In NAYO Notes No 10 we alerted members to the uncertainties surrounding the future of the Festival of British Youth Orchestras. It is with great regret and no little sadness that we now have to announce that, following a meeting of NAYO’s Board of Directors on Sunday 6 December, NAYO will not be able to promote and manage the Festival of British Youth Orchestras in 2010. The earlier NAYO Notes outlined some of the difficulties associated with underwriting a three-week Festival in the present uncertain economic climate. A period of intensive lobbying with prospective funders and other partner organisations has failed to secure any of the money required to engage an experienced arts administrator to fundraise, plan and manage the Festival. Similarly, in the absence of any such funding NAYO cannot sign contracts to secure the concert venues for a Festival next August.
Earlier in the year we learned that funding from Youth Music (in England) was to be withdrawn from the transition and restructure process associated with NAYO’s core activities. Whilst not in itself a huge sum of money it placed us in a very challenging position financially. Given that participation in the FBYO has traditionally been considered a benefit of membership, NAYO has never charged a registration fee as a contribution to the considerable overheads associated with planning, promoting and running the festival. In recent years, the FBYO has only broken even because NAYO has itself subsidised the event by absorbing a substantial proportion of staff and some other costs; we are not now in a position to do this.
We have been in contact with those groups who had already pencilled in dates for the Festival in 2010, and in addition have informed the authorities at Central Hall in Edinburgh, and at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. It may well be that some groups will want to make individual arrangements with either of these venues to mount their own concerts.
In these rather depressing circumstances it is important to acknowledge and celebrate the long and distinguished history of the Festival. The Board of NAYO is particularly pleased that, if 2009 proves to be the final year of the Festival under the NAYO banner, we are able to finish on a positive note. The 30th Anniversary Festival in Edinburgh and the 24th Festival in Glasgow were, by any criteria, very successful events. NAYO received some very pleasing feedback on the improved presentation of the Festival, in particular the new website and publicity images. However, most of the praise was reserved for the young musicians in your organisations and the wonderful quality of their performances. We very much hope that one or more organisations in Scotland will feel able to take the lead in continuing a tradition which has enriched the lives of so many people over so many years.
NAYO – National Association of Youth Orchestras - A company limited by guarantee, registered charity number 1129610
PO Box 83, Watlington, OX49 5XP. T: 0131 221 1927 F: 0131 229 2921 W: www.nayo.org.uk E: information@nayo.org.uk
