Guidance

Your local community is your biggest and best source of new contacts, whether that’s members, audience, sponsors or funders, patrons, volunteers or just general supporters. Many of our most successful groups are those who have a strong engagement with the people living and working in the surrounding area. But how do you build these relationships?

The role of your group’s committee or management team (or whatever term you use to describe the group of people who volunteer their time to run your group) is to organise and facilitate the activities of the group, whilst supporting and protecting the reputation of the group and ensuring that legal responsibilities are met.  The role of the chair within this, is to oversee the work of the committee and the everyday activities of the group to ensure that these aims are achieved.

We have all experienced the positive impact of music – either as a music makers or music listeners. However, measuring that impact can sometimes be quite a difficult concept to grasp.  If you have secured funding for a music project or activity, you may be already aware that measuring impact is often a standard  requirement. However, it needn’t be burdensome. There are many benefits in adopting a simple and proportionate approach that may help grow your group, improve the impact it makes and help with a funding application.

Data protection is about organisations collecting and using data in a fair, responsible and transparent way. It puts the emphasis on needing a good reason for holding and using the data and being clear about what those reasons are. It also emphasises the need to have consent from individuals (in some situations), and the individual’s rights over their data. New data protection laws (often referred to as GDPR) came into force in May 2018.

Many music groups tell us they find it challenging to attract younger members. With the help of a generous legacy from lifelong choral singer Pauline Thompson, we have been able to compile a bank of resources aimed at helping you to reach out to under-35 year olds.

We'll continue to add to these resources, but in the meantime if you think we're missing something that would be helpful for groups like yours, or if you have any questions,  just get in touch. 

Discovering new music, deciding what to perform and actually sourcing the sheet music can be both the most fun and frustrating parts of running a music group.

Whether you’re looking for new repertoire, thinking of commissioning or just trying to find the cheapest option for the sheet music you need, we have resources to help.

Working with both young people and adults at risk can be hugely beneficial for the individuals and group involved. It also comes with a responsibility for the group to ensure they:

What is a Making Music Group Representative (MM Group Rep)?

The Making Music Group Representative (MM Group Rep) is the main link between your group and Making Music. They are the voice of the group within Making Music, making sure we know what resources and services the group needs to thrive. They also receive our communications.

Running a leisure-time music group can be time-consuming. Getting bogged down in the small details and immediate issues, you can occasionally forget to look at the bigger picture. Creating a strategic plan will help you keep an eye on the overall picture, and provide a framework for dealing with those day-to-day details.

What are the key elements of a strategic plan?

What is succession planning?

It is the process of preparing for someone to take over a role from another person, making the transition as smooth as possible, and having a plan for emergency cover should a role suddenly become vacant. There are three key aspects to succession planning: