Brass Bands England (BBE) has announced what it states is a 'groundbreaking partnership' with the leading leisure time representative organisation, Making Music.

All BBE bands will now receive 'Affiliate Membership' of Making Music as part of their membership package.

Better interact

CEO Kenneth Crookston told 4BR: "The partnership with Making Music will give bands the opportunity to better interact with the wider amateur music world via Making Music's wide membership base, as well as being able to access the many services and benefits Making Music has to offer."

He added: "Making Music is also heavily involved in lobbying and advocacy on behalf of the UK's music makers and this new partnership will help BBE to strengthen the voice of brass bands on the national stage.

Not only will this create further opportunities for advancement for bands but, as a result, they will potentially have more money in the bank!"

New benefits

According to its website, Making Music has a membership of over 3,200 music groups across multiple genres, representing around 180,000 leisure time music makers across the UK. It is hoped the partnership will secure new benefits to BBE members.

Benefits currently enjoyed by its members include discount offers and funding information as well as charity registration services and governance documentation. It also operates a PRS fee collection scheme, an extensive sheet music loans service and an in-house magazine entitled, 'Highnotes'.

Brass Bands England stated that as part of the 'groundbreaking partnership', bands taking up membership of BBE will now also receive membership of Making Music for less than it costs to take out membership with the organisation directly.

Delighted

Welcoming the link, Barbara Eifler, Chief Executive Officer of Making Music added: "We are delighted to be forging this partnership with Brass Bands England.

It will allow bands across the UK to benefit from access to our practical time-and-money-saving services, and to connect with the wide variety of other community-based music groups we already represent.

Combining our expertise into a partnership will increase the support available for bands and brass banding in the UK."

The partnership with Making Music will give bands the opportunity to better interact with the wider amateur music world via Making Music's wide membership base, as well as being able to access the many services and benefits Making Music has to offerBBE

Brass Package

BBE revealed that as well as having access to Making Music's existing insurance packages, BBE members will also be able to access a new bespoke scheme, called the 'Brass Package'.

This deal will be exclusive to BBE members, which it is hoped will save them money on their insurance premiums.

As part of the new deal, BBE member bands with an annual turnover of under £100,000 will also be able to access Making Music's other 'Gold', 'Silver' and 'Bronze' insurance packages.

These policies are renewable in January each year but, although BBE state that a transition period has been agreed, which means that pro-rated premiums will be available to bands joining part of the way through the year until the end of 2019.

Start date

BBE stated that they believed that in the majority of cases, bands joining BBE and purchasing their insurance through Making Music will make significant savings compared with many other insurance deals. The policy will be underwritten by Royal and Sun Alliance (RSA).

The new partnership commences on 1st September with all Brass Bands England members able to take up their membership via: https://www.makingmusic.org.uk/bbe