Play School host Don Spencer founded The Australian Children’s Music Foundation 21 years ago. It has been changing lives for disadvantaged children ever since.
Over the last 21 years, the Australian Children’s Music Foundation (ACMF) has opened its doors to disadvantaged children and youth at risk across Australia. The dedication and commitment of its members relies on the firm belief that music can change lives. To inspire more children to get closer to music, the ACMF is inviting all school-age children to participate in its National Songwriting Competition.
Singer-songwriter and children’s entertainer Don Spencer founded the not-for-profit organisation in 2002. Based in North Sydney, the ACMF mission is to ‘enrich the lives of disadvantaged and Indigenous children,’ providing them with the tools, knowledge, joy, and care to ‘encourage creativity and achieve positive educational and behavioural outcomes’.
“Research has proven the importance of music and arts education,” Don says. “And yet so many children don’t have access to music lessons. This is alarming. Every private school in the world teaches music.
“I started it because when I was young, I had a rather tough childhood, and music was my escape, my solace.
“And music is a wonderful escape. It is joy and happiness. And it inspires creativity and imagination. It has been proven to help kids in so many ways, academically and socially – and self-esteem, literacy and numeracy.
So, I decided to start this foundation and look after disadvantaged children. And that means we’ve got programs all over Australia,” says Don.
In the last two decades, the ACMF has delivered over 268,000 free music lessons, provided over $1.2 million worth of instruments, participated in charity events such as Telethon and actively worked in Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick and Melbourne Children’s Hospital doing music therapy.
The National Songwriting Competition has been run for 21 years. It is open to every child in Australia of school age, and entry is free.
“There are significant prizes for all age groups, from five to 18 years old,” Don says. “It’s a great way for kids to express themselves, be creative, and write a song. It’s a great exercise. And over 21 years, we’ve found some amazingly creative kids who have gone on to great things, from orchestral music to pop music.”
Individuals, bands or schools can enter, competing to win over $20,000 worth of prizes.
This year’s competition closes on 30 September 2023. To participate, visit acmf.com.au. You can also support the ACFM by making donations, fundraising or funding a program.