For 17 years, Svandammen Music School has existed in Uppsala. Now we are on the verge of collapse. It is the aftermath of the ongoing pandemic that continues to affect us. Help us survive. Think of an important event in your life where music has played a significant role. It's not difficult; almost everyone can quickly recall such a memory. A memory from a concert experience, a specific song, a wedding, a funeral, a lullaby, or "This is our song!" For almost two decades, children and youngsters have had their interest in music awakened and developed at what would become Svandammen Music School. The students have learned the language of music, expressing emotions through piano, singing, and guitar. They have listened to music and created their own. From a small group of students in a basement, the school has grown over the years to accommodate over 400 students. Thousands of children, youngsters, parents, and families have participated in lessons, concerts, and music camps over the years, and their hard work has yielded fantastic results. Music has been heard in homes, and original compositions have been written. According to research, it has been shown to have a significant positive impact on brain development in children. The school flourished, and the future looked bright... Then the coronavirus pandemic arrived. Overnight, the operations were shifted to digital teaching and recorded lessons. When children and youngsters couldn't attend other activities like public swimming pools, libraries, etc., they could continue their music studies every week. Even the pensioners learned the new technology and were able to continue their music lessons digitally. As a private music school in Uppsala, we have not received any support or government funding. If the school had closed down, the company could have received financial assistance from the state. But we refused to do so. The school continued its teaching. (When, if not during a pandemic, was the need for music and music education the greatest?). When students were allowed to return to classrooms, the number of students in each room was reduced to maintain distance, teaching hours doubled, and the school's finances collapsed due to increased wages and pandemic-related costs. When the recovery was supposed to begin, we were faced with war, an energy crisis, high inflation, and increased interest rates. The post-pandemic period, like for many other businesses, has meant repaying deferred taxes, increased interest rates, and rising fees. Now we have run out of money. We believe we can survive in the long run. But we need funds to recover from the aftermath of what has been. The fact that the company has held on for so long is due to its well-functioning operations and good finances before the pandemic. The interest in learning and furthering education in music is as strong as ever. Today, there are over 200 students on the waiting list, eager to begin their musical journey at Svandammen Music School. Therefore, we know that there is a great need for our services in our society. We have tried to seek help from all possible sources, but we haven't received a penny in support. Therefore, we are turning to the public and asking for your help. We ask for assistance in supporting us financially and spreading the word about our campaign. Every penny counts. A big and heartfelt thank you for all the support we have received over the years, and we hope that with your help, we can continue to pursue this essential investment for the future - our children and young people. Let the music live!
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