London Music Masters (LMM) has selected 40 organisations to take part in their new diversity and inclusion audit tool, I’M IN, which helps organisations deep-dive into their D&I practices.

Taking place in two cohorts in the summer and the autumn, LMM chose a wide-range of music organisations to pilot I’M IN – to achieve long-lasting change and for the industry to become more inclusive, diverse and representative of society.

LMM partnered with management consulting firm AlixPartners and diversity and inclusion consultants Frost Included to develop I’M IN. The organisational self-analysis tool helps music organisations build strategies to dismantle racism and all forms of prejudice to drive systemic change.

The I’M IN Summer Cohort comprises of 27 music organisations, and the Autumn Cohort 13. Of all 40 organisations, the majority are orchestras at 27%, with only 9% being music education hubs and 7% being youth ensembles.

Organisations taking part span from across England, Wales and Scotland, with an income ranging from £75,000 to over £30 million.

 “We were blown away by the response from the sector to the launch of I’M IN,” said LMM’s Executive Director Rob Adediran.

“Clearly, organisations ranging in size from small community outfits to our major symphony orchestras are recognising the need to go beyond issuing statements about diversity and start creating inclusive cultures.

“The music sector is a complex and interdependent ecosystem, for change to happen it has to happen everywhere: in education, management, ensembles, the commercial sector, festivals and venues, believes Adediran.

“We hope that the breadth of organisations who are taking part will inspire others to join us on this mission to change music for good.

“Change starts by taking a hard look at what we are getting wrong, and what we are getting right and I’M IN will help all of the organisations who signed up this summer to do just that.

“I can’t wait to see what happens when they do and look forward to working with them all to build a platform for real change.”

Executive Director Nick Thorne of Orchestras for All commented: “We are proud to have been selected to the Summer Cohort of London Music Masters’ I’M IN.

“At Orchestras for All, we are committed to breaking down all barriers for young people to accessing music-making throughout the UK.

“We know we have more work to do in identifying how to break down these barriers and look forward to working with colleagues across the sector to understand how we can better equip ourselves to take meaningful action against inequality through our work.”

I’M IN Summer Cohort 2020

Awards for Young Musicians; BBC Concert Orchestra; Cheltenham Music Festival; City of London Sinfonia; Live Music Now; London Contemporary Orchestra; London Philharmonic Orchestra; London Symphony Orchestra; MishMash Productions; Multi-Story Music; National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain; NMC Recordings; Opera Holland Park; Orchestras for All; Orchestras Live; Philharmonia Orchestra; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; RSNO; Schott Music Ltd; Sinfonia Cymru; Sinfonia Viva; Sound Connections; Soundcastle; Spitalfields Music; The Nucleo Project; Tŷ Cerdd and WildKat PR.

I’M IN Autumn Cohort 2020

Bromley Youth Music Trust, CBSO, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Music Studies Network, Haringey Music Service, HarrisonParrott, Music Education Islington, Music Teachers’ Association (MTA), NYMAZ, Odyssey Trust for Education, Royal College of Music, Royal College of Music Junior Department, Royal Northern College of Music and Triborough Music Hub.