A proposal to relocate Newpark Academy of Music from its Blackrock home to Booterstown has been sent to the academy board, with a campaign group established to save the academy hopeful this can take place in time for students to enrol for lessons as of September 2024.
Save Newpark Music Working Group’s proposal aims to allow the Co Dublin music school to continue in existence.
The plan involves moving the school from Melfield House on the campus of Newpark Comprehensive School to new premises 3km away, at 118 Rock Road, Booterstown. The academy would remain in Melfield House for another academic year, pending planning permission and a fire cert. The proposal involves untying the governance structure of the academy’s company limited by guarantee from the comprehensive, appointing a new board and retaining its not-for-profit charitable status.
The academy’s executive director Hilda Chan said the proposal is “under consideration” and that Newpark Comprehensive’s board has been positive and would like to implement a proposal allowing the academy to continue.
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On May 22nd, Newpark Academy of Music’s board announced the highly regarded 45-year-old music school – located since 1989 in Melfield House on the campus of Newpark Comprehensive School in Blackrock, Co Dublin – was to cease operations 10 days later, on June 1st. The board cited operating losses and “significant financial issues”, saying “in the long-term the business is not sustainable”.
The announcement was a shock for the academy’s 600-plus music students and 42 (mainly part-time) staff. Following the sudden announcement, a well-organised campaign mobilised, led by prominent names in music, under the banner Save Newpark Music Working Group.
Located since 1989 beside Newpark Comprehensive, the two facilities are entwined in various ways, including the school’s students taking classes in the academy next door at reduced rates. Moving premises will sever the neighbourly link between them. The proposed new premises are across the road from Booterstown Dart station, and very close to St Andrew’s College, a private school in Booterstown.
The academy’s board cancelled a creditors’ meeting scheduled for June 24th, and its 2023 audited accounts have since been filed. While financial sustainability was cited for the sudden closure, the accounts show a modest deficit of €18,413 for 2023 (deficit in 2022 was €31,972), which was transferred to reserves.
The directors’ report notes dissatisfaction with the deficits, and “concerns about the music centre’s business model and financial viability”, and said an April 29th board meeting voted “to initiate the process of winding up the music centre... in a professional, orderly and sympathetic manner, and to minimise impact to staff and students”.
The four board members identified “risks and uncertainties”, including the risk of a decrease in the number of students, and increases in operating and maintenance costs of the building.
The Newpark campus, including Melfield House, is owned by the Department of Education, and the music academy occupies the building under a licence granted by Newpark Comprehensive.
When contacted, the Department of Education and the boards of both Newpark Academy of Music and Newpark Comprehensive School confirmed discussions are ongoing, saying it would not be appropriate to comment at this time.
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