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Inclusion Update: Our Core Values in Action

October 2025

 
At the Charlotte Symphony, our core values -- Excellence, Integrity, Inclusion, Innovation, and Community -- guide everything we do. This report highlights how we're putting those values into action by fostering inclusion, expanding access, and creating meaningful opportunities for everyone to experience and participate in music.

Fostering Inclusion

  • Featured guest artists, conductors, and programming in the 2025-26 season that highlights the richness and diversity of orchestral music
  • Advanced equity in the field as a participant in the League of American Orchestras' Inclusive Stages initiative 
  • Built upon improvements already made in equitable auditions and tenure practices through national training attended by Music Director Kwamé Ryan and CSO staff
  • Increased representation of diverse composers in youth programs and community performances
  • Participated in organization-wide training on inclusive language, unconscious bias, and inclusive leadership practices through LinkedIn Learning
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Expanding Access

  • Translated all Project Harmony communications into Spanish, reducing barriers for families
  • Welcomed Title I students to open rehearsals and expanded discounted ticket access to One Musical Family concerts
  • Grew the Music for All program by 550% from FY24-FY25, offering $3 tickets to SNAP and WIC recipients
  • Attracted more diverse audiences: African American, Hispanic, and Asian ticket buyers increased from 10.7% to 17.7% since FY21; Millennials now represent 28.8% of the audience, with Gen Z rising from 1% to 8.7%
  • Continued the Innovation Hub as a forum for staff, musicians, and community members to propose and test new ideas that improve access and representation
  • Joined national benchmarking survey on audition and orchestra demographics to track progress and attract diverse talent
  • Completed our $50 million fundraising campaign, strengthening long-term financial health and ensuring these programs are sustainable
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Creating Meaningful Opportunities

  • Launched the Bridge Program, introducing 1st graders to the violin -- expanding upon our partnership with the Latin American Coalition
  • Developed new concert formats through the Innovation Hub, attracting first-time audiences
  • Expanded partnerships with local colleges and universities, creating internship opportunities and pathways into the arts for diverse talent
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Deepening Community Connections

  • Performed 18 concerts with Roof Above in FY25, bringing music to hundreds of housed tenants, staff, and our unhoused neighbors
  • Partnered with hospitals to perform for patients and families
  • Presented 22 CSO Roadshow concerts in the City's Corridors of Opportunity, with 10 more planned for 2026
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  • Public appearances, including participation in the Charlotte Pride Parade and the Festival of India, showcase the Symphony's values to the broader community
  • Raised visibility of our inclusion efforts through media campaigns, storytelling, and national/local press coverage
  • Continued to attract new audiences through free and low-cost community-focused events