Trustee

Orchestras Live is looking to strengthen and diversify our Board of Trustees  as we work towards our vision that orchestras are for everyone and deliver our ambitious Business Plan.

We are seeking candidates who have a belief in and commitment to the power of culture to create social impact and positive change. It is not essential to have knowledge of orchestral music. However, we are looking for people who recognise the unique role that orchestras can play in supporting a culturally vibrant and resilient society, informed by a love of music (orchestral or otherwise).

What We Do

Orchestras Live believes orchestras are for everyone. We believe everyone should be able to experience the power of live orchestral music, wherever they live, whatever their background, and whatever barriers they face.

We work across England, especially in places that have seen long-term underinvestment. Our projects can happen in schools, care homes, arts venues, libraries, museums, outdoors and online. 

We collaborate with a range of partners at every level (local, regional and national) to create programmes that are relevant, inclusive and genuinely rooted in the communities we work in.

We’re proud of the impact we’ve made so far. But there is still much more we want and need to do. We hope you’ll join us on this journey.

Find out more about our history: 

https://www.orchestraslive.org.uk/news/our-history 

What You’ll Bring 

We are looking for up to five trustees: three to join the Board in December 2026 and two as ‘trustees in waiting’, formally joining the Board in 2027. Trustees in waiting attend Board meetings and familiarise themselves with the role of a trustee but do not have trustee responsibilities until they formally join the Board. If you’ve not previously been a trustee this could be an opportunity for you to develop your skills in a supportive environment. A number of current trustees have found this helpful where they did not previously have Board experience.

We’re looking for people who:

• Believe in the role culture can play in creating positive change in society
• Care about equity, inclusion and representation in the arts
• Have a love of music – orchestral or otherwise
• Think strategically and enjoy collaborative discussion
• Are open-minded, curious and willing to challenge the status quo
• Can act as ambassadors for Orchestras Live within their own networks

We’re particularly interested in candidates with experience in one or more of these priority areas: 

• Devolution and local/mayoral/combined authority policy
• Workforce development, equity, diversity and inclusion in the orchestral sector
• Data, impact and evaluation – especially social return on investment
• Income generation and organisational resilience
• Finance or HR in the not‑for‑profit sector
• Deep knowledge of the North or East of England or the Midlands
• A historically underinvested community

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, age groups and cultures. The Board has made specific commitments to embed equity of access and opportunity across our delivery programme and organisational structure. To help us deliver these, we are keen to hear from Global Majority, D/deaf and disabled candidates to support better representation on our Board and in leadership positions in our sector. We would also like to hear from candidates from the North, East and Midlands to maintain regional representation on the Board.

If you self-identify as belonging to one or more of the above underrepresented groups and can demonstrate experience in one or more of the priority areas, you will be guaranteed a first‑stage online interview. 

We offer access support for people who face barriers to inclusion, meeting in accessible venues, being flexible in scheduling meetings at different times of day and covering travel expenses as outlined in our Inclusion Statement, which can be found at the end of this document.

What The Role Involves

As a trustee, you’ll help guide the strategic direction, governance and financial health of the charity. You’ll join a Board of 12 trustees, each serving an initial three‑year term (renewable once).

You’ll be asked to:

• Attend at least four Board meetings a year (hybrid: Leeds, London or online)
• Join regular standing committees or working groups (usually online)
• Attend at least two Orchestras Live activities each year and share feedback
• Act as an advocate for our work in your networks

The role is voluntary, but we reimburse travel and other reasonable expenses. Meeting papers are circulated by email in good time for trustees to read them thoroughly before the meeting.

You’ll receive a full induction and support as you settle into the role, including informal contact with a current trustee ‘buddy’ who can help you. 

Term

Each trustee serves an initial three-year term, which can be renewed once.

What You’ll Gain

You’ll be joining a forward‑thinking and nationally recognised organisation and steering new thinking in the sector. 

You will have the opportunity to:

• Shape the future of orchestral work in communities across England
• Gain insight into the UK cultural and charitable sectors
• Develop new skills in governance, strategy and leadership
• Be part of a Board that values diverse voices, lived experience and fresh thinking
• Contribute to work that genuinely changes lives

You can find out more about being a trustee here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charity-trustee-whats-involved

Further information

Explore www.orchestraslive.org.uk for in depth information about who we are, who we work with and what we do.

Read about our impact highlights in 2024/25 https://www.orchestraslive.org.uk/our-impact-202425 

Additional insights from past trustees:

https://www.orchestraslive.org.uk/news/simone-trustee-reflections-blog 

https://www.orchestraslive.org.uk/news/trustee-blog-diversity-inclusion-relevance
 
 Orchestras Live Tea Break episode: the charity trustee experience:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtLgeqzGMyw&list=PLxpKb1aFn_fAldJjC8RNKlRYb6d4dSnNx

How to apply  

Please email your CV together with a covering letter of up to 2 pages (or a 5-minute video or audio recording if you prefer).

We encourage you to explain why you are interested in joining the Board of Orchestras Live, and describe how your lived experience and/or specialist knowledge could add value to the organisation, as outlined in the section on What You’ll Bring. Please address your letter or recording to our Chair, Helen Harrison, and email it to private@orchestraslive.org.uk 

Applicants who wish to disclose protected characteristics are asked to make Orchestras Live aware of this in their cover email.

If you have any access needs or other practical questions you would like to discuss before applying, please email nancy@orchestraslive.org.uk or phone us on 0300 030 1160. 

The closing date for applications is 9 am on Monday 13 July 2026. First round interviews will take place online in August or early September. Candidates who reach the second round will then be invited to an informal meeting in person, ideally in the first half of September.

On receipt of their application, applicants will be sent a link to complete a survey requesting personally sensitive data, enabling Orchestras Live to track the demographics of those who apply. Completion of this survey is entirely voluntary and all data is anonymised. Provision of this information is not part of the recruitment process. 

Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion 

We are committed to increasing diversity and inclusion within Orchestras Live and the wider orchestral sector. This means reflecting critically on issues of diversity and inclusion within all that we do, identifying and taking appropriate action to reduce inequality and improve equity of opportunity. 

For all roles, whether voluntary or paid, we welcome applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion or socio-economic background. We are committed to inclusive working practices and during the application process we commit to: 

• Paying for your travel costs for interviews if they are held in person 
• Paying for childcare while you’re attending an interview 
• Making and paying for any reasonable adjustments to meet your needs and ensure equity during the application and interview process 
• Providing all relevant information online and in Word document format, readily available to download from our website 

If there is anything you’re concerned about or think we could provide, please email nancy@orchestraslive.org.uk or phone us on 0300 030 1160 and we will do our best to help.

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.