2025 Enhanced

National Youth Jazz Orchestra Annual Report 2024–25

The National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) is a national music education charity founded in 1965, nurturing the next generation of UK jazz talent. In 2024/25 it worked with 3,943 young people across 279 learning sessions, supported 100+ Emerging Professionals with 159 paid performance opportunities, and presented 46 public performances to 8,517 audience members including a debut at Berlin's Konzerthaus. 46% of Under-18 participants receive bursaries and 32% come from regions beyond London. The year marked the passing of founder Bill Ashton OBE and saw the appointment of new CEO Yvette Griffith OBE and four Resident Musical Directors. Total funds stood at £1,423,437.

Report snapshot
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About

Emerging Professionals Programme (ages 18–25) providing rehearsals, masterclasses, performances and educator training; Under 18s weekly ensembles and First Collective beginner group; Widening Access partnerships with Music Education Hubs and schools nationally; First Time Jazz recruitment tour; school in-residence and CPD for music teachers; holiday projects; festival outreach including We Out Here, Cross the Tracks and EFG London Jazz Festival; international performances; community jazz choir in Woolwich; projects with at-risk young people (Cardboard Citizens); James Baldwin tribute; Steam Down collaboration; Sun Ra Reimagined; Young Euro Classic Berlin Custom geography from upload: UK-wide (home base Woolwich, South East London)

Key Metrics

Key Metric 1 3,943 young people reached across 279 learning sessions in 16 programmes; 46 public performances reaching 8,517 audience members
Key Metric 2 100+ Emerging Professionals supported with 159 paid performance opportunities; 32% from regions beyond London; 32% from African, Asian, Caribbean or Mixed Heritage backgrounds
Key Metric 3 46% of Under-18 participants receive bursaries; 46% benefit from free access (Pupil Premium, free school meals or low-income families)

Key Outcomes

  • Largest single concert audience of 1,500 for British Standard Time at Berlin's Konzerthaus; NYJO Under 18s alumni have gone on to Birmingham Conservatoire, Leeds Conservatoire and Cambridge University
  • 29 in-school performances including 13 First Time Jazz sessions for 1,900 secondary school students; 69 educator training spaces delivered across 10 sessions
  • 19 workshops reached 365 young people through Widening Access programmes in Lancashire, Leicestershire, Manchester and Essex; 35 school shows reached 2,846 students

Geography

Other

Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
Total income £138,600,000 and total expenditure £108,350,000 (year ended 31 March 2025, charity no. 1068852); 5 million people welcomed through palace gates; £138.6m income...
Key Metric 2
Over 160,000 members making 300,000+ visits generating £5.8m membership income plus £814k Gift Aid; 217,400 £1 Universal Credit tickets sold; 304,000 visitors to Untold...
Key Metric 3
89% of visitors gained a better understanding of stories (discovery); 83% felt happier after their visit (joy); 76% were inspired to learn more; 28,365...
83% of visitors felt happier after their visit; 89% gained better understanding of palace stories; 94% charitable activities allocation of total expenditure; Tomorrow's Tower campaign secured £1.9m including £1m from Sandys Trust and National Lottery Heritage Fund development grant
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
Engaged 11,903 participants across projects between April 2025 and March 2026
Key Metric 2
Worked with 76 schools (2 nurseries, 54 primary, 13 secondary, 7 specialist and 3 further education) across 14 London boroughs
Key Metric 3
135 students completed an Arts Award; 211 teachers took part in 17 CPD sessions
97% of teachers reported the CPD session would have some or significant impact on their teaching practice
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
Black Country Living Museum welcomed 366,840 visitors in 2025, down 2.8% from 377,024 in 2024, of whom 265,886 (72%) were paying visitors.
Key Metric 2
School visitors rose 6% to 58,881 in 2025.
Key Metric 3
Volunteers contributed 16,716 hours, and the museum moved from a £723,675 deficit in 2024 to a net surplus of £158,001 before tax in 2025...
The museum was named Large Visitor Attraction of the Year 2025 at the VisitEngland Awards, recognising its 'compelling vision, fabulous customer service' and storytelling.