Attention is the currency of the 21st century. Emotional triggers let things stick in our minds: pictures and stories. This year’s Academy Second Modernism summit meeting takes the theme ‘Stories that matter’. What can we do to highlight the wealth of a global, equal music culture and thus overcome patriarchal structures and stereotypes? How can we imagine new ways of storytelling from a diverse perspective and what sustainable communication and marketing structures are available for a more gender-just music culture? This topic lets the Academy pick up on the declaration of last year’s summit. The participants will use best practice examples, keynote speeches and lectures by renowned international experts to develop concrete tools and recommended courses of action. Stories matter!