2020 was a year like no other: the pandemic, America’s long-overdue reckoning with race, financial downturns, starkly divided politics. Facing COVID-19 shutdowns and stringent health regulations, orchestras found innovative ways to keep the music playing—even while reexamining their roles in a changing society.
Orchestras and scientists are joining forces to study the spread of the coronavirus so they can bring back live music— safely. These collaborations are part of the innovative approaches orchestras are taking on multiple fronts during the pandemic.
As the country copes with the pandemic and faces a longoverdue reckoning with racism, orchestras are seeking fresh ways to forge genuine connections with communities. How can orchestras collaborate with public education and community partners and offer social-emotional support and engagement? The League’s “New Ecosystem for Community-Centered Commitments” webinar gathered experts to propose new directions.
The COVID-19 crisis and the national focus on racial justice have profoundly affected conversations around governance, with new calls for equity, diversity, and inclusion on boards and at orchestras.
As orchestras grapple with the financial and organizational challenges of recalibrating their business models for a post-pandemic world, compelling opportunities to rethink relationships with local communities and society itself are emerging. – Simon Woods, League President and CEO
The Volunteer Council of the League of American Orchestras looks at how volunteer organizations are tweaking traditions and holding firm as they continue to support their communities during this time of uncertainty, with special emphasis on ways these organizations have changed and adapted with respect to holding meetings, fundraising, and engaging and communicating with their members.
The League of American Orchestras is pleased to honor these member orchestras celebrating noteworthy anniversaries this season.
Through direct grants, support to state arts agencies, and national leadership initiatives, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is a critical source of federal support for orchestras nationwide. The NEA’s FY19 Grants to Organizations included 100 grants to orchestras and communities they serve.
The U.S. State Department encourages links among cultural organizations and communities around the world by providing grant opportunities for cultural exchange and promoting cultural diplomacy.
Orchestras and individual musicians travel with their instruments to bring the
experience of live music to audiences in every corner of the globe.