Australian and international research has shown the strong links between music education and a child’s social, intellectual and physical development, yet the access to an effective music education for many Australian school students is declining. This program matches worthy students with passionate and inspiring music teachers in schools – and allows students’ musical journeys to continue…for life. Guitars for Schools is an initiative of the Music Council of Australia’s ‘Music. Play for Life’ campaign. It is made possible through the generous support of the ‘Fall in Light’ Jeff Buckley tribute events, the Ian Potter Foundation and other benefactors. The program puts guitars into the hands of students during the middle and later years of schooling as an encouragement to them to expand on their music-making. They can build on their music lessons at school with extra practise at home on their own instrument. Participant schools and students are selected in consultation with the relevant State’s education authorities. The program is for schools in economically disadvantaged areas; schools with an on-staff instrumental teacher providing a minimum one lesson per week in programmed classroom time (not out-of-school time) in music. students in middle/late years who have already shown musical dedication and promise.