Guidance

When you play or sing or programme a work that is in copyright, you need to consider who licenses the right to perform it. If you’re performing a piece of music as part of a standard concert/recital/gig, that’s usually simple – the vast majority of pieces can be licensed through PRS for Music (read all about PRS fees in our guidance).

Being the musical director (MD) of a group is a diverse role with a lot to think about from conducting, arranging music and developing the group to leading, inspiring and encouraging cohesive working.

Fantastic for Families is a UK-wide initiative of exciting theatre, dance, music and visual arts events designed to increase family participation in arts and culture. Run by Family Arts Campaign and supported by Arts Council England, Fantastic for Families aims to get your event information in front of as many families as possible.

It may be the last thing you want to think about when running your group, but your brand is crucial. It’s the story you choose to tell others about who you are and what you’re doing. 

For leisure time music groups and music promoters, image is paramount and is central to how you are perceived. 

One of the best things about busking is that anyone (over the age of 14) can do it; from seasoned veterans to someone who has yet to sing a note in public, the street is your stage.

In this resource, we'll talk about the legalities, collecting money and how to best engage with the public.

Why do it?

Busking is a great way to:

A committee is a group of enthusiastic people who care about their group or organisation, want to see it thrive and are willing to take responsibility for making that happen. A committee position requires good organisational skills, a willingness to give up some spare time and the ability to co-operate with others. 

Whether you are performing, writing, rehearsing or recording music, you’ll probably need to be covered by a licence. But knowing where to start, what you should consider and what you need to do can be confusing. This resource will introduce the permissions and licenses you may need and how to get them.

Even if your group has never needed a licence it’s worth taking some time to understand music licensing because: 

When your group decides to perform a piece of music there will be copyright laws, permissions and licenses to be aware of. Part 1 of our guidance gives an introduction to music copyright.

Contents:

When your group decides to perform a piece of music there will be copyright laws, permissions and licenses to be aware of. Part 2 of our guidance looks at the first stage of this process – obtaining the sheet music.  

https://www.makingmusic.org.uk/resource/copyright-licensing-and-permissions-part-2-obtaining-music