Local company helps send one guitar around the world for music education
A British Music Company based in Milton Keynes is helping to send a unique guitar around the world in a campaign designed to demonstrate the power of music and support greater access to music education.
Milton Keynes company, Ballistica Ltd, are working with Arrow Guitars to deliver Arrow Around the World—an international campaign that will see a one-off Arrow Tonecaster played and signed by musicians, creators and music personalities as it travels through the UK, the United States and Europe.
At every stage, participating players will create and share videos featuring the guitar, passing the campaign from one musical community to the next. Once its journey is complete, the instrument will be auctioned, with the proceeds donated in aid of the NAMM Foundation and its work supporting music-making and music education.
For Luke, who has spent more than 25 years working in the music and entertainment industry, the campaign is about far more than promoting an instrument.
“Music is one of the few things capable of crossing borders, generations and backgrounds almost instantly,” said Luke. “You do not need to speak the same language or come from the same place to connect through a song. We wanted to use that shared language to bring people together and draw attention to something that really matters: giving more people the opportunity to experience making music.”
The campaign began in the UK and will continue through a growing network of guitarists, retailers, artists and content creators. Its international journey has already included a visit to Nashville and will soon be travelling to Guitar Summit 2026 in Mannheim, Germany, where visitors will be invited to see the guitar and create their own campaign videos at the Arrow Guitars stand.
The guitar is being protected throughout its journey by a custom-made case donated by British manufacturer Scott Dixon Cases.
Luke believes music education must not be treated as an optional extra. Learning an instrument can give a young person a creative voice, build confidence and encourage patience, discipline, collaboration and self-expression. It can also provide a sense of identity and belonging at a time when many young people feel increasingly isolated.
“Not every child who picks up an instrument will become a professional musician—and that is not the point,” Luke added. “Music education is valuable because of what it gives people along the way. It teaches you to listen, to practise, to make mistakes, to work with others and to keep going. Those are skills that stay with you for life.”
The NAMM Foundation works to advance active participation in music-making and supports programmes that improve access to music education. Through Arrow Around the World, Ballistica and Arrow Guitars hope to contribute financially while also using the guitar’s journey to start a much wider conversation.
The idea is deliberately simple: one guitar travels from player to player; each person adds something of their own; and every video carries the message to a new audience.
“A single post might reach a few hundred people or it might reach hundreds of thousands,” said Luke. “What matters is that every person who takes part helps move the message forward. If the campaign encourages someone to donate, support music in their local community or put an instrument into a young person’s hands, it has achieved something worthwhile.”
Arrow Around the World will run throughout the second half of 2026, with new performances, stories and contributions shared as the guitar continues its journey.
One guitar. One global journey. Loads of brilliant people. One simple belief: music matters.
If you want to learn more about this campaign, the NAMM Foundation or donate to the cause visit the Arrow Guitars website to find out more details, or follow the Arrow Guitars social to watch the guitar go around the world to raise funds for this amazing charity.