Towards 2020: Skilling Musicians & Engaging Audiences in Europe’s Orchestral Sector (T2020) is a major European Cooperation Project creating a new model to skill talented young musicians from all 28 EU member states so that they can respond to the changing needs of 21st century society. The model will be based on an innovatory training prototype, performance programme, digital platform & audience model, all structured to deliver employability across Europe and audience development strategies transferable to other cultural & creative sectors. This application is thus made not only to strengthen the capacity of the orchestral sector, promote employment of young people & create new audiences across Europe, but to also offer an exemplar model for Europe’s 2020 aspirations.At the heart of T2020 are the training & international concerts of one of the world’s preeminent young musicians’ orchestras and long-time cultural ambassador for the EU, the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO). Described by Androulla Vassiliou, EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Sport, Media and Youth, as “Europe at its best … [of which] I am deeply proud”, the EUYO will join a powerful consortium of Partners Grafenegg Festival in Austria, BOZAR and Culture Action Europe from Belgium, The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation, The Ferruccio Busoni Competition in Bolzano Italy, Music Centre Slovakia, and UK digital communications organisation John Good Ltd, to build a paradigm for cultural activity that is ambitious, practical, and relevant to the needs of society as we approach 2020. New audience initiatives will include The European Music Campus and its Orchestral Laboratory and Academy, Adopt an Orchestra, REACT (for young unemployed people), Project 30/40 (for non audience 30-40 year olds), a new city centre music space Spazio Klassik, and new concert formats such as Back Stage Late. New digital formats and platforms will be created via a new T2020 website and App.