The public music schools of Berlin reach around 60,000 students of all ages with a range of over 1 million units of music classes per year in all 12 districts. At around 40 of their own locations, the music schools offer extra­cur­ri­cular music education and cultural work as well as basic, advanced, and further musical training. The schools have developed a variety of music classes for multiple target groups. For example, they colla­borate with daycare centers, schools, and other educa­tional and cultural insti­tu­tions to provide inclusive music lessons for minority popula­tions such as refugees or indivi­duals with disabi­lities. With a diverse program of events, the music schools are essential insti­tu­tions for the enhancement of low-threshold and decen­tra­lized cultural work.

The service center for music schools (szm) is currently being set up under the umbrella of the Foundation for Cultural Education and Cultural Advice. Its goal is to support the public music schools by helping to coordinate the large variety of their music classes and other activities in terms of intensity, acces­si­bility, and quality in all of Berlin. Synergies between the music schools are to be raised while central service proce­dures are to be simplified.