Our Charitable Work
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Community Piping Clubs
We are passionate about nurturing an inclusive and representative piping community and, as a National organisation, we recognise how important it is for us to demonstrate that positive change.
Every one of our Community Piping Clubs are unique, not just in location or delivery, but in how each club works with a different community partner to deliver a truly community led project.
With support from the NPC Access Scheme we are proud to offer an equitable, accessible and safe space for young people to start or develop their piping journey.
Enriching lives through piping
Outreach Events
Further supporting our national reach and our commitment to break down financial barriers, we bring the very best elements from our NPC based activities direct to your communities.
Our Outreach Events typically last two days with a mixture of workshops, games, group playing and performance opportunities. They are perfect for pipers of all abilities and are a great way to experience a National Piping Centre programme for the first time.
Our Outreach Events are fully funded so participation is free to all. There is also travel and accommodation support available via the NPC Access Scheme for those eligible!
Our Outreach Events are also available commercially. If you are a school, youth club, community pipe band or other organisation looking to bring an exciting piping & drumming event to your city, town or village contact the team using the link below. Our commercial events are fully customisable and tailored exactly to your needs.
Where young pipers & drummers are born
Schools Workshops
Introduced in 2024, our Schools Workshops follow a similar format to our well established Outreach Events with the main difference being that the workshop can be tailored to suit the needs of the school’s pipe band.
Schools Workshops can be held on campus or at one of the NPC’s venues. They can be school specific or organised for a group of schools within a local authority. We always look to work alongside your existing teaching structure and leave a lasting benefit for teachers and students alike.
Whether your school wants to improve its pipe band playing, provide an exciting extracurricular activity or simply organise a fun and engaging field trip our Schools Workshops are hugely popular.
Inspiring the next generation of pipers and drummers
NYPBS
The National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland is a dynamic performance and development programme for young pipers and drummers from across the country. Run by the National Piping Centre, NYPBS offers a creative and inclusive environment where talented young musicians (aged 10-25) can connect, collaborate, and shine.
Members are supported by leading tutors and professional musicians through workshops, rehearsals, and high-profile performances across Scotland and beyond. More than a band, NYPBS is a platform for creativity, leadership, and musical excellence – and a place where lifelong friendships and skills are formed.
With multiple ensembles tailored to different ages and stages, NYPBS welcomes young players from all backgrounds. Entry is by audition, but our focus is always on potential, passion and the opportunity to grow. We believe the future of piping is diverse, vibrant and full of possibility – and NYPBS is where that future takes shape.
Promoting and amplifying the voice and talent of influential female musicians
The Maket Collective
Increasing the visibility of talented female musicians within the piping & drumming community.
We are fundamentally committed to changing the underrepresentation of women and girls across the piping & drumming community. We are addressing both the root causes and the effects that have long become societally accepted norms.
Through our research we have identified that one of the causes is the lack of visibility of prominent role models for young girls as they join, or consider joining, the piping & drumming community.
Through profiling their stories and performances, we hope to inspire women, girls and the wider community to take inspiration and empowerment to advance their own success.
This new platform from will promote wider visibility of women across the piping & drumming community.
Music as a Pathway – Access That Matters
Access Scheme
We are committed to providing equitable access to piping & drumming and supporting families in removing all financial barriers to participation.
Our NPC Access Scheme can provide support in three different ways:
- Subsidised club fees / Free places
- Travel subsidies
- Instrument loan / Rent-to-buy
Whether you would like to apply for financial support or would like to speak to one of our Youth & Communities team for advice please use the link below.
Research that strengthens belonging in the piping community
NPC Research Projects
At the National Piping Centre, our research aims to highlight the voices, experiences, and environments that shape piping and drumming today. We are committed to creating a safe, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels a sense of belonging and is empowered to contribute to the growth and future of piping and drumming..
In 2024, we published two landmark studies:
- Piping Ecology Report 2024 – kindly funded by the William Grant Foundation, this study investigates the environmental and cultural contexts that sustain piping, highlighting the interconnectedness of tradition, place, and community.
- Women in Piping & Drumming Study 2024 – documenting the stories, experiences and perspectives of women across the piping & drumming world, with the aim of identifying barriers, amplifying voices, and addressing the gender imbalance across the piping & drumming community.
Through research like this, we aim to listen, learn, and take action — helping to build a piping community that is safe, representative and inclusive for everyone.
