Take it away is an Arts Council initiative designed to help more people get involved in learning and playing music. This scheme is now available to online customers as well!

Take it away is open to everyone (over the age of 18), but primarily designed to help those who might otherwise be unable to afford an instrument appropriate for their needs.

TIA priorities are:

• to encourage children and young people to develop their interests and skills in music making
• to inspire new players of all ages to begin learning an instrument
• to enable those on lower incomes to acquire an instrument appropriate to their needs (or the needs of their children)
• Take it away is only available through registered outlets, such as Dolphin Music!

Typical 0% APR
Offer subject to age and status. Terms and conditions apply. Take it away is operated by ArtCo Trading Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arts Council England and a limited liability company registered in England & Wales under No. 2758433. Registered address: Arts Council England, North East, Central Square, Forth Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3PJ

What Can You Buy?

You can use Take it away to finance the purchase of any kind of musical instrument, whether new or reconditioned, from a tabla to a tenor horn, a bass guitar to a berimbau. You can also include music stands, stools, sheet music, amplifiers, equipment and sometimes tuition as part of your loan.

Check our main categories to find your dream instrument!

• Guitars
• Pianos
• Keyboards
• Drums & Percussion
• Orchestral

Recorded music, PA systems and computer hardware are not eligible to purchase under the scheme. Take it away loans are designed to assist individuals with the purchase of new or reconditioned musical instruments.

However the following associated goods and services may be included as part of the loan, provided that these items are purchased at the same time as the instrument itself and can be supplied by the retailer at the point of sale.

• Drum heads
• Drum sticks/ brushes
• Effects pedals
• Instrument amplifiers
• Instrument cases
• Instrument cleaning materials
• Leads
• Metronomes
• Mouthpieces
• Music/instrument stands
• Mutes
• Plectrums
• Reeds
• Rosin
• Sheet music
• Shoulder rests
• Silencers
• Stools
• Straps
• Strings
• Tuition Books & DVDs
• Tuners

The following items cannot be bought using the loan:

• Non tuition CDs and DVDs
• Non tuition music books
• Concert tickets
• Microphones
• Recording equipment
• PA systems

How do I "Take It Away"?

Once you've found the instrument you want to buy, you can apply for a Take it away loan to finance your purchase. Please note: Online customers can only apply for Take It Away over the telephone. Call our sales team on 0844 815 0888 and apply now!

You will need to have a credit or debit card with you in order to pay the 10% deposit. The application process takes no more than a few minutes and, if approved, you can make your purchase there and then! Of course, being employed helps, but people such as students and pensioners may also be eligible...

To apply for a loan you need to be:

• 18 years old or over*
• A permanent UK resident
• Hold a bank or building society account capable of handling direct debit payments
  * if you are under 18, your parent or guardian can apply for a Take it away loan on your behalf. Loans are subject to status. Terms and conditions apply.

How Much Can I Borrow?

Loans are available up to £2,000, or as little as £200. The loan amount can be a part-payment towards an item that costs more than £2,000, or you can buy several lower value items with a combined value of up to £2,000 or more.

You will need to pay a minimum 10% of the loan amount to start with. The rest is then paid back over nine months in equal instalments. There is no administrative charge or handling fee when you take out the loan, so you will never be paying more for your purchase than the ticket price.