Sponsorship?

[RCD]

as we all know bands are not cheap to run so from one brass band member to another i am interested to know how you raise money in your band whether it be events, fundraising or sponsorship?

[Missy_Gracie]

Well I just spent all day at the yorkshire dales food festival playing in a tent, we do lots of.concerts and stuff.

[Gazabone]

as we all know bands are not cheap to run so from one brass band member to another i am interested to know how you raise money in your band whether it be events, fundraising or sponsorship?

I think most bands in this country have to make money in any way they can and sponsorship deals are very few and far between, especially at the moment.

Personally, I don't think that is necessairly a bad thing. Looking at the "big name" bands, sponsorship has allowed them to be the fantastic groups of musicians they are - guess that the sponsorship deals over the last few decades is what has stepped in to replace the "colliery band" era, so thank goodness for that. However, what sponsorship deals that might exist for us mere mortals are only going to be relatively low value (very welcome nevertheless).

I think it is very much a duel edged sword though - what happens when the sponsor decides they've had enough? Many bands seem to struggle through somehow and find a replacement sponsor. Some have been very prudent with the sponsorship money and ensure they have enough to see them through. But that is not always going to be the case, you only have to look at the virtual overnight demise of one of the finest bands this country has seen when Sun Life decided to cease sponsoring a band.

So, whilst traditional methods of fundraising is hard work to scrape by a living, I think in the long term, sponsorship is not a particularly attractive option (unless you're one of thebig boys of course).

[tromwinst]

Well I just spent all day at the yorkshire dales food festival playing in a tent, we do lots of.concerts and stuff.

and very good it sounded too!!

[P_S_Price]

The SA has strict rules on how bands are funded - Sponsorship is definitely out.

You can only raise funds via Band Member Subscriptions, Band League Subsriptions, Specialist fund raising events or Donations (unsponsored which include street playing with a tin).

And then you can only use specialist funding campaigns if the church is self supporting (ie doesnt have to be part funded via THQ).


This usually means nowadays that our instruments are well past their prime, as most funds go on music and the like. (At least we dont have the costs of hiring a hall for rehearsals or events)

[stevetrom]

.....This usually means nowadays that our instruments are well past their prime, as most funds go on music and the like....

Just out of interest what proportion of players have bought their own instruments?

In my band its roughly:
Cornets - 50/50
Horns - all use their own
Euphs/Baris - all use their own
Troms - 50/50
Basses - all use band instruments

[P_S_Price]

Just out of interest what proportion of players have bought their own instruments?

In my band its roughly:
Cornets - 50/50
Horns - all use their own
Euphs/Baris - all use their own
Troms - 50/50
Basses - all use band instruments

I think we currently have 5 players (out of 21) that own their own. However one of those owners is percussion who uses his own kit.

[Gazabone]

Just out of interest what proportion of players have bought their own instruments?

In my band its roughly:
Cornets - 50/50
Horns - all use their own
Euphs/Baris - all use their own
Troms - 50/50
Basses - all use band instruments

Corts - 5/9
Hrns - 1/4
Euphs - 1/2
Baris - 1/2
Troms - 2/3
Basses - 1/4
Perc - 1/4

[Thirteen Ball]

But that is not always going to be the case, you only have to look at the virtual overnight demise of one of the finest bands this country has seen when Sun Life decided to cease sponsoring a band.

Likewise Sellers.....

[Missy_Gracie]

and very good it sounded too!!

why thank you- no thanks to my parping away randomly as 3rd 2nd horn!

back to the point, when we were in the north east I was staggered at the money some bands received for being sponsored, but also that quite often those bands who were, became completely lost when the sponsorship went., if they didn't keep up a private income stream. I know that doing carol jobs are dull (I've stood with enough buckets outside enough supermarkets), and spent my sunday afternoons lurking in damp parks, but those are the jobs that a) pay and b) attract the public to brass bands! The engagements are out there, for bands willing to get on and find them, but so often we feel it is "below us" to turn out for these things, but the money is there, and every little helps!

[tubadaz]

Just out of interest what proportion of players have bought their own instruments?

In my band its roughly:
Cornets - 50/50
Horns - all use their own
Euphs/Baris - all use their own
Troms - 50/50
Basses - all use band instruments

At Shepherds it's roughly:

Cornets: 4/10
Horns: 2/4
Euphs/Baris: 0/4
Trombs: 2/4
Basses: 2/4
Perc all use band stuff

At Uni, all the brass use their own instruments, the percussion belonging to the University of York.

Darryl