The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is one of 19 U.S. orchestras to receive a grant from the League of American Orchestras to support innovation and organizational learning.
The two-year American Orchestras’ Future Fund grants, in the amount of $80,000–$150,000 each, are made possible by the generous support of the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation.
The grant awarded to the DSO totals $150,000 over two years and will support multi-disciplinary programming in The Cube and Sosnick Courtyard with the goal of attracting new audiences, developing new earned revenue, and activating The Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center’s campus as a community hub for arts engagement.
“This forward-looking work—on stage, in the community, and within the organizations themselves—is essential for the evolution of the art form and the institutions that perform it,” said Jesse Rosen, the League’s President and CEO. “The Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation has been a catalyst for innovation, and we are grateful for their vision and support.”
“The initiatives represented by the first two grant cycles far exceeded our expectations,” said Lisa Delan, director of the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation. “The level of press attention many of these programs received reflects the timeliness of these efforts and makes clear there is much to gain by venturing outside of our comfort zones and carving new pathways through which to connect with our audiences and our communities. We look forward in anticipation to what this next round brings.”
This year’s Futures Fund grants demonstrate the innovative measures orchestras are taking to grow their audiences and increase their relevance. Programs across the country receiving support include engagement of veterans with PTSD; research on the effects of music education on the emotional, social, and neural development of children; new uses of digital marketing; and partnerships with universities, public and private school systems, and other nonprofits to create new musical experiences.
