Gallery: ‘Save Newark Violin Making School’ challenge goes viral

Violin makers, dealers and auctioneers are among those taking up the ‘Save Newark Challenge’. The campaign to spread the word about the possible closure of the Newark School of Violin Making has spread across the UK, with the aim to make it international.

Organisers are asking supporters to print out the ‘Save the Newark School’ poster, take a photo of themselves and post it to social media accounts with the #savenewarkchallenge hashtag. Photos are also being collected at this Instagram page. 

’Without people to fix and repair instruments there simply is no music,’ said violin dealer Ben Hebbert, who is coordinating the campaign. ‘Newark is the only full-time college to train makers and repairers of violins, woodwind, guitar and piano. Newark graduates provide the skills to prepare children’s instruments to give them the best start in a musical education, and other graduates go on to make and care for the instruments played by the greatest musicians in the world.’ 

At the time of writing, the petition set up on 7 May has reached almost 10,000 signatures. The poster can be downloaded here (PDF) and here (JPG). Photos can also be sent to the campaign at savenewarkchallenge@gmail.com

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