Location
Can you describe your group in one sentence? At this practical event we’ll explore what makes a good defining statement, and how you can use it to recruit new members and audiences and inspire your group to work purposefully as a team.
Across the country, there are thousands of leisure-time music groups that exist for distinct reasons and appeal to different people. This is a great thing, but it means that you need to able to clearly describe your group so people know what to expect when they interact with you. A good definition statement that articulates your group’s identity and purpose helps people understand you when they encounter you for the first time. It can also help create a sense of shared purpose between your members and help you make decisions about the direction of your group.
At this online session, we’ll talk about defining statements: how to write (or re-write) them and how to put them to work. We’ll particularly focus on defining your group in a way that welcomes the widest possible diversity of people, while staying true to your essential purpose. We’ll look at some great examples from our membership, and talk through methods of collective creation, to get everyone in your group involved. And we’ll think about where to make your statement so it reaches more people and builds membership and audiences.
This session brings together our expertise on inclusion, strengthened by our INCLUDE project, with our knowledge on marketing leisure time groups and their events, and some thinking on strategic planning. We hope that you’ll leave with a plan to write or re-write your defining statements to better describe the group you are, or that you want to become.
We'll talk about:
- What a definition statement is and why it’s important
- Some examples from our members, and why they work
- What to include – and leave out
- How and why to write collectively
- Putting your definition statement to work
There will be an opportunity to ask questions during the event.
Who this event is for: Members of leisure time music groups on the organising committee or group and/or involved in marketing, new member recruitment and audience development.
Cost: FREE
We will be using Zoom to host the meeting, and will email you the joining link two days and again two hours before the event is due to start.
Please read the event information below before reserving your place.
Registration for this event closes at 2.30pm on 29/10/25.
Event information: (delete as applicable and also delete this instruction)
- This event includes a powerpoint presentation (slides can be sent out in advance)
- This event includes participant-led discussion
- Questions will be taken via the chat function at this event
- Breakout rooms will be used at this event
- Automated closed captions (subtitles) will be available at this event. If you require live captioning, please contact us to request this
Expected event schedule:
- 4.30pm: welcome and how we will use the Zoom features
- 4.35pm: updates from Making Music
- 4.40pm: event topic
- 6.00pm: finish
Timings may vary on the day.
Recording information: We do not plan to record this event.
Inclusivity statement:
We aim to make our events as accessible as possible. If you have any particular accessibility requirements or if there is anything else we can do to help make the event a better experience for you, please let us know.
Cancellation policy:
Making Music reserves the right to cancel an event due to low attendance numbers, adverse weather conditions or other circumstances which make it no longer possible to run the event.
