Dear [name]

Please help us to save the Ulster Orchestra

The purpose of this letter is to give you more information about the crisis facing Northern Irelands only
professional symphony orchestra and to ask you to do all you can to help us prevent the imminent closure of
the Ulster Orchestra.
As you are doubtless aware, the Ulster Orchestra is in grave financial difficulties and will close in weeks if
additional funding cannot be found. The Orchestra is considered by many to be the lynch-pin of musical
activity in Northern Ireland through its concerts, its tuition and its community and educational outreach
activities. In addition to its cultural and educational contribution to the province the Orchestra is also a
significant economic contributor to Northern Ireland. For every 1 of public money the Orchestra receives
from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, it contributes about 2.62 in return to the economy here.
Background
Over the last four years the Orchestras funding from the Arts Council of and from the BBC has declined by
28%, a sum of around 1 million. Neither players nor staff have had a pay rise since 2008, and the Orchestra
has not toured for 10 years. We understand that the Orchestras AGM was due to take place on 15
September but at that time, as the Orchestras Chairman Sir George Bain told the Assembly on 21 October,
the Board was not in a position to confirm its belief that the Orchestra would be solvent for the next 12
months The AGM was postponed until 15 December, and the Orchestra is now hoping and working to find a
solution and proposal which can safeguard its future before then.
The Save the Ulster Orchestra Campaign
Since news of the Orchestras plight became public knowledge last month, individuals from all across the
community have voiced their strong support for the Orchestra. As a result of a hugely successful social
media campaign to Save the Ulster Orchestra, over 11,000 people have already signed a petition asking the
Northern Ireland Minister for Culture, Leisure and the Arts, Carl N Chuiln to give assurances that secure
and permanent funding to ensure the Orchestras survival will be found. The campaign has also collated
hundreds of testimonials and memorabilia showing the depth and strength of support from all corners of the
province and beyond all of which will be presented to the Minister along with the petition itself next week.
Alongside the many thousands of ordinary people involved in the campaign, over the past four weeks the
campaign organisers have also secured the support of many outstanding musicians, artists, writers and
cultural luminaries including Dr Brian Friel, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Lord Dunleath, Sir James Galway, Peter
Corry, Tasmin Little, Nicola Benedetti, Barry Douglas, Alan Davies. Joyce Didonato and Phil Coulter. The
many messages of support and goodwill are posted on the Campaigns Official Facebook page, Save the
Ulster Orchestra.
Working alongside the Orchestra, the campaign has already organised several pop up concerts in shopping
centres around the province and plans are in place to stage the provinces first orchestral flash mob over
the next few days. It is crucial to that the plight of the orchestra remains visible at this crucial time and whilst
the details of the flash mob remain a closely guarded secret, the intention is that some lucky unsuspecting
people will be treated to a wonderful, spontaneous orchestral experience.
What are we asking you to do?
We are writing to ask you to do all you can to KEEP THIS CAMPAIGN VISIBLE over the coming days and
weeks. You can help by:

1. Remembering to discuss the fate of the Orchestra publicly and privately with your colleagues and
friends and using your influence to try to persuade them to support a rescue package for the
Orchestra.

2. Asking pertinent questions about the current crisis if and when you have the opportunity again, both
in public and in private. A list of suggested questions is given below for your convenience only:-

a. If the Orchestra is allowed to close, how do you propose to replace the cross community
educational and outreach work it currently undertakes within Northern Ireland?

b. Would you accept that there is a huge difference for the province between having a full-time
professional symphony orchestra residing within, and accessible to, the whole community
and ad hoc concerts given by players who are not normally resident in the province?

c. How would you propose to attract potential investors in Northern Irelands burgeoning film
industry if the province has no professional orchestra on tap to record film scores?

d. If the Orchestra is allowed to close how would you explain to the 60,000 people who applied
for 11,000 tickets for the "Proms In The Park" last year, that there will be no more Proms In
the Park in the province?

e. If the province loses its only professional orchestra, who do you intend will inspire, teach and
mentor Northern Irelands future musicians, particularly since Northern Ireland is the only
part of the UK without its own music conservatoire to train musicians at tertiary level?

f.

Do you accept that to lose the provinces only professional symphony orchestra would be an
embarrassment for Belfast, which only recently sought to be awarded the title of European
City of Culture?

g. Would you feel disappointed if Northern Ireland became the only part of the United Kingdom
without a professional symphony orchestra?

3. Joining in our social media campaign and publicising it to your own colleagues, friends and
followers by:-

a. Joining the Save the Ulster Orchestra Group on Facebook;

b. Liking Save the Ulster Orchestra page on Facebook; and
c. Following @savetheUO on Twitter and RT-ing its links to your followers.
d. Contributing your own ideas, questions and suggestions publicly to the debate.

4. Signing the online petition (if you have not already done so) available at
http://www.change.org/p/the-northern-ireland-executive-please-guarantee-and-publicly-state-a-longterm-meaningful-and-financial-commitment-to-funding-and-promoting-the-ulster-orchestra.
This is not a rehearsal. The Orchestra will close imminently if a solution cannot be found. For the sake of
Northern Irelands current and future musicians and music lovers, and the reputation of the province both
nationally and internationally, please will you do all you can to help prevent this happening?
Thank you.
[your name]