Ed Sheeran is launching a foundation bearing his name to support music education in the United Kingdom. The “Ed Sheeran Foundation” will focus on offering inclusive music education and will support 18 music education organizations and music departments in public schools across the country.

His goal is to improve access to music for more than 12,000 children and young people by providing musical instruments and creating opportunities for participation in performances, helping them explore new pathways into the music industry. Sheeran announced the news through a social media post.

See his post:

Commenting on his new initiative, Ed Sheeran said: “Music education shaped who I am. I’ve always loved playing music, and it has led me to some of the best moments of my life.”

In his post on his personal Instagram account, the English singer and songwriter stated: “I created the Ed Sheeran Foundation because, recently, less and less attention is being given to music education. Even when I was in school, it was considered ‘a bit of fun’ and wasn’t taken seriously.”

He continued by adding: “There is a misconception that it’s not a real profession, while the music industry represents 216,000 jobs across many different sectors and contributes up to 7.6 billion pounds annually to the UK economy. Not to mention the power our art holds globally, bringing joy to people. It’s something we should be proud of and defend in the United Kingdom.”