Charleston Symphony Inclusion Fellowship
In the fall of 2021, the Charleston Symphony announced the launch of a new program, the Charleston Symphony Inclusion Fellowship (CSIF), to offer immersive personal and professional development for future nonprofit arts leaders from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in the field. In the first year of the program, the fellowship serves as an opportunity for students to gain experience and professional development in the nonprofit arts world through the lens of the classical music industry.
As a member of the fellowship, individuals work alongside CSO staff and musicians in creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, as part of the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts and classical music. The CSIF is broken down into two divisions: CSIEF (Charleston Symphony Inclusion Executive Fellowship), launched this year, and CSIOF (Charleston Symphony Inclusion Orchestral Fellowship), which will be introduced in 2022 as an expanded component of the program.
The Charleston Symphony welcomed two fellows to its inaugural cohort through a competitive application process this fall. Charleston Symphony Associate Conductor and CSIF program curator, Kellen Gray said, “Ultimately our goal is to change the legacy of classical music, both on and beyond the stage.” Michael Smith, Executive Director of the CSO commented, “We are proud to launch the fellowship program as one of several steps we intend to take to honor our commitment to this goal.”
Currently, the year-long fellowship offers salaried compensation for two Executive Fellows: The Internal Relations Fellow, who receives mentorship from and collaborates directly with the Symphony’s Executive Director to ensure the Symphony delivers its mission, and the External Relations Fellow, who receives mentorship from the Symphony’s Director of Development and Marketing, and provides support in communications, marketing, and patron engagement. Fellows will also be able to renew their position for a second year with the CSO. Executive Fellowship candidates are selected exclusively from the College of Charleston’s Arts and Cultural Management program.
November 2, 2021 Press Release: CSO Launches Inclusion Fellowship
2021-2022 CSIF Executive Fellows
“In response to being named the CSO’s first External Relations Fellow, Jailan Williams said, “The Charleston Symphony Orchestra Inclusion Fellowship Program is a program I am honored to be a part of. It is imperative we as advocates, fans, and performers of classical music address and break down the racial barriers that have been a detriment to the recognition and advancement of classical music.”
Jailan Williams: External Relations Fellow
Jailan Williams is an artist, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and podcaster from Florence, South Carolina. He currently serves as the Charleston Symphony Orchestra’s new Inclusion Fellow working in External Relations. He says part of his mission with CSO is to “assist in creating a more inclusive/diverse environment in the world of classical music.” As an Inclusion Fellow, Jailan looks to gain the education, skills, experience, and professional development needed for him to succeed and further his career in music.
In May 2021, Jailan graduated from the College of Charleston, where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Arts Management, with a concentration in the music industry and a Minor in Music. His future career plans include being a producer/musician full-time, he plays electric bass, trombone, and piano. Other plans include owning a recording studio and record label. Additionally, he is the co-founder and co-host of his podcast, JusMusic. Jailan has experience with music production as he co-produced his first single, “Losing Grip” available on all streaming platforms and has done production for several independent artists.
Follow Jailan’s podcast here.
PARTNERS
The fellowship was developed in partnership with the College of Charleston’s (CofC) School of the Arts in alignment with its own diversity, equity, inclusion initiatives, and with support from key field experts Dr. Karen Chandler (Associate Professor, Arts Management) and Dr. Renard Harris (Chief Diversity Officer). Kate Keeney, CofC Assistant Professor and Program Director of Arts Management noted, “We are grateful to the CSO for making such a significant investment in emerging arts managers who together will advance diversity and inclusion in the field.” Keeney continued, “Subsequently, it will be organizations like the CSO that will be successful in attracting these bright leaders in the future. The CSO Fellowship prioritizes mentorship, provides funding, and offers exceptional learning opportunities for our students—ingredients that will result in meaningful exchange and most importantly change in the arts management field.”
Located in the heart of historic Charleston, South Carolina, the College of Charleston is a nationally recognized, public liberal arts and sciences university. Founded in 1770, the College is among the nation’s top universities for quality education, student life and affordability.
The College’s five-course Graduate Certificate in Arts and Cultural Management prepares a global market of arts leaders in the creative economy through immersive experiences with diverse artists, arts and cultural institutions, and their communities. Based in the College’s School of the Arts, the Arts Management Program offers this one-year, 15-credit curriculum of live and online classes, and includes coursework in: executive and fiscal leadership; data and cloud information systems; arts education and advocacy; social justice engagement in the arts; strategic planning and evaluation; and managing institutional resources. Students may also complete the certificate as degree-seeking students in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA) programs. The College of Charleston is also home to an undergraduate degree in Arts Management—one of the largest programs at the College and one of the few undergraduate programs in the Southeast.