Evolution of the Arts in a Digital World Symposium

From January 6 – February 24, 2021, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra hosted the Evolution of the Arts in a Digital World Symposium: a free virtual event. Their 8-week Symposium covered a variety of topics including the role digital technology plays in arts organizations, how digital technologies can be used to enhance arts performances, the movement towards integrating technology for not-for-profit organizations, emerging tools and resources to use to create digital content, the power of storytelling with digital technology, and much more.

The Symposium provided an opportunity for attendees to hear from a multitude of experts on how digital technologies are being used by arts organizations in performances, within buildings, and in online spaces. Speakers included world-renowned acousticians, local exhibit designers, and artists who work with digital media. These symposium sessions provided a different flavor each week; from informational presentations, to discussions, to question-and-answer sessions, participants had many opportunities to learn how to utilize technology to enhance live experiences, no matter the size of their organization. The sessions were well attended, with representatives present from across the arts and non-arts sectors, and attendees participating from across Canada and internationally.

Below is a resumé of the 8 sessions, along with links to read detailed notes and watch recordings:

1. Why Digital?

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Why is digital technology important? And why it has become increasingly so in the past year? Presenters Annemarie Petrov, President and CEO of the Francis Winspear Centre for Music and Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and Tateo Nakajima, ARUP Fellow, will discuss the benefits and costs of digital technology, including: Technology in physical gathering spaces, How non-profit arts organizations can find new ways to bring their community together utilizing technology and Using technology to reinforce organizational values, brand, and vision.

Presentation Notes

Recording

2. Using Digital as a Tool in Storytelling

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Participation. Joy. Action. How do we use technology – a tool devoid of emotion – to stimulate these reactions in people? In many cases, we will need to reimagine the stories we are telling and the ways in which we can resonate with our audiences, whether in person or virtually.

Gretchen Coss, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships with Gallagher & Associates, highlights specific considerations to harness the power of digital storytelling.

Presentation Notes

Recording

3. Playful Interactives

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Evelyn Delgado, children’s museum development consultant, takes us through her exhibit creation process and help us understand some of the considerations and options for engaging both younger and older audiences with interactive technology. She talks about designing and implementing exhibits that effectively engage, instruct, and entertain our audiences.

Presentation Notes

Recording

4. Emerging Digital Technologies: Endless Possibilities on a Budget

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Renowned Digital Media Storyteller for the New World Symphony and Professor of Immersive Filmmaking at the University of Miami, Rafael Baldwin, takes us on a technological journey that introduces us to emerging tools and resources that would give an edge to any content and marketing strategy – from lenses and apps that enhance the cameras on our phones to creating interactive videos, personalized content, and immersive virtual realities.

Presentation Notes

Recording

5. Fireside Chat: Institutional Change, Funding, and Infrastructure

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

This event includes a high-level discussion about some of the major and most daunting factors, to help set myths about them to rest. A group of experts engage in a moderated conversation about the institutional change required to successfully integrate digital technology in day-to-day operations, finding and engaging with new funders and funding methods to make digital possible, and creating the infrastructure required for successful digital integration.

Presentation Notes

Recording

6. Artists and Technology Working Together

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Scott Smallwood, sound artist and professor at the University of Alberta, and Paola Prestini, composer and founder of National Sawdust, explore the convergence of artists and technology. From using VR to experience an orchestra to creating sound art exhibits within physical and digital spaces, Scott and Paola have a world of experience to share. They discuss accessibility within venues, sound as a medium, the infrastructure required to create immersive sound experiences, and the interdisciplinary work that engages artists and technology to create amazing new artistic experiences.

Presentation notes

Recording

7. Immersive Vs Interactive Technology: A Practical Guide

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

With the many different types of digital technology available for use, deciding which technology to use can be a big step. This panel of local experts share their experience working on various immersive and interactive projects in Edmonton and Calgary. They provide advice, recommend specific technologies, discuss the prevalence and changing methods of creating immersive and interactive experiences, and leave audience members with an understanding of the ways in which they can utilize these technologies to expand their organizational offerings.

Presentation notes

Recording

8. Expanding Our Horizons: Innovation, Transformation, and the Future

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

The future of our organizations depends on our ability to adapt to the new world we live in. We all have questions and want to know what’s next, what’s possible, and how we continue making good art in our world. Annette Mees, head of Audience Labs at the Royal Opera House, helps us look towards the future at how we can make art an important part of the digital boom. She discusses different ways of approaching projects, transformation in what a digital team might look like moving forward, and explore new funding options.

Presentation notes

Recording

This Symposium was made possible through the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Arup, and the Edmonton Community Foundation.

Relationships are at the Heart: Key Learnings from the RSO Indigenous Advisory Council

On Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021, OC welcomed members of the Regina Symphony Orchestra Indigenous Advisory Council (IAC) for a roundtable discussion. Over the course of a candid 90-minute conversation hosted by Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, Audra Young (IAC chair and RSO board member), Gordon Gerrard (RSO Music Director), Marion Newman (mezzo-soprano), and Christian Robinson (RSO Concertmaster) reflected on how the IAC came to be, what makes their relationship successful, and what orchestras ought to consider in building their own relationships with Indigenous peoples. Here are a few key points:

1. There is no one-size-fits-all approach

Indigenous individuals, communities, and cultural contexts from coast to coast are as varied as the land itself. How your orchestra approaches its relationship with Indigenous peoples is highly place-based, depending on your local context and leaders. For the RSO, engaging specifically with Indigenous peoples in Treaty 4 territory was fundamental to establishing the IAC and building the necessary relationships.

2. Where to start? Relationships are at the heart

If your orchestra is in the early stages of its relationship with Indigenous peoples or unsure where to start, Marion recommends asking yourself: “What is happening in my community that is Indigenous-run and where everyone is invited? Am I showing up and supporting them as a community member?” Indigenous-led events at art galleries, theatres, or pow wows that are open to all are great ways to learn and engage. Begin by actively demonstrating interest and identifying ways that you can contribute.

3. Work on a long term and multi-faceted engagement

Reconciliation takes time and care — a project or a single performance can be a start, but it cannot be the end! Building relationships with Indigenous peoples into your regular operations and fostering buy-in across your orchestra (on the artistic, administrative, and volunteer fronts) is foundational to sustain this work and avoid tokenizing. For the RSO IAC, it was helpful that Gordon was engaged as Music Director and that Audra sat on the orchestra’s board of directors, holding “real power” to embed the Council’s insights into the organization’s overall work.

4. When you ask for advice, take it

Accountability is key. The input of your Indigenous partners needs to be reflected in your actions. If there are barriers or issues, you must be transparent about them and accountable to those whose advice and time you’ve sought. If you make space for vulnerability, the results can be rich! Christian describes his experience as an “enthusiastic listener” to Indigenous voices (behind the scenes at IAC meetings, and onstage, as a performer) as “one of the most powerful experiences of my life as an artist.”

Before the roundtable, we asked orchestras about the relationships they have or want to build with Indigenous communities. Many of you were unsure where to start or nervous about getting it “right.” We’ve since heard clarified purpose and confidence in moving this work forward with care in your orchestras. OC is grateful to Audra, Gordon, Marion Christian, and all on the RSO IAC for sharing their path with us. The learning doesn’t end here! We look forward to continuing to engage in conversations about reconciliation and relationships between Canadian orchestras and Indigenous peoples.

New Survey Shows That 84% of Canadian Orchestras Went Digital

Most Canadian orchestras have tried at least one digital initiative since March 2020, with the main goal of staying connected to their audiences and providing work opportunities for their musicians, according to a new study conducted by Orchestras Canada/Orchestres Canada (OC).

“The pandemic, which has presented so many challenges to artists and arts organizations, has forced us all to digitize in a hurry.“, said Neil Middleton , VP Marketing & Sales at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) and board member at OC. “This was something that was in the VSO’s strategic plan, but the pandemic hyper-accelerated our creation of a digital content platform and video capture process.”

Fifty-seven orchestras from coast-to-coast responded to the survey in the fall of 2020. Among them was the Orchestre classique de Montréal (OCM), which pivoted to digital offerings early on in April 2020 and was one of Quebec’s first orchestras to do so. “From the start, it was clear that if the OCM was to remain relevant and continue growing its audience, we had to jump into this digital realm whether we knew exactly how to do it or not.“, commented Taras Kulish, Executive Director of the OCM. “We figured it out as we went, and in consequence, our audiences have grown exponentially, not just locally but internationally.”

Key Findings

Below are some key findings that emerged from the Digital Survey data:

1- 84% of survey respondents have tried one or more digital initiatives since March 2020. Those initiatives were housed on Social Media – on YouTube, Facebook Live and Instagram. Activities offered included performance capture/ live events, informal content such as behind the scenes, quizzes and watch parties. Recordings and performances were featured strongly, as did podcasts and archive material. Also, organizations hosted musicians performing short pieces from their homes.

2- Orchestras pivoted to digital mainly to stay connected with their audiences. Other motivations included providing performance opportunities for their musicians, increasing their brand visibility through a diversified and increased online presence, and fundraising.

3- Orchestras need support and resources to continue and strengthen their digital offerings. Survey respondents cited the need for better equipment (cameras and microphones), software and hardware, and access to technical expertise, including editing and audio-video production, as well as marketing support, building digital skills into existing staffing structures.

4- 74% of respondents intend to continue some or all of their digital activity post-pandemic. Their future plans include live streaming, accessing new platforms, performance capture, digitizing work, increasing connections and developing audiences, experimenting & learning, opening out digital performing spaces, expanding digital engagement (including talks & online activity).

Below is a survey analysis is provided by The Space, an independent Community Interest Company based in Birmingham, England.

“Orchestras Canada’s digital committee undertook this survey in the fall of 2020 to better understand Canadian orchestras’ digital activities in the age of COVID. We’d been informally monitoring this work since the start of the pandemic; even so, we were bowled over by the range of orchestras who have embraced digital content capture and sharing, their learnings, their honest expression of the challenges, their commitment to keeping artists working, and to maintaining lively and engaging contact with their communities. Learnings from the survey will certainly influence OC’s advocacy and learning efforts moving forward. But I think the survey’s greatest value could be its reflection back to respondents of the vitality and shared interests across the Canadian orchestral community.” – Katherine Carleton, Executive Director at Orchestras Canada.
“This survey shows that Canadian orchestras have done a remarkable job of reinventing themselves during COVID. The amount and quality of digital content produced are exceptional. It has not only kept orchestras closely connected to their public but also brought in new audiences. It is clear our sector must continue innovating to grow our impact. However, funding questions are already apparent and will only become more glaring when we start presenting live concert seasons again.” – Neil Middleton, VP Marketing & Sales at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and board member at OC.

“The fact that 84% of the Orchestras have tried one or more new digital initiatives since March 2020 is an exciting statistic. Many of us have been wanting to expand our digital offerings; however, the expertise, funding and fear held us back. This pandemic has opened that door for all of us, which is a wonderful opportunity.” – Taras Kulish, Executive Director at the Orchestre classique de Montréal.

OC’s Brief to the Government of Canada Pre-budget Consultations

Executive Summary

Orchestras Canada is grateful for the opportunity to contribute the perspectives of our 130 member orchestras to the Government of Canada 2021 pre-budget consultations.

The pandemic has profoundly affected all Canadians. Our orchestras are no exception. Since mid-March 2020, Canada’s orchestras have balanced care for the well-being of their artists, workers, and audiences with financial prudence and innovation. They have worked tirelessly to chart their own course through the pandemic and maximize the likelihood of a safe and confident return. Some orchestras have temporarily gone silent; many others have quickly pivoted to new platforms to keep the music playing.

The economic dislocation has been significant: earned and contributed income (which made up 76% of Canadian orchestras’ revenues in 18/19) has dropped significantly in the last eleven months.

In this brief, we recommend policy and investment options that will ensure that Canada’s arts and culture sector can re-open confidently, when the time is right. Our aim is to get back to work: to maintain access to the artists and arts workers who power our work, to breathe life into the communities we live in, and to build on the successful digital experimentation and new collaborations – domestic and international – that we’ve undertaken during the pandemic.

The measures that we propose in this brief will allow Canadian orchestras to:

Create and retain jobs and key talent in arts and culture in towns and cities across the country, so that we are ready for a swift re-launch of the live performing arts sector when conditions permit;
Begin to repair the damage done by the pandemic to the arts by enabling arts and culture groups of all sizes – from the most grassroots collectives to major flagship institutions – to respond to their communities’ cultural needs in new and compelling ways;
Jumpstart economic recovery of the arts sector by matching charitable donations, to encourage individuals, philanthropic foundations, and businesses to play their part, and design the program to ensure equitable opportunities to benefit;
Build back better by enhancing cultural spaces where Canadians gather for transformative arts and culture experiences to ensure they are supported, modernized, and made safer, more accessible, and more environmentally sustainable.

Preamble

On behalf of our member orchestras from across Canada, the musicians and cultural workers they work with, the audiences they engage, and the diverse communities they serve, Orchestras Canada/Orchestres Canada (OC) is pleased to participate in the Government of Canada’s 2021-2022 pre-budget consultations.

About OC

We represent the perspectives of 130 Canadian orchestras across every province, and have been in constant dialogue with all our members since the pandemic was first declared in mid-March. Canadian orchestras are grateful for the many measures introduced by the Government of Canada to help Canadians, Canadian businesses, and Canadian organizations to stabilize their operations and maintain jobs through a critical period.

Orchestras and the Canadian public

While Canadian orchestras explore a range of alternate live and digital formats, they are eager to return to live performance as soon as possible. Despite the challenges that the pandemic presents, Canada’s orchestras continue to serve as strong contributors to quality of life in Canadian towns and cities, valued participants in the celebration and affirmation of community identity, active partners in community cultural and educational development, and strong representatives of Canadian cultural expression at home and internationally.

A just and green recovery

Government investment in orchestras is important, but we are equally interested in policies that favour a recovery that is both just and green. This means taking an approach that will result in a more equitable and sustainable Canada on the other side of this pandemic. The measures that we recommend this year will help ensure orchestras’ recovery and relaunch after this unprecedented period in history, while simultaneously building cultural and economic resilience in the broader community.

Create and retain jobs by extending income supports

To retain jobs and key talent in arts and culture, we recommend that the Government of Canada:

Expand the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy to allow engagers to include compensation to independent contractors covered by a collective bargaining agreement in their CEWS calculations and address the current exclusion of many performing artists from the subsidy;
Study the viability of a Universal Basic Income program, as an efficient and sensitive means of ensuring that all Canadians can lead lives of dignity and contribution in both good and challenging times.

Rationale

Across our sector, we have seen a range of responses to the crisis:

All of our larger professional orchestras have opted to retain their artists on contract, whether as employees or independent contractors, whether the organization was eligible for the CEWS or not. This has allowed them to retain the loyalty, participation, and access to the specialized skills of these artists, so that they can participate in community recovery as soon as conditions permit. These groups know they need to retain key staff to devise, promote, and help deliver interim programming and stay in touch with existing and potential audiences and supporters.
Smaller-budget orchestras have adopted a range of approaches, simultaneously trying to manage expenses while sustaining connections to their contracted professional artists, community volunteers, and the audiences and broader public that each organization serves through performances and education programs. Without access to either emergency funding from the Canada Council for the Arts or (in many cases) their provinces, and with plummeting earned and contributed revenue, these groups have faced difficulties sustaining and re-imagining key activities.

Thanks to the CEWS, Canadian orchestras who hire their musicians as employees have benefited from an increase of more than 400% in project and special funding. However, those who have engaged their musicians as independent contractors through their collective bargaining agreements are ineligible for this support towards their musicians’ wages. This unfortunate technicality will result in very different re-opening scenarios for our orchestras: some will be in a much stronger position than others to re-open as soon as it is viable.

Outcome

Extending income supports will ensure that we are ready for a swift re-launch of the live performing arts sector as soon as conditions permit.

Repair the pandemic’s damage to the arts through targeted funding

To enable arts and culture groups of all sizes – from the most grassroots collectives to our major flagship institutions – to respond to their communities’ cultural needs in new and compelling ways, we recommend that the Government of Canada:

Provide $75 million in additional interim funding to arts organizations to ensure that they can deliver artistic and educational programming to their communities in creative ways:

1. $47 million in interim funding through the Canada Council for the Arts. This could be allocated to recipients on the basis of lost revenues due to COVID-19 restrictions;
2. $28 million in targeted interim support to equity-seeking and community groups and individuals (Indigenous, Black, racialized, Deaf and disabled as well as community-based artists and arts organizations) through the Canada Council and Department of Canadian Heritage.

Rationale

Canada’s professional orchestras were grateful for the emergency funds committed in Spring 2020 and the Fall 2020 Economic Update. They used the first tranche of emergency funding to keep artists working and communities engaged, and are awaiting clarification on the direction of the $181.5 million announced in the fall economic update. While we are keen to return to the stage, we project that public health measures restricting capacity at live events are likely to be in place into the first quarter of 2022, with associated impact on earned revenue from ticket sales and touring. Accordingly, sustained investment is crucial.

Outcome

A continuation and an expansion of this investment in Budget 2021 will help professional orchestras and other arts groups address the continued uncertainty of a confirmed date for full return to live performance, and ensure that a broader range of artists and arts groups including Indigenous, Black, racialized, Deaf and disabled as well as community-based artists and arts organizations are able to access the necessary interim supports.

Jumpstart economic recovery through incentives for charitable giving

To incentivize philanthropy and encourage individuals, philanthropic foundations, and businesses to play their part, we recommend that the Government of Canada:

Implement a $150 million donation-matching program over two years for gifts to operations of Canadian registered charities by individuals, philanthropic foundations, or corporations. We strongly recommend that this program be designed to address the needs of arts groups of all sizes and stages of philanthropic success, to ensure that equity-seeking groups are able to benefit fully.
Review existing tax measures available to both individual and corporate donors and make appropriate amendments to encourage giving to, and supporting the recovery of, the charitable sector as a whole.

Rationale

Investment in artists and arts organizations is the best way to ensure the vitality of the sector. Donations, sponsorships, and special fundraising events have become increasingly important to Canadian orchestras in recent years, providing an average of 40.2% of their revenues in 2018-19. With the economic turmoil and cessation of public events following the pandemic declaration, this revenue is increasingly uncertain: donors (whose generosity is typically inspired by their experiences at live concerts) are affected by market and economy conditions; sponsors typically contribute to concerts and events (that cannot take place in the usual way); and special event fundraising (from used book sales, Beat Beethoven races, and bingos to galas) is constrained.

Outcome

Our data shows that orchestras have been able to capitalize on opportunities to grow their philanthropic giving, with the right incentives in place. Orchestras’ participation in the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Endowment Incentives program, for instance, has been strong since the program’s inception in 2001. The timely introduction of incentives for individual, foundation, and/or corporate giving to Canadian registered charities would be extremely helpful to the entire charitable sector.

Build back better through venue improvements

Access to safe, accessible, flexible, affordable cultural spaces designed, adapted, or retrofitted for a post-COVID world is fundamental to a safe return. We recommend the following:

A new round of the Community, Culture and Recreation stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to enable renovations, retrofits, and new cultural space builds. Eligible projects could include such post-COVID necessities as HVAC improvements, touch-free entryways and washrooms, entryway and exit redesign, backstage improvements, digital content capture hardware, and flexible seating.
Emergency assistance to venues and cultural spaces to deal with the high short-term costs of cleaning, PPE, and other health and safety requirements at the same time they are facing revenue restrictions due to reduced capacity and shortfalls in rentals. This is particularly important for municipally-run and post-secondary venues that cannot access programs such as the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy.

Rationale

Canada’s cultural spaces need help to conform to new requirements. According to recent research in both the US and Canada, audiences are concerned about returning to live performing arts events before an effective vaccine is available. Many orchestras perform in heritage buildings and older venues that do not lend themselves well to COVID-19 requirements. As we build back better, arts organizations are in need of flexible, safe, environmentally-sound, and digitally sophisticated spaces in which to gather.

Outcome

We recommend collaboration with provinces and municipalities on a thoughtful and time-sensitive program of retrofitting and re-equipping venues, to maximize economic impact and lasting cultural benefits for Canadians.

Conclusion

Orchestras Canada thanks the Government of Canada for the opportunity to contribute to the 2021-2022 pre-budget consultations. We would be pleased to discuss our recommendations with you further.

Orchestras Canada’s Brief to Ontario Pre-budget Consultations

Towards a Safe, Confident Re-Opening

Orchestras Canada is pleased to submit this brief on behalf of 70 member orchestras in Ontario.

The pandemic has profoundly affected all Ontarians. Our orchestras are no exception. Since mid-March 2020, Ontario orchestras have balanced care for the well-being of their artists, workers, and audiences with financial prudence and innovation, working tirelessly to chart their own course through the pandemic and maximize the likelihood of a safe and confident return. Some orchestras have temporarily gone silent; others have quickly pivoted to new platforms to keep the music playing.

The economic dislocation has been significant: earned and contributed income (which made up 81.2% of Ontario orchestras’ revenues in 18/19) has dropped significantly in the last eleven months. The shock has been profound.

In this brief, we recommend policy and investment options that will ensure that Ontario’s arts and culture sector can re-open confidently, when the time is right.

1) Supporting and encouraging investment

Investment in artists and arts organizations is the best way to ensure the vitality of the sector.

Recommendations regarding investment:

1. Strategic investment through the Ontario Arts Council.

a. an increase of $25 million to the OAC’s base funding, starting in 2021-22; and

b. a one-time investment of $20 million in the OAC to create a short-term Recovery and Resilience grant program to help artists and smaller arts groups

2. A $100 million investment over 3 years in a donation-matching program, to encourage giving to the arts. Modeled after the highly successful Ontario Arts Endowment Fund, this program would match and incent gifts to annual operations. Ideally, donations made from the beginning of the pandemic would be eligible, kickstarting the sector’s recovery.

2) Venues, education, re-opening protocols

1. Ontario’s cultural spaces need help to conform to new requirements. Access to safe, accessible, flexible, affordable cultural spaces designed, adapted, or retrofitted for a post-COVID world is fundamental to a safe return. We recommend an ongoing provincial capital funding program for renovations, retrofits, and new cultural space builds. Eligible projects could include HVAC improvements, touch-free entryways and washrooms, entryway and exit redesign, backstage improvements, and flexible seating.

2. Additionally, we recommend emergency assistance to venues and cultural spaces to deal with the high short-term costs of cleaning, PPE, and other health and safety requirements at the same time they’re facing revenue restrictions due to reduced capacity and shortfalls in rentals. This is particularly important for municipally-run venues that cannot access such programs as the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy.

3. Highlighting the province’s joint role in education and the arts, we’d like to see a commitment to providing additional resources to relaunch instrumental and vocal music programs in Ontario’s publicly-funded schools.

4. Finally, we’d like to see consultation with performing arts organizations to ensure that reopening rules are evidence-based, proportional to venue capacities, and consistent with restrictions in other industries.

Katherine Carleton, C.M.
Executive Director
Orchestras Canada

Comparative Report 2019-20

Each year, Orchestras Canada collects and collates financial and audience information from member orchestras and produces a detailed Comparative Report. The Report is shared among participating orchestras, and used for advocacy and ongoing research. The 2019/20 Comparative Report contains information from 72 orchestras, including all member orchestras with budgets over $1.5 million, and almost all orchestras with budgets over $50,000.

The Summaries are created using the detailed information in the Comparative Report. They provide an overview of the Canadian orchestra industry for the 2019-20 season. Information from all participating orchestras is consolidated in two ways: by budget size and by regions.

Percentages are calculated in two ways: 1) percentages based on the aggregate totals, and 2) “averages-of-percentages” using the individually calculated percentages for each of the 72 participating orchestra. The “average-of-percentages” approach is useful when considering relatively small samples of organizations of disparate size and scope, especially in the Summary by Regions. Percentages based on the aggregate totals are useful when considering larger samplings. We find both sets of percentages useful.

We use “Cost per audience contact” (CPAC) calculations in the Summaries, at the bottom of each column. We commend this calculation tool to participants who may wish to do additional comparative research on their own. CPAC is a simple calculation: total expenses divided by total audience. This tool is useful for making a quick determination of an organization’s overall business efficiency relative to its budgetary neighbours.

Beginning in mid-March 2020, orchestras cancelled their planned events. A few began producing online presentations almost immediately. Other followed their lead. In response, we added an Online Activity section at the bottom of the report, not really knowing what information might come in. The information provided in the Summaries reflects only what occurred up until the end of the 19/20 fiscal year. Online presentations have truly blossomed in the present (2020-21) season.

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the Canadian orchestral community. To help illustrate that impact, we have opted to produce two combined summaries, showing information from 2018-19 and 2019-20 side-by-side, with % changes for each major budget area. As you might imagine, virtually all year-to-year changes were negative, with the exception of Government Support and especially Special/Projects revenue.

We make no additional analytical comments about these Side-by-side Summaries for two reasons. 1) These summaries were created very recently. They are thick with detail and not easily analyzed in haste. 2) All information here is for the season ending in spring/summer 2020. As of this writing, we are already halfway through 2020-21. We know that online activity has exploded, and that orchestras are connecting with their publics in ways that were not on the drawing board a year ago. We already know that the 2020-21 Comparative Report will look considerably different from the 2019-20 Report, and will be very different from years prior. Orchestras Canada’s challenge is to keep abreast of what’s happening right now.

Each year we produce these Summaries using straightforward information and commonly accepted definitions, avoiding subjective judgments as much as possible. The accuracy of the Summaries is dependent primarily on the accuracy of information provided by the 72 participating orchestras, followed by accurate transfer of information to the master spreadsheets. If significant errors in these Summaries are noticed, we would appreciate knowing.

Respectfully submitted
Stephen Smith (Statistician, Orchestras Canada)
February 2021

Study: Rethinking Cultural Philanthropy in Montréal

A recent study on philanthropic culture in Montreal, published by the Conseil des arts de Montréal(CAM) and HEC Montréal, recommends that “actively evolving relationships with those close to the organization’s art and mission can produce committed donors and board members.”The study, titled Rethinking Cultural Philanthropy in Montreal: Relationship and Community, is by Wendy Reid, professor of management at HEC Montréal, and involved qualitative analysis on over 50 case studies and 100 interviews with arts organizations of varying sizes based in Montreal, including orchestras.

The study provided 4 key recommendations to aid with the evolution of cultural philanthropy in Montreal:

1- STRATEGY: Long-Term relationships are key!

Fundraising events, while potentially remunerative, can absorb a lot of time and energy. Arts organizations should put more focus on retaining and evolving their relationships with those close to the organization’s art and mission, integrating galas and events into relationship development to produce committed donors and board members. Those relationships can continue in the afterlife: don’t forget about planned giving!

2- CULTURE: Linking philanthropy and artistic craft

Develop a culture of philanthropy that involves everyone, and Include board members, staff, artists and volunteers in that culture. Link artists’ pride in their craft with donor generosity and integrate employees responsible for revenue in the broader work of the organization.

3- PEOPLE: Artists, cultural workers and peers

Ensure that training and professional development opportunities – whether for artists or arts workers – include some focus on philanthropy. Artists, as potential allies in philanthropic efforts, should be oriented to the role that philanthropy plays. Internships should be an opportunity for professional development in philanthropy for emerging arts workers. Career fundraising professionals can benefit from peer exchange across the milieu.

4- TOOLS: Data and Databases

To support better relationships with stakeholders, invest in customer relationship management software in which ticketing and donor-focused data work together, and build a culture of data analysis and digital literacy.

Resources

Read the executive summary

Read the full study

Read the press release

Orchestras and the Canada Council in the Next Five Years: Reimagining Innovation

Advocacy Update

While Orchestras Canada’s Advocacy Committee has been quiet in recent months, the group (now chaired by OC Board Member Maxime Lataille from the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal) has been hard at work behind the scenes, engaging with decision-makers and submitting briefs as part of a range of consultative processes at the Federal level.

Among the highlights of our recent work was OC’s submission to the Canada Council for the Arts as part of their strategic planning consultation. We made three recommendations in the submission (the full version of which can be seen, below):

Recommendation 1: Create an Innovation Supplement across all grant programs that specifically incentivizes process
By approaching digital differently

Recommendation 2: Reimagine Council’s approach to digital by unlocking funding for digital projects and digital operations
By refining and evolving diversity and innovation criteria and evaluation

Recommendation 3: Evolve application criteria to help groups articulate their progress towards diversity, inclusion, and innovation

Continue reading “Orchestras and the Canada Council in the Next Five Years: Reimagining Innovation”

Orchestras, SOCAN, and Rights in the Age of Covid-19

With the recent shift to online content sharing, orchestras are facing new challenges when it comes to copyright. Orchestras Canada invited James Leacock, Manager of Media in SOCAN’s licensing department (and a 19-year veteran at SOCAN) to join us for a discussion and lively Q and A.

Below are some key takeaways from the conversation:

1- Know your tariffs!

There are different types of licenses that Canadian orchestras typically use to secure live performance rights:

Tariff 4B2 – Annual License for Orchestras, a license to publicly perform music as live performances at concerts or recitals of classical music for the period of one year. The tariff is based on a flat fee per concert, calculated on a sliding scale based on your orchestra’s budget size, and is payable on every concert you give, whether it contains copyright-protected music or not.
Tariff 4B1 – Per Concert Classical Music License, also a license to perform music as live performances at a concert or recital of classical music. The difference? This tariff is based on EITHER 1.56% of your gross receipts OR (for a free concert) 1.56% of the fees you pay to performers, with a minimum of $35 per concert. It is only payable on concerts that contain copyright-protected music; it is not required for programs containing only public domain repertoire.

Do the math! One tariff may be more cost effective for you than the other over the course of your season: it will depend on your repertoire choices, venue capacity, and ticket prices. You cannot, however, cherry-pick: look at your entire season, or calendar year (if that’s your licensing period), and opt for the Tariff that works best for you. For 2020, the folks at Entandem may be willing to look at permitting mid-year shifts in tariffs to better accommodate your new realities: please talk to them!

2- Those tariffs cover you not only for in person performances, but also online concerts

James helpfully defined a public performance as “music performed outside a home, a car, or a boat”, and this includes music communicated to the public by telecommunication, including the internet! Rights to perform copyright-protected repertoire concerts online are treated the same way as in person concerts, and this stands for single purpose (live performance only, online only) events, and hybrid events (both live and online).

An example of this would be a concert where there are 50 people attending the concert in person, and at the same time, the concert is being live streamed. In this case, SOCAN considers this to be one event, meaning that you only need one license for hybrid concerts. Same goes if there are 50 people attending in person, and the concert is being recorded to be broadcast later: it is still considered to be one event.

Your right to perform and communicate the music is covered by your chosen SOCAN performance license.

3- Neither 4B1 nor 4B2 covers synchronization or reproduction rights.

SOCAN only handles the public performance and communications rights, but not the reproduction and synchronization rights, which you’ll need to secure from the rights holder for the repertoire you’re performing (or their representative). If you don’t know who that is, start with the music publisher: they can guide you.

If you’re looking for some quick definitions under Canadian copyright, this page on the Canadian Music Reproduction Rights Association can help you!

4- Archival recordings require a different license

If you are communicating recordings made in the past by your ensemble, you will need to secure an Online Audiovisual license ( Tariff 22.D.1 ) from SOCAN.

If revenue is generated by these performances through advertising, per-program fee, or special subscription the fee is 1.9% of these revenues subject to a minimum annual fee of $15.00. For services that generate revenue, reporting for the tariff is quarterly. If the minimum is applicable, you need only remit the form once and pay your fee for the year.

5- Facebook and YouTube have their own licensing agreements with SOCAN and other rights holders – and they enforce them!

If you are using Facebook and/or YouTube as a platform to share your recorded musical content, those platforms are responsible for policing the licenses, and can take content down. When you use these platforms, you are posting at your own risk.

However, if you are selling tickets for the viewing of this concert, or if it is being promoted or advertised as a concert/event, then your organization will need to secure a license from SOCAN.

Early pandemic experience taught groups that both Facebook and Youtube use bots as a first line of identification of material under copyright (whether it’s copyright on the repertoire or copyright on the recording). Immediate and well-informed communication with YouTube or Facebook will escalate the issue to a live person, and you can then sort things out.

6- Be mindful of copyright on arrangements

If your concert includes works from the public domain only, you’re in the clear. If you’re using the 4B2 tariff, you’re paying a flat fee per concert, whatever the repertoire. If you’re using the 4B1 tariff and only performing music in the public domain, then no license is required. However, if you are performing an arrangement of a public domain “tune”, the arrangement will be subject to copyright protection if it was created during the current copyright term in Canada (which we’ll summarize as “death plus 50”). Check to make sure, and ensure that you have a license if required.

Still have questions?

You can get in touch with your account manager in Entandem, or contact SOCAN directly on this email address! Response rate is 1-2 weeks.

Additional Resources:

Video recording of the webinar

SOCAN website

An Orchestra Musician’s Guide to Licensing of Online Content by Gary Corrin

Online Concerts_Summary from SOCAN as of October 2020

ASCAP repertory list

Government of Canada resources on copyright: in English and French

Top 5 Hints for a Successful Online AGM

At Orchestras Canada, we have been hosting Annual General Meetings online for the past 7 years and we’re never looking back! Have you been considering hosting your own online this year with, you know, COVID and all? We have put together a guide for you. On October 16, we presented a webinar entitled “How to Plan an Online Annual General Meeting” for orchestra people from coast to coast, and here’s a quick recap of what we shared.

Note: at OC, we use the Zoom Meetings app, with a “Pro” level paid account. We are cost-conscious, and so we have taken advantage of TechSoup Canada’s Zoom offers.

1- Organization is key!

This is really no secret in the world of events, concerts and orchestras: any successful event starts with thorough organization, and in the case of AGMs, there’s a lot to keep in mind. We recommend starting with your by-law or other governing documents and determine the following:

- Who can participate? Who can vote?
- How many voting participants do you need to achieve quorum?
- Will you allow non-voting guests, and how will you control voting?
- Do you allow proxy or advanced voting?
- How far in advance do you need to issue your first official notice of meeting?
- How will you share agenda and supporting materials and how far in advance of the meeting do you need to do that?
- Communicate early and plan several follow-ups to achieve the quorum you need. Anticipate some no-shows, so get more than the minimum registrations.
- What kind of post-AGM records will you need? Attendance list? Voting record? Requiring participants to register will help to capture some of this information.

Once you’ve figured these things out, you’ll need to set up the meeting in Zoom! Here is a short video to show you how:

2- Script it all!

We all like to be spontaneous, but an Annual General Meeting is already stressful enough (and there’s an audience)! So why risk it? Everything should be scripted to help ease nerves and ensure that you accomplish what you need to. This includes who will introduce motions, and the exact wording of the motions. Create an annotated agenda, indicating who speaks when, who handles continuity between speakers, who asks for seconders, timing of polls. To help you out, here’s an annotated agenda from OC’s last AGM.

3- Practice makes perfect

As in music, the more practice you do, the better you get at it! We highly recommend scheduling a practice session a day or two before your AGM with all of your speakers. You can trouble shoot for technical issues, and check for unstable internet connections, slides that don’t make sense, and polls that don’t want to work. This does not need to be a long rehearsal: ours was only 15 minutes long, but it was really useful in confirming our plan for the day of the meeting.

4- Make it look good!

Create a single PowerPoint presentation for the entire meeting and assign one person to advance the slides. This will eliminate awkward pauses as speakers attempt to share their own screens.

Set up a welcome slide that members will see when they join: it should include the event title and some technical tips for participating.

Other tips:

Include the name and role (e.g. president) of individual speaking in the footer of each slide
Apply usual principles for slide presentations: not too much content per slide, attractive design, uniform font size, and strategic use of images
The 5/5/5 rule may be a good guideline: no more than five words per line of text, five lines of text per slide, or five text-heavy slides in a row.

Your PowerPoint presentation is essential to the success of your online AGM, so make it look good! It should please both the eyes and the brain. Make sure the font is big enough, make the slides colourful, make it informative! Include where the Polls will happen, who is speaking at the moment, and why not a couple of photos? Here is an example of the PowerPoint presentation that we put together for our last AGM.

5- The ultimate task list

You’ve been waiting for it, so here it is: our compilation of mostly-background tasks that need to be thought-through and assigned to ensure a smooth meeting. You could think of them as the jobs that need to be done by the meeting secretary, the meeting host, and the meeting technician:

Meeting secretary:

Starting and pausing recording if needed
Taking attendance (for the record and quorum)
Reporting to the host at the start of the meeting when the first AGM notice was issued
Launching Polls
Reporting to the host on votes received by advance ballot, if you have that option
Sharing poll results and confirming a motion is passed
Taking minutes (recording will be a helpful back-up)

Meeting host (can be one of the presenters)

Welcoming participants
Ensuring meeting continuity
Identifying seconder for motions (from raised hands)
Confirming results of polls
Monitoring and managing the chat: posting any relevant links and bringing any questions to the attention of the chair

Meeting technician

Serving as contact person (email and/or cellphone) for members needing a reminder of meeting coordinates, or trouble shooting technical issues before and during the meeting
Letting participants into the meeting room, both before and during the meeting
Sharing and advancing the slide presentation (host will pass screen share to this individual)
Making motions (presenters can do this and motions should be in the annotated script)
Starting and pausing recording if needed

Bonus: Post AGM tips and tricks

Recordings and Reports

Download any Zoom reports within 30 days of the meeting – they are deleted after that
You’ll want to keep some information for your records:
- Registration report
- Polling report (can also serve as a back-up attendance list)

Here is a video showing where to find those reports:

Help with Minutes:
- If you’ve set it up to do so, Zoom with notify you when the meeting recording is available – typically 3 files are generated: video, audio, and the text file of the chat log

Follow-up Communications:
- Report on AGM activities and updates, and thank participants in a post-AGM newsletter or other communication

Still curious and want to learn more? Here are some useful links:

Recording of the Webinar

Slides of the Webinar