Community theatre or music group

Audience members buying tickets, venues and community groups booking shows, and local funders or sponsors.

Ticket sales and fixed fees for bookings, topped up by small grants, local sponsorship and raffles or refreshments at shows.

• Directing or leading a group
• Organising rehearsals and people
• Local promotion and ticket selling

• Performing rights and licences for scripts and music, check with the publisher or licensing body
• Public liability insurance, and venues often ask to see it
• Safeguarding checks (such as DBS) if you work with children, check what applies
• Decide early whether you are a sole trader, a company or a not-for-profit group, as this affects grants

Startup costs are typically around £300 to £3,000, depending on hall hire, scripts or sheet music, and equipment. These are estimates, so set a budget for your first production.

Things to check: performing rights and licences for scripts and music, with the publisher or licensing body; public liability insurance, which venues often ask to see; and DBS safeguarding checks if you work with children. Also decide whether you are a sole trader, company or not-for-profit group.

Monthly revenue is typically around £200 to £1,500, depending on how many shows you stage, ticket sales and any funding or sponsors. This is revenue before hall hire and other costs.