In line with today’s expectation that businesses do their bit to help protect our environment, Arts & Business Scotland has put sustainability centre stage at this year’s Culture and Business Scotland Conference.
Global asset management business Aviva Investors has partnered with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) to commission and perform a piece of music with the aim of stirring emotion in people enough for them to feel inspired to take action on climate change.
The result is Symbiosis, composed by Greg Lawson and featuring the SCO Strings with Pekka Kuusisto. The making and performing of the piece is explored in a short film created by Sandy Butler and filmed in Moniaive and at Clockwork Studios in Glasgow, which will be shown at the conference.
In this film, Greg Lawson explains that music is the ‘the perfect language of metaphor’ and that ‘Symbiosis’ itself refers to the relationship we have with each other and the planet. Although centred around a piece of music, this film explores the power of a cross-sector partnership in making real change in real time.
Partnerships Manager of the SCO, David Nelson said “This has been an incredibly inspiring sponsorship project. We have learned so much from working with Aviva Investors and have started evaluating our own organisational approach to sustainability as a result of the partnership. Our ‘Symbiosis’ film has been made possible thanks to support from the Culture & Business Fund Scotland and a collective creativity from everyone involved, with special thanks to Greg Lawson, Sandy Butler and Clockwork Sessions.”
Chief Executive of Arts & Business Scotland David Watt said, “It has been an incredibly difficult 18 months/2 years for the business sector, not least when considering the increasing pressure around sustainability credentials and corporate social responsibility goals. Therefore we are delighted to bring the experience and expertise of Aviva Investors and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to business leaders from across the country this February as part of the Culture and Business Scotland Conference 2022.
Not only has this partnership succeeded in creating a stunning new short film and wonderful and moving piece of music, it demonstrates the power of such partnerships between the commercial and culture sectors to further corporate social responsibility goals.”
Representatives from Aviva Investors and the SCO will be on hand at the online conference to present the creative partnership born out of a shared desire to support businesses in recognising climate change and improving their sustainability credentials.
TheCulture and Business Scotland Conference 2022, that takes place online on Thursday 10th February from 2pm – 5pm, explores the value, benefits and return on developing cross sector partnerships and will be hosted by Pauline McLean, Arts Correspondent at BBC Scotland.
To sign up for FREE visit: https://www.aandbscotland.org.uk/events/
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 