Are We Telling Our Story Clearly Enough?

Looking back at my notes from the Associated of British Orchestras (ABO) conference, I’m struck by a consistent challenge running through the sessions I attended: how we move from conviction to coherence — and from rhetoric to reality.

Judith Webster, CEO of the ABO, set the tone in her opening remarks , asking us to reflect on ‘realism versus rhetoric’ and ask ourselves – how effectively are we telling our story? In our separate organisations, we are fluent in advocacy, but the provocation was timely for the sector as a whole. Are we truly aligning what we say with what we can evidence? And are we communicating impact in ways that resonate beyond our own sector? Andrew Burke’s reminder that reaching audiences successfully does not mean diluting boldness felt particularly important. The takeaway for me was further affirmation that ambition and accessibility are not opposites; they are mutually reinforcing if we are clear about purpose.

Creative Health Works — So Why Is Integration Still So Hard?

The sessions on Creative Health brought both inspiration and a further dose of realism. Charlotte Osborne-Forde (National Academy for Social Prescribing) and Fiona Lambert (City of London Sinfonia), among others, reinforced that the evidence base for Creative Health is strong - yet embedding it in health and social care systems remains elusive. The recurring theme was integration. As Laura Waters (Air Arts, Derby NHS Hospitals, National Arts in Hospitals Network) put it, funding is not necessarily the crux of the issue; there’s an underlying dissonance in how arts and health systems speak - or fail to speak - to one another. The contrast in language is telling: health talks about “outcomes”, “risk” and “patients”; the arts about “process”, “possibilities” and “people”.

I was particularly taken by Fiona’s challenge to reframe excellence: not “how do we present?” but “how do we connect?” That shift has implications for governance, programming and evaluation alike.

Simon Opher MP (Co-Chair, Creative Health APPG) was characteristically direct: creative health is not an add-on but a route to demedicalising care, reducing cost rather than adding to it. Yet measuring prevention remains complex, and we must guard against creative provision becoming a middle-class preserve. His emphasis on Neighbourhood Care Hubs and local consultation underscored a broader point echoed elsewhere in the conference: the future is local.

Devolution: Opportunity, Instability, and the Need to Shape Change

Devolution, explored powerfully by Fran Hegyi (Edinburgh International Festival) and others, brings politics closer to communities - creating opportunity for influence, but also instability and fragmentation. Culture can become both more visible and more vulnerable. The message for orchestras was clear: don’t simply react to change; shape it. Build relationships with new mayoral and combined authorities, articulate the value of place, and ensure culture is embedded in emerging local growth and wellbeing strategies.

Speaking with One Voice: Collaboration as Strategy, Not Idealism

There was also a salutary reminder - from Jillian Barker (Royal Ballet and Opera) and others — that we must get better at speaking with one voice. Fragmentation weakens our case, particularly as new structures emerge across regions. Workforce development, curriculum influence, data-sharing and collaboration across organisations large and small are not optional extras; they are strategic necessities. Large organisations may be able to “change the dial”, but they must also protect and convene smaller partners to sustain a healthy ecosystem.

Overall, whilst there’s clearly a big task ahead, I’m cautiously optimistic. The conference reinforced that the argument for our work — artistically, socially and economically — is stronger than ever. But strength of argument is not enough. Integration, collaboration, hard lobbying and clearer articulation of shared goals are essential if we are to move from knowing to doing.

At Orchestras Live, we have both the privilege and the responsibility to lead that shift — modelling the confidence needed to connect artistic excellence with the wider systems that influence funding, policy and public value.