By Eden Annesley, AYO Youth Council member
Young musicians are helping shape the future of Australia’s arts sector, with the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) Youth Council convening leading voices from across the country for its inaugural Changemakers Summit at the Sydney Opera House Centre for Creativity.
The one-day Changemakers Summit event on 12 September brought together leaders from across Australia’s arts and cultural industries to explore some of the sector’s most pressing challenges and opportunities, including wellbeing, sustainability, inclusion, audience engagement and artificial intelligence.
Founded in 2024, the AYO Youth Council is one of AYO’s newest initiatives creating opportunities for youth voice to be meaningfully included in dialogue on industry issues and professional learning for participants across AYO’s orchestral performance, composition, media and communication and sound production programs.
Throughout the day the 19 delegates, which also included representatives from the Australian Film Television and Radio School, heard from guest speakers including Queensland Conservatorium Deputy Director (Research) Professor Brydie-Leigh Bartleet, Riverina Conservatorium of Music Director and CEO Hamish AJ Tait, and Regional Arts NSW Director and CEO Dr Tracey Callinan OAM.
Additional contributors included Green Music Australia founder Tim Hollo, Connecting the Dots in Music founding director Emily Gann, Bus Stop Films CEO Tracey Corbin-Matchett OAM, ABC Classic Screen Sounds presenter and Monash University Professor of Media Dan Golding, Zoe Taylor and Adelaide Rief, representatives from Creative Australia, and MEAA President of Musicians (NSW) Alexander Poirier.
Collaboration and performances
Designed and curated by members of the Youth Council, the Summit created spaces for discussion, collaboration and problem solving, alongside performances by AYO alumni Duo Aki, original works by AYO violist Alex Monro and a guzheng piece performed and composed by Youth Council Co-Chair QiQi Lu.
Framed around the pillars of the National Cultural Policy, discussions explored the roles and responsibilities of Australian artists, wellbeing, sustainability and inclusion, audience engagement and the impact of artificial intelligence
A key theme emerging from the day was the importance of grounding music-making in its original purpose: as a service to community and a shared experience for audiences.
AYO Youth Council Co-Chair QiQi Lu said the Summit marked an important step towards greater equity and access across the arts sector. “Everyone should have the right to experience and partake in artistic creation. Change happens through many levels of advocacy and through this summit, I realise we as artists are powerful in our ability to inspire this.”
AYO CEO Kimbali Harding said the Summit demonstrated the growing influence and leadership of the Youth Council.
“The Youth Council reflects AYO’s commitment to listening to, learning from and partnering with young people,” said Kimbali.
“Seeing these young artists convene leaders from across the arts sector for a day of meaningful discussion, collaboration and big-picture thinking was something to be incredibly proud of. The thoughtfulness, care and leadership they bring to these conversations is helping shape not only AYO, but the broader cultural conversation.”
Kimbali said the success of the Summit was not measured by resolutions or outcomes on a page, but by the quality of the conversations it sparked. “Bringing together artists and leaders from across the sector created an opportunity to explore questions about sustainability, inclusion, technology and the future of artistic practice. That’s exactly the kind of leadership and contribution the arts need.”
The Summit comes at a time when rising financial pressures are making participation in the arts increasingly difficult. Yet Creative Australia’s National Arts Participation Survey found that 98 per cent of Australians participate in the arts in some form, while 86 per cent recognise the positive impacts of creative engagement on society, the economy and individual wellbeing.
AYO Youth Council member Eden Annesley said these figures reinforce the need to continue fostering arts participation across Australia, both within communities, and for those becoming artists themselves.
“As musicians, we are the facilitators of creativity in the community. Arts are a generational resource and by situating our practice in the community, we are able to leave a lasting impact on audiences.”
Eden Annesley, AYO Youth Council member
The AYO continues to support the excellence of young musicians through its training programs, providing the support and pathways to create a sustainable career in the arts.
