Recruiting new members is the biggest challenge leisure-time music groups face. From ensuring your recruitment process is inclusive, to figuring out where to find new members, it us, unfortunately, not an exact science; but there are some tried-and-trusted strategies you can implement.

Recruiting toolkit

Our five-part series covers every step of the recruitment journey, from defining who do you want as a member, understanding your current membership, and finding and recruiting new members.

• Recruiting toolkit - part 1: who do you want?
• Recruiting toolkit - part 2: how do people join your group?
• Recruiting toolkit - part 3: understanding your members
• Recruiting toolkit - part 4: who joins music groups and why?
• Recruiting toolkit - part 5: finding new members

Creating a welcoming environment

We have a series of resources that look at how groups can make sure everything they have to offer is welcoming and accessible to everyone who would like to take part. Spending some time thinking about this can help open potential new recruits.

• Creating an accessible and inclusive group
• Welcoming new people by building diversity and inclusion
• Planning and running accessible and inclusive activities
• Inclusive communications

Project-based recruitment

Peterborough Sings! has designed and evolved an effective model for recruiting new people into singing, with their project-based recruitment model delivering impressive results. This case study lays out how music groups can use the model to achieve their own recruitment goals.

The free toolkit is for any choir or music group who would like to use this project-based recruitment model, and includes sample application forms, marketing materials, press releases etc. and training videos and slides on topics including fundraising and social media training. 

Case studies

Our member case studies explain how a member group tackled the challenge of recruiting new members, outlining the initial problem, what they did, and what the outcome was.

• Llysfaen Singers tell us how they managed to successfully grow their membership by making small changes over time.
• Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra explain how a group created to cater for people unable to commit to weekly rehearsals has grown into a flourishing hub of innovation.

Retaining members

It's not enough to find and recruit members - you also need to learn how to keep them! Making sure your members are engaged and happy will go a long way to them staying for a long time.

• Starting a music group: Finding members and creating a culture
• How to keep your members engaged
   

We hope you find this Making Music resource useful. If you have any comments or suggestions about the guidance please contact us. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the content of this guidance is accurate and up to date, Making Music do not warrant, nor accept any liability or responsibility for the completeness or accuracy of the content, or for any loss which may arise from reliance on the information contained in it.