We have looked at the budget through the lens of Making Music members, and there are a few points to draw to your attention. Orchestra Tax...
Making Music helps leisure-time instrumental groups claim £500,000 with the Orchestra Tax Relief service, which they can invest back into equipments, performances and commissioning new music.
Making Music, the UK’s membership organisation for leisure-time music, is delighted to announce that since setting up an Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR) service in 2017, we have been able to support our instrumental member groups by claiming half a million pounds on their production costs from HMRC, helping groups put money back into running costs.
OTR is a government initiative that aims to support instrumental and orchestral productions in the UK. This means instrumental groups could receive a payment from HMRC equal to a percentage of their production costs. Making Music’s OTR service helps groups, who may not have the financial knowledge or expertise or who face a lack of time or tight budgets, to get set up to make a claim from HMRC.
Maidstone Symphony Orchestra said:
'These extra funds directly impact on the decisions we are able to make regarding repertoire for the orchestra and means we can budget for larger scale/in-copyright works. More exciting and varied concerts for our audience and more interesting works for the orchestra…'
Leisure-time music groups are a valuable part of the wider music sector, as they create opportunities for people to make or participate in music in their local communities. The money recouped from OTR is vital extra support, and can be reinvested by these groups to help them thrive and continue to provide a greater variety and quantity of performances.
Barbara Eifler, Chief Executive of Making Music, said:
'Making Music is delighted to have helped leisure-time music groups claim Orchestra Tax Relief which enables them to create more performances for their communities up and down the UK. In particular, the enhanced tax relief introduced during Covid has made a real difference which we hope the government will continue to offer.'
We believe in the value of leisure-time music and seek to empower and facilitate a wide variety of groups through practical support, opportunities and events. For more information please visit our website.
Find out more about the Orchestra Tax Relief service, who can claim it and how to make a claim via our OTR resource page
