“MusicSpace is a unique concept. It provides not only a home for music therapy but also for training, research and performance - for all branches of music where all people of all ages can come together and find that space in their lives which only music can fill."
Richard Stilgoe - Patron of MusicSpace

MusicSpace became a registered charity in 1989 and our first branch opened in Bristol in 1991. Requests for both in-house and outreach work soon grew, necessitating the employment of more staff. Our reputation for providing an efficient and successful service was recognised two years later with a Building a Better Bristol award. News of the project spread and a group of music therapists in Nottingham applied to join MusicSpace with their branch opening in 1995. A grant from the Nottingham Health Authority and Social Services established more music therapy for people with learning difficulties. The community-based model seemed to be working and our aim to develop a national network of branches was boosted by two grants from the Department of Health. Other branches soon joined us: Hampshire (1996), London (1998), the North West (2001) and West Midlands (2001). Ten years on from the first sessions in Bristol our staff of over 50 therapists were seeing over 1000 children and adults each week nationwide.

MusicSpace has linked up with the University of Bristol to create a part-time post-graduate Diploma in Music Therapy. The first two-year cycle began in 1992. Other educational links are with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London branch) and Liverpool Hope College (North West branch), University of Birmingham (West Midlands branch) and the University of Nottingham (Nottingham branch). Since 1996 the licensing of MusicSpace Italy has enabled Italian students to train in Bologna for the Bristol Diploma.

In 1997 The Vivien Duffield Foundation provided funds for the refurbishment of Bristol MusicSpace and to set up the National Office at the University of the West of England (UWE). The links with UWE have enabled us to develop our research programme in earnest. At the same time UWE awarded Dr Leslie Bunt the title of Visiting Professor in Music Therapy.

In 2000 we gained a Community Fund grant to develop a new three-year programme