9:34 AM 27th March 2026
People Yorkshire And The Humber Believe Music Is The UK’s Greatest Export To The World
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RPO Hull
Photo: Duncan Wood
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra tours widely across the UK and, ahead of it returning to Hull, as part of its new concert season for 2025-6, the orchestra commissioned audience research to understand how music tastes and engagement varies across the UK.
· Residents of Yorkshire and the Humber have a positive outlook on music and the arts, with 87% believing the arts play a significant role in the health and wellbeing of broader community life. Levels of engagement with orchestral music are high, with core repertoire by the great composers remaining a cornerstone of enjoyment.
· There is a strong local connection to orchestral music in Yorkshire and the Humber, with 81% of adults saying they have a relationship with the genre. Of these, 28% say they have followed it for many years, 27% say they enjoy it alongside other genres, and 9% are set to experience it for the first time.
· Outside the concert hall, everyday engagement with orchestral music happens when people are relaxing on holiday (33%), commuting to and from work (33%), doing the housework (24%) and cooking at home (22%). A further 12% say they enjoy listening to orchestral music while working.
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Sarah Bardwell
Photo: Tim Lutton©
People in the region are the most likely in the UK to regard music as the UK’s greatest export to the world (54%).
The composer Tchaikovsky is most popular in Yorkshire and the Humber, with 22% saying they enjoy his music.
When it comes to children learning a musical instrument, Yorkshire and the Humber is the part of the UK where the drums are the most popular choice (31%).
People in Yorkshire and the Humber are the most likely in the UK to enjoy orchestral music while relaxing in the bath (13%).
The TV programme most likely to have inspired residents to discover orchestral music is Downton Abbey.
People in Yorkshire and the Humber also report better access to arts and culture than the national average. Just 24% say they have to travel more than 30 miles to reach music and arts venues, while public libraries (52%), music venues (47%) and music shops (35%) are the resources people are most likely to say they can access within 30 minutes of home.
At the same time, respondents are clear about the importance of protecting cultural infrastructure. The loss of public libraries (43%), live music venues (38%), museums (38%) and amateur music and theatre groups (28%) is seen as having the most damaging impact on community life.
The research also points to strong local pride in Yorkshire and the Humber’s musical heritage.
| What people value about Yorkshire and the Humberâs music scene | % |
| Great music venues | 54% |
| Diversity of musical styles celebrated and enjoyed | 50% |
| Hosting major music festivals each year | 46% |
| Being on the touring circuit for major artists and bands | 41% |
| Being the home or birthplace of famous songwriters and composers | 40% |
| Being visited regularly by world-class orchestras and famous soloists | 38% |
| A healthy grassroots music scene | 36% |
| Investing in music education | 25% |
“We are delighted to see from the RPO’s research that people value having access to music venues across Yorkshire and the Humber. We are proud to partner with one of the world’s great orchestras and give audiences access to outstanding music-making on their doorstep. We believe music, theatre and the arts have a vital role to play in enriching society, supporting inclusion and adding depth to the way we experience the world. Our long-standing partnership with the RPO has added an important dimension to the richness of live music in and around Hull.”
Alongside long-term audience trends, the RPO’s annual report also includes newly commissioned national polling on public attitudes to artificial intelligence in music. The findings show a clear distinction in how audiences view different uses of AI:
78% of UK adults believe AI will not replace live music performance
50% believe studio-recorded music could be partially replaced by AI in the coming decades
The most frequently cited concerns relate to artists’ livelihoods, royalties and the future of local music venues.
While respondents recognise potential benefits for AI in areas such as music restoration, mixing and production, there is strong resistance to its use where it interferes with human creativity, emotional expression or the shared experience of live performance.