Adult Community Music Organizations: Financial and Management

Christmas in July

HOW GROUPS ARE SUPPORTED:

  • City department of parks, recreation and cultural services
  • Civic groups provide honorariums
  • Donations from civic groups, businesses and local professional people
  • Fundraising dance
  • Membership dues
  • Concert receipts/charge admission
  • Concert sponsorship program
  • Grants
  • Free-will offerings
  • General fund drive
  • Patrons
  • Part of city budget
  • Sale of CDs
  • Rehearsal space provided by local school at no cost
  • Fundraising sale (i.e. Bucky Books)
  • Foundation
  • Recording and souvenir sales
  • Booster organization
  • Center for the Arts
  • Symphony orchestra
  • Revenues from annual concert
  • Individual contributions
  • Local UW campus
  • Corporate donations, corporate foundations
  • Assessment of members
  • City recreation commission
  • Donations from individual and members

MEMBERSHIP COST:

The range of membership costs ranged from NO COST to $1.00 per rehearsal and from $10.00 per season to $78.00 per season.

MANAGEMENT:

There are many different ways to handle the management of a community music group. Those replying indicated the following:

  • Most directors are paid.
  • Some groups welcome high school and college student participation.
  • Most groups are voluntary -- a few are by audition.
  • Some groups are incorporated and have a constitution and by-laws and a board of directors. None of these groups had this type of structure in the early years.