Kids' and teens' drama classes in rented space

Parents of children and teens, who pay term fees. Some adult learners also pay for evening classes.

Term or monthly fees per student, plus optional extras such as showcase tickets, holiday camps and costume fees. Income grows with the number of classes and students per class.

• Acting or theatre teaching experience
• Confident with groups of children
• Organising timetables and parent communication

• Commercial general liability insurance, and check whether the hall requires its own cover
• A vulnerable sector police check is standard for work with children; check what parents and venues expect
• Check provincial rules on registering a business and whether GST/HST applies once revenue grows
• Costs from hall rental are fixed, so a class with few students can lose money
• Using scripts and songs from published plays may need performance rights, so check before a showcase

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $500 to $3,000, depending on the hall you rent and the materials you need. Hall rental costs are fixed, so a class with few students can lose money.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $600 to $3,500, depending on how many students enrol and how many classes you run. Because hall costs are fixed, enrolment numbers make a big difference.

A vulnerable sector police check is standard for work with children, so check what parents and venues expect. Also check commercial general liability insurance, whether the hall needs its own cover, GST/HST, and performance rights for published scripts and songs.