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Music & Dementia

BBC Music Day 2019 continued its initiative to help bring music to everyone living with dementia, working with all major organisations in this field.

Please visit the Music & Dementia at the BBC website, which launched on 26th March 2020, to find out more.

In 2019, over 800 events took place across the UK on BBC Music Day, in a celebration of the power of music to change lives; including the first ever music and dementia festival co-created by people living with dementia and the first NHS Dementia Village opening its doors ahead of its official launch. Supporting the initiative is legendary, multiple Grammy-winning musician, Nile Rodgers. An ambassador for BBC Music Day 2019, Nile has had personal experience with family members affected by dementia.

More than 100 organisations are involved in this unprecedented collaboration including Alzheimer’s Society, Age UK, Alzheimer Scotland, Dementia UK, NHS England, Nordoff Robbins, Live Music Now, Playlist For Life, and Utley Foundation.

They worked together the week of BBC Music Day to create events and take part in broadcasts celebrating the importance of music in improving the wellbeing of people living with dementia. This initiative was reflected across BBC Radio, TV and digital.

Below are some highlights from across BBC TV and Radio, including broadcasts on BBC Radio 4, 5 Live and BBC Two. On the right is coverage from events across the country featured in BBC regional news bulletins.

To see picture highlights from events across the length and breadth of the UK, click here. External partners including Colten Care, Northumberland County Council, Oomph! Wellness, St Andrews Healthcare and Songhaven have made videos of their events avaliable for public viewimg. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Music and Dementia coverage

Organisations taking part in our music and dementia initiative include:

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

For information on BBC Music Memories and BBC Memory Radio, click here.

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