Call us on 01302 369 999
Call us on 01302 369 999
Take it away is an Arts Council initiative designed to help more people get involved in learning and playing music. The scheme allows individuals aged between 18 and 25 to apply for a loan of up to £2,000 for the purchase of any kind of musical instrument, and pay it back in nine monthly instalments, completely interest free.
Offer subject to age and status. Terms and conditions apply. Take it away is operated by ArtCo Trading Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arts Council England and a limited liability company registered in England & Wales under No. 2758433. Registered address: Arts Council England, North East, Central Square, Forth Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3PJ.
You can use Take it away to finance the purchase of any kind of musical instrument, whether new or reconditioned, from a tabla to a tenor horn, a bass guitar to a berimbau. You can also include music stands, stools, sheet music, amplifiers, equipment and sometimes tuition as part of your loan.
Recorded music, PA systems and computer hardware are not eligible to purchase under the scheme.
Take it away loans are designed to assist individuals with the purchase of new or reconditioned musical instruments. However the following associated goods and services may be included as part of the loan, provided that these items are purchased at the same time as the instrument itself and can be supplied by the retailer at the point of sale.
The following items cannot be bought using the loan:
First, visit a participating store and find an instrument that you want to buy. If you don't know what you're looking for, staff in the store will be able to give you help and advice in selecting the right instrument for your needs.
Once you've made your decision, you can apply for a Take it away loan to finance your purchase. You will need to bring a credit or debit card with you in order to pay the 10% deposit. The application process takes no more than a few minutes and, if approved, you can take your purchase away with you there and then.
To apply for a loan you need to be:
Loans are subject to status. Terms and conditions apply.
Loans are available up to £2,000, or as little as £100. The loan amount can be a part-payment towards an item that costs more than £2,000, or you can buy several lower value items with a combined value of up to £2,000 or more.
You will need to pay a minimum 10% of the loan amount at the point of sale. The rest is then paid back over nine months in equal instalments. There is no administrative charge or handling fee when you take out the loan, so you will never be paying more for your purchase than the ticket price.
If you are unclear about any aspect of Take it away, please read through the Frequently Asked Questions below. If your question is not addressed here please contact us.
Take it away is an Arts Council England initiative operated by its trading company, ArtCo Trading Ltd. Secure Trust Bank (trading as Moneyway) is the credit provider.
The scheme is subsidised by Arts Council England. This means that the Arts Council pays the interest to the bank, instead of the customer.
Simple. Find an outlet that operates Take it away using our directory of participating stores. It's a good idea to check the store's website for their opening hours and range of stock before you visit. Once you're there, staff will help you select an instrument appropriate to your needs, and then take you through the loan application process. Don't forget that you will need to have a credit or debit card with you as ID and to make your deposit payment (minimum 10%). You will also need to be 18-25 years old, a UK resident, and working at least 16 hours per week to be eligible to use the scheme.
If you are paying the 10% deposit by credit or debit card, you won’t need any additional ID. However, if you are paying your deposit by cash or cheque, then photo ID is required.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications from people who are unemployed and in receipt of state benefits.
Students are eligible to apply, provided that they have a part-time job working 16 hours a week or more.
Regrettably, the Arts Council doesn’t have the resources to operate the Take it away scheme on an ‘open to all’ basis. The Arts Council is focusing its resources in the areas where the need is greatest, in line with the strategic goals and priorities set out in Achieving Great Art for Everyone.
We are currently compiling a list of alternative funding sources and schemes which we will be adding to the website soon. Adults aged 26 or over wishing to purchase a musical instrument from a Take it away member retailer may be eligible for other (non-Arts Council subsidised) finance options available through our member retailers. These may not be interest-free. Please contact individual retailers directly to discuss this.
Yes. Once you have signed the agreement and paid your deposit you can take your new instrument away with you immediately.
At the moment Take it away is only available through retailers based in England. This is due to the funding for the scheme coming from Arts Council England. If you are based in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland and wish to use the scheme as a customer, you can do this by visiting one of the participating retailers in England or using the scheme via mail order.
Yes. The loan can go towards the payment of an instrument that costs more than £2,000.
Yes, there is no limit on the number of times that you can use the scheme. You can have different loans with different outlets running concurrently, although you will need to pass a separate credit check for each application. However, you will normally have to allow at least three months between loan applications in order to establish a repayment record with the bank.
Yes, you can use the scheme to buy instruments for other people (e.g. as a gift). However, please remember that you will remain responsible for repaying the full loan amount to the bank and that the loan is not transferable to a third party. The person taking out the loan must be between 18 and 25 years of age.
Yes. The loan can go towards the payment of an instrument that costs more than £2,000.
Yes, provided that the instrument is being sold through an approved Take it away outlet.
This will depend on the services available through the shop in which you are making your purchase. Some stores are able to provide lessons and other music services which can be added to your loan. Please ask for details when making your purchase.
No. The two schemes are distinct and because Take it away is only available to individuals (rather than through schools or other organisations). We would advise customers to make their own decision about which scheme best suits their needs based on their individual requirements and circumstances
The shop will be able to provide you with a letter containing details about what to do next.
Yes. You can pay the balance of your Take it away loan early and there will be no penalty charge for this. You would just need to call the bank directly on 0845 111 7107 to arrange this. This applies to both in-store and mail order loans.
This will normally be around 30 days from the date of your purchase, but you will receive a welcome letter providing details of your repayment schedule.
Yes, providing that the new date is no later in the month than the original due date.
Take is away loans are available on mail order purchases as well as those made in person at a participating store.
If there's a musical instrument retailer in your area that you think should be part of the scheme, either speak to them or send us their details. We accept applications from prospective retailers on an annual basis.
There is an excellent free information service available on www.musicteachers.co.uk which allows you to search for qualified music teachers in your area. The site includes helpful guidelines on how to go about choosing a private tutor for yourself or your child in safety and with confidence.
The NSPCC Child Protection Awareness in Music course has been created in conjunction with MusicLeader and the ABRSM. This is an online course which costs £15 to take. It consists of four modules, and is a bespoke course developed with the NSPCC for musicians who wish to teach. Please click here to be taken to the course site.
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