RNCM launches 10-year plan to power the music of tomorrow

The RNCM has launched its new strategic plan, Powering the Music of Tomorrow 2026-2036, reaffirming our commitment to shaping the future of music through excellence, creativity, innovation, and collaboration.

Built around four strategic goals, Powering the Music of Tomorrow will see us strengthen our position as a global leader in music education, drive positive change across the creative and cultural industries, deepen our impact as an anchor institution for Manchester and the North, and ensure the RNCM remains sustainable and rich in opportunity for future generations.

As part of the launch, we have unveiled four new major strategic initiatives in 2026 that will form part of our plan to bring our vision to life over the next decade: RNCM Teach, RNCM Futures+, the Institute for Music, Place and Society, and RNCM Renew. Together, these initiatives will expand opportunities for learners and educators, strengthen our civic and cultural impact, and support the long-term sustainability and development of our conservatoire.

At its heart, Powering the Music of Tomorrow is about people. It reflects our belief in the transformative power of music, our commitment to belonging and opportunity, and our ambition to develop the musicians, artists, researchers, educators, and changemakers who will define the future of the industry.

A huge thank you to all the students, staff, alumni, partners, and supporters who joined us for the launch, and to the many people who contributed their ideas, insight, and energy to the development of the strategy.

We’re excited to begin the next chapter of the RNCM’s story and to bring this vision to life over the next 10 years.

Our First New Initiatives in Detail

RNCM Teach

For today’s children and young people, finding high-quality learning opportunities to develop as musicians is becoming harder. We know that the music teaching workforce in the UK is in decline – our Music Hub partners tell us that recruiting and retaining high quality instrumental and vocal tutors is becoming more challenging, with far fewer younger teachers entering the profession.

The RNCM already offers professional development activities for music services, hubs, and other organisations that employ and engage teachers, giving opportunities for teachers to learn from our outstanding staff. We will bring this work together under the banner of RNCM Teach.

Within this, we have formed a partnership with the Chartered College of Teaching, and we will bring together Music Hubs and Services to design and develop a professional development programme for instrumental and vocal teachers that will lead to Chartered Status.

RNCM Futures+

RNCM Futures+ is our brand-new dedicated hub for RNCM graduates and emerging artists, designed to support the transition from student to professional musician and provide ongoing career development opportunities.

At the RNCM, we want our students to power the music industry and thrive in a rapidly changing world. Throughout their studies, we equip them with the creative, professional, and entrepreneurial skills, leadership qualities, and confidence to forge their own paths and build sustainable careers. Our commitment does not end at graduation. Through RNCM Futures+, we continue to support graduates as they establish themselves as early-career artists and remain connected to our global alumni community.

With the generous support of Purposeful Ventures, RNCM Futures+ includes a dedicated three-year programme to provide musicians who have faced financial barriers with the opportunities and support they need to transition into a classical music career. This includes targeted support for Junior Fellowships, Creative Innovators Awards (which for 15 years has supported RNCM students to develop new ideas and to kickstart new businesses, charities, and musical endeavours), and a new Creative Innovators Graduate Edition.

RNCM Futures+ features a suite of paid opportunities for early career musicians across all genres and backgrounds, including:

• Creative Innovators: Graduate Edition – Four annual financial awards to ensure RNCM graduates can develop entrepreneurial and creative business ventures.
• Junior Fellowships – Ten paid 12-month fellowships offering early-career artists the opportunity to contribute RNCM projects while developing professional practice.
• RNCM String Quartet Studio – A one-year intensive graduate training programme in chamber music, with advanced coaching
• RNCM/ENO Incubator – A paid 12-month programme supporting early-career artists developing new operatic work.

Alongside this, we’ll support Careers and Professional Development through: a dedicated Connect digital hub portal featuring a jobs board, industry opportunities, and bespoke professional development resource; a mentoring programme matching graduates with experienced members of the RNCM alumni network; and professional networking and careers events delivered both online and in person throughout the year.

Institute for Research in Music, Place and Society

The launch of our new Institute for Research in Music, Place and Society marks a major milestone for the RNCM following the grant of Research Degree Awarding Powers and the introduction of the institution’s own PhD programme. Building on 15 years of specialist music research, the Institute will strengthen the RNCM’s work in music education, community and intercultural music-making, heritage, and music and wellbeing.

The new Institute supports the RNCM’s ambition to expand national and international research partnerships, influence policy, and deepen its impact across Manchester, the North West, and beyond. A second institute, focused on artistic innovation, is planned within the next 18 months.

The RNCM is currently home to 43 PhD students, alongside eight students on the new Advanced Artist Diploma, a doctoral-level programme designed to support exceptional artists in advancing creative practice through bespoke research projects.

RNCM Renew

RNCM Renew is a transformational 10-year capital programme designed to revitalise our iconic campus and ensure that, more than 50 years after opening its doors, the RNCM remains at the forefront of music education, performance, innovation, and community engagement.

At its heart, RNCM Renew is about creating the conditions for the next generation of musicians, composers, performers and creative leaders to thrive.

The first phase, from 2026 to 2030, will see more than £10 million invested in essential infrastructure, improving the safety, accessibility, sustainability, and resilience of our campus. Alongside this, £3 million will be invested in our flagship performance spaces, transforming the Theatre with advanced sound, performance, and research capabilities, and enhancing the Concert Hall through major sound and lighting upgrades.

We will also establish a new Production Lab, giving students access to industry-standard technologies, tools, and creative environments that reflect the realities of a rapidly evolving music sector.

Looking ahead, the centrepiece of RNCM Renew will be the RNCM Studios, opening by 2036. This landmark development will bring together a collection of digitally enabled studios, rehearsal rooms, and flexible performance spaces, creating a dedicated home for new and original music. Designed to foster collaboration, experimentation, and creative entrepreneurship, the Studios will support artists working across genres, disciplines, and technologies, while strengthening Manchester’s position as a global music city.

Together, RNCM Renew and the RNCM Studios will transform the campus, future-proof our facilities and provide an inspiring environment in which creativity, innovation and talent can flourish for generations to come.

6 October 2026