Newark School of Musical Instrument Crafts suspends degree courses in 2025-26
The Newark School of Musical Instrument Crafts, owned and overseen by Lincoln College, has informed students that it will accept no new applicants for its 2025-26 degree courses in violin, guitar and woodwind making and repair, and piano tuning and repair.
Although those students currently enrolled in degree courses will be unaffected, those students on foundation courses will not be able to progress to degree level at the UK college in the next academic year. No announcement has been made thus far regarding degree courses beginning in 2026.
The Newark School of Musical Instrument Crafts has issued a statement stating:
'Due to low application numbers, we have elected not to run this particular course for new students this year. This has been a long and considered consultation with staff and the Lincoln College Group’s senior leadership team.
'We are currently working with staff to explore and successfully establish new ways to deliver this important legacy course.
'The Violin School in Newark remains open. We remain as a college committed to this valued and respected school which has been an integral part of Newark College for many years. Our students remain our most important assets and we are here to support them with any concerns they might have.'
Despite the school's assurances, Malanie Watson, Lincoln College assistant principal has said that the school has 'run at a substantial loss' over the past three years, and that it is hoped Newark can 'redesign the programme' to 'better meet student and employer needs, and improve financial stability' with 'more flexible costing options'.
Chang.org petition protests against degree suspension
A petition on Change.org protesting against the degree course suspension has now reached over 12,600 signatures.
'The instrument making courses on offer in Newark are more than just qualifications from a college,' states the petition. 'They have made Newark into a hub of musical instrument crafts and created a community to nurture and support makers through their training and beyond.
'On these four distinct courses violin makers, guitar makers, piano technicians and woodwind specialists learn the skills they need for fruitful careers, preserving traditional knowledge that could otherwise be lost.
'These courses have a huge historic precedent, beginning with the school of violin making founded in 1972, whose inaugural class are now among the most highly regarded makers in the country.
'The loss of these courses will have a profound and devastating effect on not only the instrument making community, but also on the global music industry as a whole! Put simply, if there are no instrument makers, there are no instruments.'