Equality

Everything we do at NCO is built on a foundation of inclusivity.

We believe everyone has their own brilliance and every voice matters.

At NCO activities children discover the joy of music, unlock their creativity and grow in a community that sees, hears and celebrates them for who they are.

Who is missing?

We want to increase representation in our orchestras and our organisation in currently under-represented groups.

Our data tells us these are:

People who identify as Disabled, Hearing impaired and/or are BSL users
People who identify as Black, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian; including those of mixed heritage.
People who are from low-income families (below £32,000 annual household income)

We also want to increase the number of participants in state education because we recognise that there are less opportunities to learn and progress in music than are available to a young person at an independent school.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We believe that everyone should have equitable opportunities, access and outcomes.

By creating supportive, inclusive environments at NCO, each child and adult we connect with can discover their own brilliance, find their voice, and grow with confidence and creativity.

We regularly reflect, review and adapt our activities, organisation and communications to ensure that Equity, Diversity and Inclusion are at the centre of our plans.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We believe that everyone should have equitable opportunities, access and outcomes.

By creating supportive, inclusive environments at NCO, each child and adult we connect with can discover their own brilliance, find their voice, and grow with confidence and creativity.

We regularly reflect, review and adapt our activities, organisation and communications to ensure that Equity, Diversity and Inclusion are at the centre of our plans.

We are actively increasing the inclusion of people across our teams who identify with under-represented protected characteristics and lived experiences. This includes from conductors and guest artists, music and support teams, to the composers whose music we choose to play.

We are seeking new partnership, as well as continuing to work with:

ABRSM through its diversity-led composer mentor scheme to commission new music each year
Open Up Music to develop an Accessible Musical Progression toolkit to enable more disabled musicians to participate in mainstream youth orchestras.
Oak Academy and Bristol Beacon to provide recordings by NCO musicians to create a brand new music curriculum for primary schools across England.

Our Commitment

We will continually strive to increase equity and access at NCO and ensure that inclusion is at the heart of our decisions and our activities.

We will not be afraid to take risks to create meaningful change, seeking ways to challenge narratives and structures which give advantages to some over others. We will share our learning and reflection and strive to be a thought leader for our sectors.