The AEC Council ensures the organisation advances in line with the strategic objectives approved by the General Assembly. At its autumn meeting, key items included the future format of AEC events and the communication strategy. The Council also reviewed ongoing operations, including advocacy, events and projects, overseeing both strategic direction and day-to-day delivery.

How can AEC events better support members in navigating change, positioning themselves in the fields of digitisation, AI, sustainability, and music’s social impact on society, while offering timely insight, inspiration and remaining networking hubs? Council members started to explore these questions in small groups. The insights gained from these discussions will inform a wider engagement process with the membership, including a dedicated brainstorming session at the Salzburg Congress.

Communication and dissemination remain central to AEC. In light of the evolving project portfolio, new advocacy priorities, and our ambition to better embed past project results, AEC is updating its communication strategy. The Council discussed principles and priorities and provided key input for the next draft.

Council members were also introduced to the AEC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Action Plan. The Action plan will go through final revisions by the newly formed DEI expert panel before being presented at the AEC General Assembly 2025.

The AEC Council reviewed preparations for the AEC General Assembly 2025, including Council election applications, and decided to simplify the voting process. Details will be shared with members soon.

Finally, reports were shared concerning two projects closely connected to AEC:

  • AEC Council member Elisabeth Gutjahr presented the “Designing Voices for Our Lives” project, launched ahead of Expo 2025 Osaka to let young musicians explore the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” through music. From 11 to 23 May 2025, 46 students representing over 15 countries gathered in Japan to form a vibrant international choir. Find out more here.
    The choir will perform again as part of the AEC Annual Congress in a public concert on Friday, 7 November.
  • IN.TUNE Co-Secretary General Martin Prchal shared progress on the IN.TUNE Alliance, highlighting its role as a long-term vehicle for institutional transformation. The alliance is currently experimenting how deep partnerships between institutions can be structurally established and testing educational formats and modes of delivery.