Music in the Round Business Plan April 2015 March 2018 2 nd February 2015
CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 1 Company Information 2 Executive Summary i-iv 3 Introduction 1 4 This Plan 2 5 Mission 3 6 Programme and Artistic Development 4 7 Finance 6 8 ACTION PLAN: OBJECTIVES & MILESTONES Programme and Artistic Development 7 Digital Distribution and Content 10 Ensemble 360 11 Governance and Management 12 Finance 14 Appendices: A Summary Financial Forecasts 2015-18 B Sample programmes 2015/16 C Music in the Community Plan, 2015-18 D Audience Development Plan, 2015-18 E Equality Action Plan, 2015-18 F Environmental Sustainability Plan, 2015/16 G Staff team & Board of Trustees, 2015/16 H Risk Register 2015/16
1. COMPANY INFORMATION Registered charity number: 326811 Registered company number: 1880734 VAT number: 391 1875 33 Date of company formation: 25th January 1985 Registered address & 4 th Floor, Sheffield Central Library Contact details: Surrey Street SHEFFIELD S1 1XZ Tel: 0114 281 4660 Email: info@musicintheround.co.uk Web: www.musicintheround.co.uk Principal funders: Arts Council England Mayfield Valley Arts Trust Supported by: Sheffield City Council Honorary President Peter Cropper Trustees: David Brown (Company Secretary) Sarah Cockburn John Cowling (Chair) Barry Eldred Glynn Foley Simon Keefe David Richardson Principal Officers: Angus Smith (Artistic Director) Deborah Chadbourn (Executive Director) Staff: Tracy Bryant (Project Manager) Jenny Davies (Marketing & Coms Manager) Simon Seligman (maternity cover Marketing Manager 15) Jane Whitehead (Finance Officer) Kathryn Gasic (Project Coordinator) Polly Ives (Creative Producer, Learning & Participation) Fraser Wilson (Learning & Participation Manager)
2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Music in the Round aims to sustain and increase audiences for chamber music performed to the highest standards in venues around the country, in every sense drawing the audience as close as possible to the musicians (physically, and communicatively though speaking and music). From our unique Studio home in Sheffield, and in partnership with venues across England, we work to engage people of different ages and from different sectors of the community through imaginative programming and commissioning. Learning, participation and an expansion of audiences' horizons, young and old, are at the heart of our vision, which is based on the power of live music to transform people s lives. We are committed to the residency of Ensemble 360 in South Yorkshire, the largest region in Europe without a resident orchestra, to enrich its cultural life and, through our learning and participation programme, Music in the Community, to increase music-making opportunities for its young people. 2.1 Introduction Music in the Round achieved a great deal in 2011-2014. Our programmes, performed where possible in-the-round, moved audiences and musicians, inspired passion and excitement in well-known and less-familiar works. Our broad definition of the genre included a range of repertoire and artists, helping us to attract over 66,000 audience members, including 500 First Time Attenders. Our children s concerts attracted a further 21,160 people, selling out on tour in 20 places, including London s Wigmore Hall. Other Music in the Community activity engaged 16,840 people. We launched an Under-35s scheme to extend our reach beyond our usual demographic, ran an Associate Composer scheme and initiated our Children s Composer in Residence position, working consistently with Paul Rissmann. In 2013 we won the Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) Award for Chamber Music for imaginative and eclectic programming and excellence in performance. Reaching a wide range of regional venues and audiences, (MitR) provides an exemplary model of working and a David Bedford Award for Education. In 2012 Paul Rissmann won a British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) Education Award for our commission of The Chimpanzees of Happytown. In 2015-18 we will present at least 300 concerts, including three festivals and nine mini-festivals in South Yorkshire and around England and commission at least three new works. Partnerships will enable us to engage with diverse communities via projects based on shared experience of music from different cultures. 2.2 This Plan This plan covers the period April 2015 March 2018. It takes into account standstill National Portfolio Organisation funding from Arts Council England, new opportunities afforded by other funding, such as the Diana Kurzman legacy, and aims to grow the company s unique position as an innovative presenter and developer of audiences for chamber music. It is driven by the pursuit of artistic excellence, build on an award-winning body of work, and will continue to be collaborative, inspiring and reflective of contemporary England. Evaluation and feedback from our partner venues, audiences, non-attenders, participants, key stakeholders such as Arts Council England and Mayfield Valley Arts Trust, staff and board members, and members of Ensemble 360 have informed this plan. The plan, summarised here, sets out a programme that is designed to consolidate and further develop audiences with a national network of venues for chamber music, fuelled by ground-breaking activity in South Yorkshire and our ongoing partnership with Ensemble 360, our resident musicians. Detailed objectives and milestones are included here from page 4-14, and in the Audience Development and Learning & Participation Plans. i
2.3 Programming and Artistic Development (contributes to ACE Goal 1) 2.3.i We will continue to work with a variety of regional venues, supporting them to build audiences in their area and extending the impact of best in chamber music and musicians. Our relationship with this national network of venues will become more bespoke and focused on audience development. Sample programmes for 2015/16 are included in Appendix B. 2.3.ii 2.3.iii 2.3.iv 2.3.v 2.3.vi 2.3.vii 2.3.viii We will work with other national organisations to achieve greater impact, building on partnerships such as Aldeburgh Music (Bridge quartet scheme), and Wigmore Hall (Leipzig mini-festival in 2016 and our pioneering Early Years programme). We will continue to reinforce our role as the instigator and commissioner of new work, ensuring that Music in the Round (MitR) is rightly seen as showing leadership in the appreciation and development of new chamber music. We will collaborate where appropriate with other local and regional organisations including Sheffield Theatres, Museums Sheffield and Off the Shelf (festival of words) on programmes and projects. In Barnsley and Doncaster we will work with the Civic and Cast to support these venues to deliver a high-quality chamber music offer to their audiences, and extend our Ensemble 360 concert series reach and profile. We will support the artistic and professional development of an emerging string quartet, selected in autumn 2014, through Bridge. Bridge is a new three-year scheme designed to offer 'real world' experience and practical advice to young musicians. Our aim to increase the diversity of audiences, as exemplified by past projects and outlined in our Equality Action Plan, will be an important part of our programme. Our self-evaluation and monitoring will help us achieve continuous improvements to quality, talent development and our contribution to the Creative Case for Diversity in accordance with our ACE NPO funding agreement. 2.4 Learning and Participation, Music in the Community (contributes to ACE Goal 5) 2.4.i A detailed plan containing objectives and milestones can be found in Appendix C. 2.4.ii 2.4.iii Music in the Round puts Music in the Community (MitC), its Learning & Participation programme, at the heart of its commitment to inspire, enthuse, educate and engage people of all ages through high quality music experiences specifically to develop both the artists and audiences of the future. During 2015-18 we will build on the success of the previous three years, learning from the evidence and evaluation of previous projects, to extend our offer to more people of all ages. In partnership with Ensemble 360 we will continue to provide music education for children and young people through our strategic Access and Opportunity programme (Early Years Key Stage 3), Nurturing Talent (Key Stages 3 & 4), Adult Engagement strands of activity. ii
2.4.iv 2.4.v 2.4.vi Between 2011 and 2014, MitC led 326 specific activities with around 37,098 attenders* across its programme. By 2018, we aim to increase the number of participants by 1,500, increasing the number and range of concerts in the programme, engaging with new audiences, forging new links between MitC activity and the MitR concert series, and working on audience development. Amongst other partnerships and initiatives, we work in collaboration with local and regional Music Education Hubs, with Cape UK our Bridge organisation and contribute to both the Artsmark and Arts Award schemes. The work we produce for Children and Young People (CYP) supports and goes beyond the aims of Goal 5 of Arts Council England s Strategic Framework. It comprises two strands of activity, from Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) & Key Stage 1 to 4 (KS1-4): Access and Opportunity: introducing and engaging children, their families and teachers, through a variety of activity, including the commissioning of new classical chamber pieces for school and family concerts Nurturing Talent: supporting the development of young musicians from the region 2.5 Marketing & Communication (contributes to ACE Goal 2) 2.5.i A detailed Audience Development Plan containing objectives and milestones can be found at Appendix D. It sets our aim to broaden and increase audiences so that more people from a wider range of the population can experience great art. We have specified targets to quantify our ambitions, as well as projects that will help us engage people from areas where there is currently low engagement, and projects to engage those from less well-engaged segments of the population. Our Music in the Community plan adds detail to how we aim to increase the depth and quality of experience for audiences and participants of all ages. 2.5.ii 2.5.iii 2.5.iv We will continue to support the marketing and communications activity of our venue network, supporting specific Audience Development Plans for each partner, providing tailored print, content for web and social media, and generating more press awareness of the exceptional musicians on tour with MitR. In addition to the audience data we currently collect from venue partners box offices, we will develop data-sharing agreements where relevant, collecting post-code and other data to help understand and evaluate the impact of our touring programme, commissions and projects using Arts Audiences insights. We will use segmentation to identify and target new audiences. Where partners lack the resources to do their own interpretation and analysis we will seek funding to support this to happen alongside local area profiling. We aim to increase repeat attendance and target new audiences in partnership with the Civic, Barnsley and Cast, Doncaster. Our new CRM system in Sheffield will enable us to improve methods of data collection and interpretation and achieve more targeted campaigns. We will build on our Under 35s and First-Time booker schemes to attract younger audiences through specific activity. We will drive this through digital communication, enhancing our use of social media and more digital content, achieved through a re-balancing of our marketing resources. 2.6 Digital Content & Distribution (contributes to ACE Goal 2) 2.6.i We will increase the use of video content on social media and on our website, including interviews with artists, highlighting performance and rehearsal footage and supporting our venue partners to encourage audiences to access digital content. Blogs by musicians, composer and other artists will provide insight into new works. Recording live concerts in the May Festival will give us exclusive digital content to distribute through our own and other online networks. 2.6.ii We will run digital film projects with Year 5 & 6 pupils in response to music from repertoire played in schools prior to specific concerts and explore the feasibility of a iii
series of Apps or Ebooks based on our commissioned pieces to help introduce a greater number of children to classical music. 2.7 Ensemble 360 (contributes to ACE Goal 1) 2.7.i Ensemble 360 remains our resident South Yorkshire group. We continue to work closely with them on programming for the annual May Festival, a Spring Festival Weekend, as well as concerts in South Yorkshire and on tour. We will support the development of the group, in particular their recruitment of a manager and the individual members to realise specific project ideas such as a complete Beethoven piano trio cycle. 2.8 Governance and Staffing (contributes to ACE Goal 4) 2.8.i Our sub-committee structure, introduced in January 2014 will be reviewed annually. New trustees will be identified for co-option to the board to increase its diversity. The board will hold an annual away day to review the company s performance and future plans. 2.8.ii We will continue to work with fundraising consultant Helen Jenkins following the submission of two bids focused on audience development to extend the mini-festival and the schools concert programmes to venues around the country. Helen s work will support further bids, an ongoing Legacy campaign and a Friends development campaign to refresh this scheme. 2.8.iii Staff salaries will be increased in line with cost-of-living increases and employers pension contributions will be made in anticipation of Auto Enrolment in 2017 2.9 Finance (contributes to ACE Goal 3) 2.9.i We will work to maintain the increased levels of private giving achieved in 2011-2014 and to introduce a new light sponsorship package to achieve better success in this area. In 2013/14 we achieved a balance of 28% sales: 28% funding: 44% private giving. This was an exceptional year, but we aim to maintain individual giving, and increase sales in 2015-18 to achieve an even ration between each of these three elements. 2.9.ii 2.9.iii 2.9.iv 2.9.v We will review ticket prices in South Yorkshire and consider increasing these in 2017/18 (following price increase of 6%-9% in 2015/16 on Sheffield concert prices, excluding children s concerts). We will work with each of our partner venues to agree an annual budget with them to deliver their bespoke package. A priority will be to build unrestricted free reserves from 2013/14 levels of 34,183 to 60,000 in line with the company s reserves policy. Financial reporting will be streamlined for greater efficiency and to deal with more funding from diverse sources. Use of restricted and designated funds such as the Kurzman legacy, the Andrew McEwan Fund and the Lindsay Foundation will enable us to deliver activity for which the funds were set up. In the case of Diana Kurzman s legacy, funds will be allocated towards the performance of chamber music in particular to support the emerging string quartet on the Bridge scheme, the Marmen Quartet, as well as other artists in Sheffield and on tour. The Andrew McEwan Fund and Lindsay Foundation will support our Music in the Community Learning and Participation programme. The Future Festivals Fund, which is an unrestricted fund, will continue to be a vehicle for fundraising from supporters for festivals in Sheffield, and the support of other individual donors will help with specific projects or events such as Bridge. Our ambitions to develop audiences further on the touring programme are reflected in an increase in turnover in 2016/17 and 2017/18 which incorporates spending on additional activity including the short festivals and extended schools programme, and additional income raised through applications to two major trusts; Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. iv
3 INTRODUCTION 3.1 Music in the Round s plans for 2015-18, driven by the pursuit of artistic excellence, build on an award-winning, innovative body of work and will continue to be collaborative, inspiring and reflective of contemporary England. 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.8.i In 2013 we won the Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) Award for Chamber Music for imaginative and eclectic programming and excellence in performance. Reaching a wide range of regional venues and audiences, (MitR) provides an exemplary model of working and a David Bedford Award for Education. In 2012 Paul Rissmann, our Children s Composer in Residence, won a British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) Education Award for our commission of The Chimpanzees of Happytown. We achieved a great deal in 2011-2014, our programmes, performed where possible in-the-round, moved audiences and musicians, inspired passion and excitement in well-known and less-familiar works. Our broad definition of the genre included a range of repertoire and artists, helping us to attract over 66,000 audience members, including 500 First Time Attenders. Our children s concerts attracted a further 21,160 people, selling out on tour in 20 places, including London s Wigmore Hall. Other Music in the Community activity engaged 16,840 people. We launched an Under-35s scheme to extend our reach beyond our usual demographic, ran an Associate Composer scheme and initiated our Children s Composer in Residence position, working consistently with Paul Rissmann. In 2015-18 we will present at least 300 concerts, including three festivals and nine mini-festivals in South Yorkshire and around England. We will commission at least three new works. Partnerships will help us engage with diverse communities via projects based on shared experience of music from different cultures. Tailored, rather than one-size-fits-all, programmes will enhance our offer to a national network of venues, extending their reach to target audiences and to new venues in less wellserved areas. Music in the Community, (MitC) our Learning and Participation programme, aims to engage around 38,598 people (37,098 were engaged in 2011-2014). Our work for children and families is based on the same principles of quality and excellence that inform all our programming. We will continue to commission new work especially for this audience. We will support young talented musicians to develop their artistic and professional skills, in particular through Bridge, a new scheme to provide mentoring, performance opportunities and business support for a young string quartet that is taking its first steps in the professional music world. Music in the Round has earned a nation-wide reputation for presenting creative, innovative and often unique programmes including sell-out concerts, thoughtprovoking themed festivals and insightful, immersive Festival Weekends. We ve worked with a moving image artist and local steel firms, initiated collaborations between chamber, jazz and British Asian musicians, and presented participatory concerts in sports halls around England with a street-dance choreographer. We commissioned eight new pieces from five composers, including Charlie Piper (Associate Composer) and Paul Rissmann (Children s Composer in Residence). The quality of our work is endorsed by a range of people: Sean Rafferty, BBC Radio 3 In Tune, 2010: Music in the Round has revolutionised the way people listen to music 1
3.8.ii 3.8.iii 3.8.iv 3.8.v 3.8.vi Encore Scheme Participants, 2012 Welcoming, positive, comprehensive programme of events. Provided opportunities for tastes of classical music that I would not have had I was not brought up with this kind of music as a child, as a young adult I thought it was grand, expensive and not within my reach the door was open to me for a very new experience a wonderful gift to my life. Music Coordinator, Byron Wood School, Sheffield, 2012 The Extended Community Services Officer and I feel it is just the beginning of an important change in parents behaviour towards the school s performing arts activities, and that by word of mouth (in this case, 19 different languages!, parents will become more confident as a community in attending their children s concerts and plays. Arts Council Assessment 2012 The concert was a wonderfully creative piece of programming (that) successfully captured the imagination of the audience encompassing a wide range of ages including a considerable number of young people. Head of Sheffield Music Service, December 2013 "It was wonderful for the children to experience high-quality music. They seemed really engaged throughout, knew when to sing and listened very carefully. It was great to have the visuals to go with the story." Audience Member, Doncaster, 2014 Congratulations on that splendid evening at Cast a brilliant inauguration of MitR's presence there, evidently reaching a much wider audience than heretofore in Doncaster. 4 THIS PLAN 4.1 This plan covers the period April 2015 March 2018 and aims to grow the company s unique position as an innovative presenter and developer of audiences for chamber music. Evaluation and feedback from our partner venues, audiences, non-attenders, participants, key stakeholders such as Arts Council England and Mayfield Valley Arts Trust, staff and board members, and members of Ensemble 360 have informed this plan. It takes into account standstill National Portfolio Organisation funding from Arts Council England, new opportunities afforded by other funding, such as the Diana Kurzman legacy, 4.2 Activity will be driven by our commitment to the development of new and existing audiences for chamber music as a rich, powerful and intensely expressive art form, and by our ambitions to engage with a more diverse public. We will commission more new music and create new partnerships and contexts in which to present all our music. The plan sets out a programme that is designed to consolidate and further develop audiences with a national network of venues for chamber music, fuelled by ground-breaking activity in South Yorkshire and our ongoing partnership with Ensemble 360. 4.3 Sample programmes for 2015/16 are included in Appendix B. Detailed objectives and milestones can be found from page 7 page 14, and in the Learning & Participation and Audience Development Plans. 2
5 MISSION 5.1 Music in the Round aims to sustain and increase audiences for chamber music performed to the highest standards in venues around the country, in every sense drawing the audience as close as possible to the musicians (physically, and communicatively though speaking and music). From our unique Studio home in Sheffield, and in partnership with venues across England, we work to engage people of different ages and from different sectors of the community through imaginative programming and commissioning. Learning, participation and an expansion of audiences' horizons, young and old, are at the heart of our vision, which is based on the power of live music to transform people s lives. We are committed to the residency of Ensemble 360 in South Yorkshire, the largest region in Europe without a resident orchestra, to enrich its cultural life and, through our learning and participation programme, Music in the Community, to increase music-making opportunities for its young people. 5.2 Values 5.2.i Creativity & Innovation Maintain our reputation for original and stimulating programming that enables audiences and artists to expand their musical horizons in combination with devising original projects that bring new groups of musicians together with a license to explore unique new ideas. 5.2.ii Excellence & Affordability Engage outstanding international musicians with exceptional young British artists and inspirational workshop leaders and offer them at locally appropriate prices alongside free or low cost education activities. 5.2.iii Diversity Stretch the definition of chamber music to embrace other genres whilst maintaining it as the core of MitR s activity, to achieve a deep understanding of the universal values of making music in intimate gatherings. 5.2.iv Communication & Informality Ensure that communication is always clear, informative, engaging and appropriate and that we provide a relaxed and friendly atmosphere where all experience a warm welcome through spoken introductions at concerts, and every contact with artists, partners and audience. 5.2.v In the Round Encourage musicians to sit in the round and seat our concert audiences around the performers where possible, but always in close proximity to create a unique feeling of involvement with the music and the artists. 3
6 PROGRAMME AND ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT 2015-2018 6.i Programmes Programming is informed by Artistic Director, Angus Smith s conviction that the journey undertaken in chamber music, making a deep connection from musician to musician on the one hand, and from musician to listener on the other, is one of the most exciting and rewarding of all musical experiences. Audience surveys, feedback and increased ticket sales for particular programmes, including Festivals Weekends, and concerts series in the three years have also informed the development of programmes which will help us fulfil the audience development and long-term sustainability of our organisation. 6.ii 6.iii 6.iv MitR will continue its commitment to the presentation of the very best classical chamber music, establishing a context for the chosen repertoire where this enhances the audience s journey of discovery in partnership with the musicians for example, strengthening the relationship between pieces, deploying themes (musical and non-musical) within concerts and concert series, and supplementing the musical content through the addition of spoken word, visual art, dance, film and other art forms. The programming balance will allow existing audiences to enjoy chamber music while challenging them, and a new public, to encounter it in a variety of stimulating contexts. New projects devised in this period will be realised through additional fundraising and a partnership approach. Venues and Partners We will work with a variety of regional venues, supporting them to build audiences in their area and extending the impact of the highest quality chamber music and musicians. Our relationship with this national network of venues will become more tailored and focused on audience development, driven by the need to increase audiences, and support delivery of Arts Council England s Goal 2. Following extensive dialogue with venue partners during 2013/14, we will support them to present tailored annual programmes in this period that offer high-quality artists, exciting, immersive opportunities to explore well-known composers, and cross-over projects that appeal to a wider audience. We will work with Barnsley Civic and Cast, Doncaster, to support a high-quality chamber music offer and extend our Ensemble 360 concert series reach and profile. Based on the success of Festival Weekends in Sheffield in increasing audience numbers and reach, we aim to extend their reach nationally. We have identified demand from partner venues to use these events as a way of introducing new audiences to fantastic music, enhancing existing audiences knowledge and understanding and drawing audiences from a wider catchment area. 6.v We will work with other national organisations to initiate and promote projects where our mutual aims can be realised with greater effectiveness together. Such partners currently include Aldeburgh Music (Bridge quartet scheme), and Wigmore Hall (Leipzig mini-festival in 2016 and our pioneering Early Years programme). 6.vi Diversity Our desire to share a voyage of discovery with our performing partners and audiences will be augmented by our continued application of a wider definition of chamber music that welcomes contributions from musicians coming to us from diverse musical genres. In each case a strong link with classical music and musicians will remain evident, but in hosting and creating new work from such fields as jazz, folk and world music, we will be providing a stage where musicians and audiences can 4
witness that the process through which music is created can often have an equal fascination to the music that emerges. Our aim to increase the diversity of audiences, as exemplified by past projects and outlined in our Equality Action Plan, will be an important part of our programme, and supports the principles and approach of Arts Council England s Creative Case for Diversity. We will continue to work with tabla-player and composer Kuljit Bhamra, and will look for opportunities to increase our understanding and reach through collaboration with other musicians who can help us examine the relationship between Western classical music and music from other cultures, and organisations such as the Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, supporting them to establish a family day of Arabic music, dance and film in Sheffield. We plan a project to celebrate the black composer and chamber musician, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor in 2016/17 6.vii 6.viii 6.ix Creativity We will continue to reinforce our role as the instigator and commissioner of new work, ensuring that Music in the Round (MitR) is rightly seen as showing leadership in the development of chamber music and its appreciation in the UK. Our plan includes the world premier of a new work by Elizabeth Ogonek commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society and the UK premier of a new work by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies in May 2015, and the third performance of a new Howard Skempton piece in May 2016, commissioned by a Friend of Music in the Round. A new commissioning policy will be developed in 2015/16, informed by our three year Associate Composer scheme, with funds to be raised to deliver it from 2016/17. Our successful Children s Composer in Residence will continue with three new works from Paul Rissmann. Artists Ensemble 360 and artists of the highest international standing that budgets permit, will be presented as the best exponents of Music in the Round s brand of chamber music presentation. Communicating about their programmes to audiences through informal introductions, question and answer sessions and pre-concert talks enables artists to engage with audiences in a way which enhances the concert-going experience and makes a stronger connection. Where appropriate, artists, particularly the young string quartet on the Bridge scheme, will be supported to develop their skills in talking to audiences. Arts Council England Music in the Round is funded as an Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Organisation and our programme reflects the ambitions of the ACE strategic framework Great Art and Culture for Everyone. In particular we support the achievement of Goals 1, 2 and 5; Excellence is thriving and celebrated in the arts, museums and libraries, Everyone has the opportunity to experience and to be inspired by the arts, museums and libraries, and Every child and young person has the opportunity to experience the richness of the arts, museums and libraries. 6.x To ensure excellence in our work as promoters, commissioners, partners and educators, we will continue to evaluate and monitor the impact and quality of our programmes, in line with the organisation s values and ACE priorities, inviting and collecting feedback from participants, stakeholders, musicians and audience members. In the words of the Arts Council, we seek to continue to engage, challenge and connect with audiences as we have done successfully for thirty years. 5
7 FINANCE 7.i We will work to maintain the increased levels of private giving achieved in 2011-2014 and to introduce a new light sponsorship package to achieve better success in this area. In 2013/14 we achieved a balance of 28% sales: 28% funding: 44% private giving. This was an exceptional year, but we aim to maintain individual giving, and increase sales in 2015-18 to achieve an even ration between each of these three elements. 7.ii 7.iii 7.iv We will review ticket prices in Barnsley and Doncaster, and consider increasing these in 2017/18 (following price increase of 6%-9% in 2015/16 on Sheffield concert prices, excluding children s concerts). Box office income in Sheffield includes an additional target income of 9,483 (826 tickets at average yield 11.48) which will be allocated to reserves if raised. A priority will be to build unrestricted free reserves from 2013/14 levels of 34,183 to 60,000 in line with the company s reserves policy. Financial reporting will be streamlined for greater efficiency and to deal with more funding from diverse sources. In years 2016/17 and 2017/18, we will aim to add approximately 8,170 to our reserves. Use of restricted and designated funds such as the Kurzman legacy, the Andrew McEwan Fund and the Lindsay Foundation will enable us to deliver activity for which the funds were set up. In the case of Diana Kurzman s legacy it will be allocated towards the performance of chamber music in particular to support the emerging string quartet on the Bridge scheme, the Marmen Quartet, as well as other artists in Sheffield and on tour. The Andrew McEwan Fund and Lindsay Foundation will support our Music in the Community Learning and Participation programme. The Future Festivals Fund will continue to be a vehicle for fundraising from supporters for festivals in Sheffield, and the support of other individual donors will help with specific projects or events such as Bridge. 7.v Operating funds brought forward from our reserves are included in the Contributed Income, Private Investment line of the Financial Forecast 2015-18. In 2015/16 we have allocated 71,550 of restricted funds from the Diana Kurzman legacy, 42,000, Andrew McEwan Fund, 13,000, Lindsay Foundation, 5,000, Scilla Thornton Fund, 6,000. We aim to raise a further 164,481from trusts, foundations, individual donations and Gift Aid. 7.vi We will work with each of our partner venues to agree an annual budget with them to deliver their bespoke package, supporting a new way of working with them intended to contribute to the financial sustainability of their concerts. 6
8. ACTION PLAN: OBJECTIVES & MILESTONES 2015-2018 8.1 Programme and Artistic Development: Main Aims 2015-2018 (contribute to ACE Goal 1) adopt a more tailored approach with partner venues focused on audience development to increase audiences present new work from Elisabeth Ogonek, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Howard Skempton and Paul Rissmann, encouraging engagement in new classical music by audiences of all ages, developing a commissioning policy to fundraise for post-2016/17 programme and promote two concert series, a Festival Weekend & May Festival annually in Sheffield featuring Ensemble 360, guest musicians and artists from other disciplines promote an Ensemble 360 concert series in Barnsley and in Doncaster, including a children s concert in each, plus a children s concert in Rotherham support an emerging professional string quartet on the Bridge scheme to develop their performance, audience engagement and organisational skills 8.1.i Objectives 2015-2018 KPIs Outcome Milestones Around the Country Tailored annual programmes Agree & deliver annual programmes with 3 annual programmes Increase average attendance by 4% p.a. from 140-172 per Annual programmes partner venues focused on audience of chamber in at least 9 concert by 2018. agreed by Jan 15, Jan development venues p.a. 16, Jan 17 for following years 8.1.ii Festival Weekends on tour Fundraise and develop market for 1-3 day Festival Weekends as a part of a significant audience development drive. Promote to other venues Exploring Mozart in 1 venue in 2015/16 3 venues in 2016/17 8 venues by 2018 Profile of chamber music and MitR brand grows. Venues able to target new audiences to attend other concerts in their annual programme. MitR reach extended Additional funding in place by July 2015 8.1.iii New Commissions Elisabeth Ogonek, Royal Philharmonic Society, premiere at May 2015.Howard Skempton, May 2016. Commissioning policy reviewed. Funds in place to realise further new commission in 2017 3 new commissions presented MitR profile as commissioning body maintained in sector, and with press and media. May 2015, Ogonek May 2016, Skempton May 2017, tbc 7
8.1.iv Objectives 2015-2018 KPIs Outcome Milestones Sheffield Programme Autumn & Spring concert series in 14 evening and 8 Balance of familiar repertoire and innovative programmes 15/16 planned by Sept Sheffield Theatres Studio & other venues. lunchtime concerts allows audiences to experience more challenging concerts as 14, 16/17 planned by Regular pattern of dates planned as far in well as draw new audiences in for well-known programmes. Sept 15, 17/18 planned advance as possible Even spread of dates maintained through using other venues. by Sept 16 Festival Weekends programmed by Angus Smith and Ensemble 360. Initiated in Sheffield prior to touring. Leipzig Spring 2016 presented at Wigmore Hall 3 unique Festival Weekends, one per year Audiences appreciate music in a wider context and to a greater depth than with standard concert presentation. Potential press and media interest, and platform for broadcasters. Leipzig Feb 2016 Feb 2017 Feb 2018 8.1.v May Festivals Continue to extend reach of festival, building on excellence by including a greater variety of artists, regular nonmusical events, events by and for youth and amateur players. Themes for festivals decided further in advance. More extensive press and media campaign with longer lead in time 3 unique festivals in Sheffield, one per year At least one feature and review in national press. Live radio broadcast of concerts Increased profile locally and nationally, existing and new audiences. Greater diversity of audience through targeted programming Increased press profile, and Festival recognised as a landmark event locally and nationally April 15 discuss plan for May 16; diversity of audience in mind May 2015, Youth & Experience. May 16 & 17 to be planned by July 15 & 16 respectively 8.1.vi Special Projects Composer Days, and the Out of Your Mind project celebrating Minimalism, both provide opportunities to explore, and connect, modern and contemporary music with more traditional repertoire. Partners, including venue promoters, will be sought to plan and deliver these in relation to identified target audiences 3 composer days in Sheffield, Portsmouth and Wiltshire, planned with promoters. Other partners signed up for later iterations of the project. Audiences engage with modern and contemporary works deepening their understanding of specific pieces through the music, and through accompanying talks etc. Musicians have an opportunity to perform music that might sit less well in a usual programme, extending their repertoire 8 Contemporary Composer Day Sir Harrison Birtwhistle or Sally Beamish planned for autumn 2016 in Sheffield and on tour in 2016/17 Out of You Mind, autumn 2017
8.1.vii 8.1.viii Objectives 2015-2018 KPIs Outcome Milestones Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Exploring the work of black composer in a 1 concert, 4 workshops Raised awareness of overlooked composer amongst younger concert and workshops in 3 schools people Barnsley, Doncaster & Rotherham Deliver Ensemble 360 concert series in Barnsley and Doncaster including festivals, supporting key venues Barnsley Civic and Doncaster s Cast. Explore inclusion of guest artists 10 concerts attended by average 156 by 2018. Higher profile for Ensemble 360 and MitR across SY. Enhanced offer for key venues. Increased sustainability of concerts through box office income & potential sponsorship. New audiences for concerts via joint promotions. More data gathered about Barnsley & Doncs. audience Plan project for Black History Month in Oct 16 by July 2015 Festival in Doncaster Spring 16, Festival in Barnsley Spring 17 Continue to promote children s concerts for Early years/key Stage 1 in BDR with workshops and teachers INSET sessions. Build further partnerships with Music Hubs in each area, exploring potential for subcontracted services where feasible. 7 children s concerts p.a. in BDR. 100% capacity to be achieved Sustained engagement in live classical music by children and families. Increased demand for workshops & INSETS from schools and for open workshops. Better links with other music providers and their audiences. Services recognised and paid for by Hubs, admin time and uncertainty reduced by not having to fundraise annually to deliver. 6 concerts 2015/16 7 concerts 2016/17 7 concerts 2017/18 8.1.ix Partnerships Present projects in partnership with Sheffield Cathedral & Sheffield Jazz. 2 partnership concerts p.a Appropriate settings for different concerts. Broader reach through cross-promotions to target new audiences and raise MitR s profile in city and city-region Programmes agreed 6 months in advance of each season Work with national partners such as Wigmore Hall, Royal Philharmonic Society and Aldeburgh Music on projects such as Leipzig festival and Bridge scheme 3 national partnership projects realised MitR s position as a national player is consolidated and built RPS commission May 2015. Wigmore Hall, Leipzig Festival, Aut16 Bridge quartet funding 2018-21 by March 2017 8.1.x Bridge Quartet Scheme Provide performance opportunities, artistic mentoring and business development support and advice to an emerging quartet Minimum of 5 concerts p.a., total 15. Mentoring sessions & business support to be agreed Emerging talent supported to engage with diverse audiences in a variety of venues. MitR learns what it means to be young classical musicians in a digital age Quartet starts Jan 15 Scheme reviewed Nov 15, and annually. New quartet recruited Nov 17 9
9 DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION & CONTENT 9.1 Digital Distribution & Content: Main Aims 2015-2018 increase video content and features accessed via MitR and venues websites deliver more regular insights from musicians, Artistic Director and staff blogs digital projects linked to Children and Young People s activity Live in the Round label set up and exclusive recordings distributed explore creation of Apps/Ebooks for children s commissions 9.2.i 9.2.ii Objectives 2015-2018 Target Outputs Outcome Milestones Increase video content of MitR and all Musicians, artists and Average amount of time on website increases from 2 minutes By June 2016 partners websites, plus create content for staff blog, rehearsal 56 secs to 3 minutes 51 secs social media campaigns footage, interviews with Interviews and blogs commissioned from visiting artists, E360 musicians and staff musicians Fresh content every month on site, especially in run up to key events More time spent on site, more click throughs to online booking By June 2016 9.2.iii 9.2.iv Digital film projects with Year 5 & 6 pupils in response to music from repertoire played in schools prior to specific concerts Live in the Round label set up to release edited recordings of May Festivals 1 school engaged p.a. 3 schools in total over period. Short film to show pre-concert in venues and on website 3 discs and equivalent downloadable tracks Children engaged in, and inspired by classical music through other medium Wider distribution of Ensemble 360 and other artists performances First project with Cuckoo Films completed May 2015 First festival recorded May 2015 9.2.v Explore feasibility of Ebooks based on commissioned work for children to help introduce a greater number of children to classical music Pilot Ebook Better understanding of feasibility of this digital project and action plan to implement if appropriate By March 2015 10
10 ENSEMBLE 360 10.1 Main Aims 2015-2018 continue to support Ensemble 360 as ensemble in residence, and to develop their reach, profile and brand nationally 10.2.i Objectives 2015-2018 Target Outputs Outcome Milestones MitR to advise and assist appointment of a Manager in post manager Improved communication, organisation and relationshipbuilding with venues and with MitR. More work increases group s profile Recruitment takes place May 15 10.2.ii Support group s ambition to commission & perform new work in their own right 2 new works for E360 presented Ensemble 360 recognised as a group committed to new work One new work in 2016/17 & one in 2017/18 10.2.iii Support residencies at Huddersfield & Sheffield Universities and Lakeside Arts Residencies sustained Ensemble 360 develop stronger relationships with venues around the country 2015-2018 10.2.iv Review both parties expectations of E360 residency with MitR New partnership agreement Greater clarity of working relationship By end 2015 11
12 Governance and Management 13.1 Governance & Management: Main Aims 2015-2018 recruit new board members 2015/16 to improve diversity review sub committee structure and hold an annual away day cost of living increase applied annually set up pension scheme in advance of required entry Objectives 2015-2018 KPIs Outcome Milestones 13.2 Board 13.2.i Review membership and recruit to replace retiring members aiming to achieve diversity of age, gender and ethnicity 3 new board members recruited Board is refreshed and more diverse 2 new board members by July 2015 1 new board member by 13.2.ii Board to review function and membership of sub-committees annually Sub-committees support good board decision making Clear function and membership of sub-committees. July 2016 Review of board subcommittees, January 2016 13.2.iii Annual review of Child Protection, Equality & Diversity, Health & Safety policies Up to date policies and procedures in place All funders terms and conditions and statutory obligations fully met, organisation operating best practice, staff and board understand, and are able to comply with policies Review of policies, January 2016 13.3 Staff 13.3.i Implement annual cost of living increase for staff. Introduce Workplace Pension scheme employer s contributions Increase achieved. 3% of salaries contributed to scheme Staff salaries remain competitive. Phased in compliance with Auto Enrolment employment legislation due to start in 2017 Schemes identified by September 2015 13.3.ii Establish pilot intern scheme with Uni of Sheffield. Explore Creative Employment Scheme Apprentice. 1 intern p.a. from Music Dept. Consolidate links between MitR and University. Provide high quality work experience in relevant field. Provide Apprentice opportunity at MitR via structured scheme Establish scheme by September 2015 13.3.iii Review staff training needs annually, Executive Director and member of board Staff are trained as appropriate Organisation and staff benefit from increased skills 2015-2018 12
13.4 Staffing at 1 st April 2015: line management reporting Board of Trustees (voluntary) Artistic Director (Freelance) Executive Director (f/t) Ensemble 360 Project Manager (f/t) Creative Producer, L&P (freelance) Finance Officer (p/t) Marketing Manager (f/t) L & P Manager (f/t) Project Coordinator (ft) Workshop freelancers 13.5 Freelance Contracts Work with freelance Media and Fundraising staff to boost capacity of organisation & improve skills of staff through up to date expertise Press & PR plan delivered Fundraising strategy delivered Higher profile in press and sector, better planned fundraising, greater staff confidence Review PR contract June 2015 13
14 14.1 14.1.i Finance Main Aims maintain increased levels of funding from private giving & sponsorship increase revenue from ticket sales build company s unrestricted reserves budget bespoke offer with venue partners review and streamline financial reporting Objectives 2015-2018 KPIs Outcome Milestones Venue Fees & Box Office Price support to each venue based on System delivers best Venues and MitR in detailed dialogue around bespoke offer By 2017/18 annual package of work value for MitR /venues 14.1.ii Review pricing policy for Sheffield, Barnsley and Doncaster. (Pricing reviewed 2014/15 and increased 2015/16) Future box office income increased. Ticket prices up in Sheffield & Barnsley in 15/16 and 17/18. MitR financial sustainability enhanced for 2015-18 2016/17 14.1.iii Sponsorship Identify more sponsorship for May Festival, and South Yorkshire concerts. Launch 500 sponsorship package 4 concerts sponsored p.a. Higher profile amongst business community of South Yorkshire, modest income, but potential for individual giving extended 2016/17-2017/18 14.1.iv Individual Giving Continue to use Future Festivals Fund as a vehicle for fundraising 20,000 p.a x 3, 60,000 total Further funds to invite well-known guest artists enhance promotion of festivals. Greater involvement and commitment from audience members and Friends 20,000 April 15-March 16 14.1.v Trusts & Foundations Raise funding towards extended school programme and bespoke venue activity/relationships 45k p.a Paul Hamlyn & 35k p.a. Esmee Fairbairn. 240,000 Relationship developed with 2 new major trusts & foundations. MitR better known for its partnership working, innovative programming, education and outreach work 80k raised by March 2016 14.1.vi Financial reporting Review and streamline financial reporting System overhauled Less time-consuming and clearer financial reports, easier reporting to more funders 14 2015/16