calling on the Prime Minister to help save Cardiff University's school of music. The department with a global reputation is earmarked for closure under proposed cuts as the university grapples with a deficit running into at least £31m.

The plea is made in a letter, penned by Ed Sheeran and signed by a constellation of megastars and others. The letter calls for Keir Starmer to "stop the closures of university music departments, like Cardiff University" and commit £250m to music education. It follows an open letter opposing the cuts signed by global stars and artists including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

Ed Sheeran is lobbying for music funding and support with his newly launched Ed Sheeran Foundation. His letter, also signed by Coldplay, Annie Lennox and Amy Wadge, points out that the music industry brings £7.6bn into the UK economy but warns "the next generation is not there to take the reins". You can get more story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here

Last year was the first in over 20 years without a UK global top 10 single or album in the charts, the letter warns. The call to save Cardiff University's music school follows widespread outcry over proposed cuts which also include the loss of 355 jobs and closing the schools of nursing, modern foreign langauges, ancient history, translation, religion, and theology.

The stars are backing Ed Sheeran's call for the UK government to create a cross-departmental taskforce to work together to ensure music education remains high on the agenda.

Full text of the letter penned by Ed Sheeran and signed by megastars

Dear Sir Keir Starmer,

We are writing collectively as artists, civil society and industry, appealing to your personal belief in music and the promise of opportunity for all under Labour. Learning an instrument and getting up on stage – whether in school or a community club – is now a luxury not every child can afford.

As an industry, we bring in £7.6 billion into the UK economy, yet the next generation is not there to take the reins. Last year was the first in over 20 years without a UK global top 10 single or album in the charts. Myles Smith and Ezra Collective said it best at the 2025 BRIT Awards:

"How many more venues need to close, how many music programs need to be cut before we realise that we can’t just celebrate success, we have to protect the foundations that make it?" - Myles Smith.

"This moment right here is because of the great youth clubs, and the great teachers and the great schools that support young people playing music". - Ezra Collective.

The time to act is now. State schools – which educate 93% of the country’s children – have seen a 21% decrease in music provision. We welcome Lisa (Nandy's) 10-point plan for music raised in the House of Commons on 16th January 2025. Bridget, David, Jonathan and Wes – we also need you standing up for music education. Artists and industry can’t deliver on the world stage for the UK without schools, youth clubs and stages at home.

We collectively ask for a £250m UK music education package this spring to repair decades of dismantling music. Music education is cross- departmental: Culture, Education, Foreign Office, Health & Social Care and Business and Trade.

Music in and out of school should be for all, not a few. We are up against five fights to protect and grow music education and we need you all:

1. Fund music in schools, like sport.

Deliver a Music & Arts Pupil Premium to schools (the Sports Premium is currently £324m); fund extra £32m for Music Hubs each year.

2. Close the gaps, musicians as teachers.

Urgently train 1,000 music teachers to end the 56% fall in recruitment; stop the closures of university music departments, like Cardiff University.

3. Launch UK-wide fund for grassroots music collaboration.

A quarter of youth music spaces are considering closing, and over two thirds are only surviving short-term.

4. Launch fair and industry fit music apprenticeships.

Only 0.5% of apprenticeships are in the creative sector; launch 500 music apprenticeships UK-wide, with new festival apprenticeships and industry readiness support for youth at-risk.

5. Diversify the curriculum, include industry voices.

Establish a teacher and industry special task force for a diverse, industry-informed curriculum; remove the Ebacc, include music in the Ofsted report card in England.

We understand that there are many pressures. As artists, civil society and industry, we want to be part of the solution.

We look forward to hearing your reply soon.

Yours faithfully,

Ed Sheeran

Backed by

Annie Lennox OBE

Ben Lovett & Ted Dwane

(Mumford & Sons)

Central Cee

Coldplay

Dave

David Arnold

Eric Clapton

Fekky

Fred Again

Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol)

Harry Styles

James Bay

Katrina Leskanich

Lucy Rose

Maisie Peters

Myles Smith

Nathan Duvall (DISCIPLES)

Oliver Sykes (Bring Me The Horizon)

Paloma Faith

Robert Plant CBE

Richard Curtis

Sandie Shaw MBE

Sir Elton John CH, CBE, Hon RAM

Sleaford Mods

Stormzy

YolanDa Brown OBE DL

Amy Wadge

The letter is also signed by hundreds of other artists and others connected to the music industry and education.

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