DSO Receives Grant from League of American Orchestras’ Catalyst Fund 

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) has received a $25,000 Catalyst Fund grant from the League of American Orchestras.

Given to 23 orchestras across the country, the grants will help deepen understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), improve practice, and strengthen organizational culture. The one-year grants comprise the first round of The Catalyst Fund, the League’s new three-year, $2.1 million grant-making program made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

“There is a growing will among orchestras to make their organizations more inclusive, and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s leadership, vision, and financial support is helping to drive these efforts,” said Jesse Rosen, the League of American Orchestras’ president and CEO.

“The DSO values the critical role diversity plays in a healthy society and aspires to create an environment where all people can experience their world through music,” said Anne Parsons, DSO president and CEO. “We are grateful to the League and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for their efforts to build and share best practices in the American orchestra field, and the DSO looks forward to joining them in this important work.”

The Catalyst Fund grant will enable the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to engage EDI practitioners who will help implement a range of organizational development activities, specifically creating a formal EDI strategic plan, including written assessments, benchmarks, and key progress indicators, and delivering EDI training for staff, musicians, and board members focusing on topics such as unconscious bias.