SCO Strategic Plan 2023-28

2023 – 2028

Usher Hall, Edinburgh 2023

© Christopher Bowen

WHO WE ARE

At the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, we believe everyone should have equal access to exceptional musical experiences. Now more than ever, we believe that access to worldclass music is not a luxury but makes a vitally important difference to people’s lives.

It is our view that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in, create and enjoy music and music-making, helping individuals and communities everywhere to thrive.

One of Scotland’s national performing companies, the SCO is a world-class chamber orchestra, playing a major role in the cultural life of this country for fifty years.

With an international reputation for exceptional, idiomatic performances that include mainstream classical music to newly commissioned works and cross-art form collaborations, each year our wide-ranging programme of work takes us the length and breadth of Scotland, overseas and increasingly online.

Equally at home on and off the concert stage, each one of the SCO’s highly talented and creative musicians, staff and Board members is passionate about transforming and enhancing lives through the power of remarkable musicmaking.

WHAT INSPIRES US

Our inspiration comes from the pioneering spirit, outstanding musicianship and boundless energy of our founders in the 1970s.

They were driven by a mission to perform music at the very highest level for the enjoyment of everyone, to seek new opportunities for emerging talent, and to take their music to as many different venues as they could, however small or remote.

Their values and their life-affirming spirit lie at the very heart of our organisation and have never felt more important than now.

Maxim with Orchestra, Glasgow City Halls 2023 © Christopher Bowen

WHERE WE’RE AT

We are living through times of unprecedented uncertainty and extraordinary challenge, be they in terms of geopolitics, the economy, the fragility of democracy and civil rights, climate change, or the continuing persistence of racial and social inequity.

We exist and work within a local, national, and global society in which equality, diversity, and inclusion are moral imperatives for which we all have a responsibility.

The world we live in requires us to be relevant, to connect to our communities and to help make change. The plan outlined here aims to ensure our work is of relevance to our audiences and

communities, meaning they will see themselves, their stories and their histories reflected both in this work and in who we are.

Music and music-making are enhanced immeasurably by engaging with communities and the issues that concern them, and our organisation is strengthened by better reflecting the diversity of our communities.

We recognise we have work to do in these areas and this plan seeks to ensure that we blend our passion for music and music-making with genuine, meaningful engagement with those around us.

ReConnect Tea Dance Concert © Stuart Armitt

OUR VALUES

Passionate

We take joy in music and music-making, inspire this in others and work towards the highest level of excellence on and off our concert stage.

OUR VISION

To be a world-class chamber orchestra that nurtures exceptional music-making for all.

OUR MISSION

Connected

Creating musical experiences which transform and enhance lives across Scotland and beyond, reflecting our dynamic world.

Courageous

We embrace creative risk-taking, are bold enough to be experimental and use our collective imagination to explore new possibilities.

Open

We are open-minded and curious with a commitment to building meaningful relationships, rooted in common purpose, with all our stakeholders.

Agile Weareflexibleandfleetoffoot, abletolookatthefamiliarwithfresh eyesandtheconfidencetorespond positivelytoourrapidlychangingworld.

connectionWeusemusictocreateadeep betweenourselves,ouraudiencesandour communitiesandtonurtureasenseofbelonging.

OUR APPROACH

Our strategy is underpinned by a commitment to excellence with a particular focus on:

Inclusion

We seek to be an inclusive and accessible organisation, where diversity of thought is embraced and all voices are recognised, valued and respected.

Collaboration

We know that we can achieve more by acting together. We build productive relationships with each other, and all our stakeholders, seeking cocreation wherever possible.

Reflection

We engage in a continuous process of learning and adaptation, based on robust research and evaluation, measuring progress toward our aims.

THE NEXT 5 YEARS…

OUR PRIORITIES 2023-28

Becoming more diverse and inclusive

There is no true excellence without diversity. We will continue to engage in initiatives and with partners that ensure we achieve better representation across audiences, staff and artists.

We also recognise that there is more we can do on our stage, through our creative learning programme, across our digital presence and in our hiring practices to become a more diverse and inclusive organisation.

We are fully committed to ensuring that all individuals have equal access to our programme of work, with specific priorities including age, race, social class and disability.

Actions:

Programme and commission repertoire from composers and artists from a wide range of musical and cultural backgrounds in our planning and through our digital season.

Achieve greater access and inclusion by developing targeted creative engagement and audience development initiatives to connect with historically under-represented groups and to champion socio-economic diversity.

Participate in regular internal and external conversations about diversity and inclusion in order to promote ongoing engagement and deepen understanding around key issues.

Continually review our recruitment practices and processes to ensure that we are actively targeting historically under-represented groups.

Seek to understand and remove obstacles and change perceptions that discourage nonattenders and disadvantaged groups through ongoing audience research and evaluation.

SCO Family Festival 2023

© Stuart Armitt

To engage audiences through a dynamic and relevant programme

Critical to making music accessible to all is our ability to build on our existing audience base and engage new audiences.

We will present artistic programmes - including concerts, creative learning and digital activity - that are socially relevant and reflect the diversity of all our audiences.

We will listen actively, responding to what we hear.

We will strengthen the ways in which we understand our audiences and communities, meeting and exceeding their expectations.

Actions:

Take an integrated approach to planning our programme, ensuring artistic programming, creative learning and digital engagement opportunities are considered holistically with input from the Youth Advisory Assembly, Artistic Planning Group and audiences and stakeholders.

Devise programming strands and event formats that will appeal to different audience groups.

Use the SCO’s 50th Anniversary year (2023/24) as an opportunity to engage with new and existing stakeholders and to tell our story as widely as possible through media partnerships, fundraising events and creative engagement opportunities.

Identify and develop targeted interventions that support the involvement of others in co-creating.

Continue to develop our international profile and reach through touring, digital projects and through media relations.

The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh © Andy Catlin

Harnessing the power of digital

Digital activity has been a positive progression in our work that we will sustain and further develop.

We will continue to make the most of the opportunities that technology has to offer, allowing us to work creatively and efficiently, connecting with our audiences and supporters across the world.

We will curate a dynamic, blended programme that combines live activity with online engagement.

Actions:

Embed digital thinking across the organisation, investing appropriately in versatile technologies, digital asset management and skills development for our staff.

Use digital engagement as a collaborative tool for participation and engagement, incorporating digital resources across our output and utilising digital platforms.

Curate a digital season that allows access to the SCO to audiences outside Scotland and to those who find it difficult to come to concerts in person.

Enhance our digital reach through collaborations with a range of relevant partners.

Digital Season, Leith Theatre © Beth Chalmers

Preparing for our new home

The creation of The Dunard Centre, a purpose-built world class performance venue in Edinburgh will provide us with a transformational new home.

We will work closely with partners to develop a compelling new vision for the venue, that allows us to reimagine the concert experience, expand our repertoire and collaborate with artists of all genres.

It will be an inspirational space for exchange, bringing people together to celebrate local, national and international creativity and music-making.

Actions:

Establish advisory panels representing different stakeholders and key audiences to provide specific input on key decision-making stages and to ensure the building and the experiences within it are fully accessible in every way.

Prepare for the move to St Andrew Square and the opportunities it presents to our orchestra and its operations.

Artist Impression of the Auditorium - The Dunard Centre, Edinburgh © David Chipperfield Architects/Hayes Davidson

Valuing our people

Our success depends on our people.

We will continue to foster a shared sense of purpose in which everyone we engage with feels valued, supported and trusted.

We will work hard to ensure that the SCO is a stimulating and collaborative workplace where a genuine spirit of exploration and adventure is fully embraced and where people feel empowered.

Actions:

Continue to develop integrated working across the organisation, breaking down boundaries across our operations and improving mutual understanding of each others’ areas of work and expertise.

Develop talent across the organisation through offering appropriate opportunities for skills development.

Use insights gained from colleagues to inform our planning so that we continuously develop the way we work, enabling a culture of collaboration across our organisation.

Continue to prioritise a workplace environment and culture that promotes health and well-being.

SCO Family Festival 2023

© Stuart Armitt

Working sustainably

We are committed to operating in a sustainable manner in all aspects of our operation.

We will work hard to maintain financial stability.

We will continue to adapt to the new realities of the funding landscape by raising the profile of the SCO as a charitable organisation, diversifying and increasing our income streams and funding sources, and seeking efficiencies in the way we work.

We will also take responsibility in monitoring our environmental impact and reducing our avoidable carbon emissions.

Actions:

Improve our understanding of, and connections with, audiences to enhance income and promote individual and legacy giving.

Review and redevelop ticket Subscription and ticket pricing strategy to maximise income and audience engagement.

Develop a long-term integrated fundraising strategy to raise the SCO’s profile as a charity, increase income from current supporters, grow our supporter base and further diversify our fundraising income.

Develop new commercial activities to increase and diversify our income.

Maintain positive relationships with key funders and stakeholders.

Regularly review our Environmental and Organisational Sustainability Policy.

SCO Family Festival 2023

© Stuart Armitt