October 17, 2026

Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason responds to closure of University of Nottingham music department

In a letter to all supporters of the Campaign for the Arts, our trustee Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason reacts to the news that the University of Nottingham will close its music department after more than a century.

Dear Friend,

I’m writing to you as a trustee of the Campaign for the Arts, a mother to seven professional musicians, and with a heavy heart.

Last week, the University of Nottingham confirmed it is closing its Department of Music, axing 5 degree courses and silencing more than 100 years of music. This department pioneered the study of music in British universities: now it’s gone.

I’m devastated by this news. This department helped make my family who we are. Konya and Jeneba had their first piano lessons with one of its professors; now they are touring internationally and playing with the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra. As all my children grew up in Nottingham, the university gave them accompanists, teachers, places to perform, encouragement and expertise. Its closure is a colossal blow to the cultural life of the entire East Midlands and its impact will be deep and far-reaching.

The university blames “student demand”, but demand doesn’t fall by accident. It falls when arts subjects are squeezed out of schools, when arts GCSE and A-level entries then hit record lows, and when music is treated as a nice-to-have that’s easy to cut. Nottingham isn’t the first university to do this, and unless something changes, it won’t be the last.

That’s why I joined the Campaign for the Arts. Decisions like this harm people at every stage of life: children in primary school, teenagers choosing their subjects, students at university, and every one of our lives of learning and growing through the arts. We need to stand together.

Right now, we have a real chance to change the story. The new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, is writing a 10-year plan for the UK. We’re calling on him to put the arts in it.

Saving music departments like Nottingham’s means changing how this country values the arts. Putting the arts in the 10-year plan would be a powerful start: a clear message, from the very top, that they are an essential ingredient in the future we all want to build.

Change can come from the top – but it needs to start with us. More than 40,000 Campaign for the Arts supporters like me and you have already signed this petition. Help us reach 50,000. Please add your name today.

Sign CFTA’s petition →

Thank you for being part of the Campaign for the Arts,

Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason
Campaign for the Arts Trustee

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