So... I'm starting o get a little bit more serious about starting a little Early Music ensemble. The music and performance side of things is pretty okay... I know how to do that sort of thing. However, I am trying to meet up with people who might be able to give me advice about the administration and financial side of things... people who have already done the hard process of setting up their own side projects, who might be able to give me some insight into how it is done, and what things to avoid (or to do...). The usual, learning from other people's experiences, so that I don't end up making simple mistakes that other people have already learnt from! After all, if I'm going to make a mistake... I want it to be a uniquely spectacular one, and not some humdrum thing that everyone else has already fallen into!
So, things I've learnt so far... keeping things seperate from your own personal finances and assets. This is more of a just in case sort of scenario... as well as a time-saver in terms of book-keeping, but setting up a seperate structure (a Pty Ltd...) can just keep the liability to a minimum if things goes balls up... which in the case of a light-weight music performing ensemble should be pretty limited anyway, we aren't going to bring hte financial system down or anything like that... but it could be a good 500 AUD spent to just have the structure in place!
Meanwhile, that means I should apply for a seperate ABN (Australian Business Number) and bank account to handle all of the things that relate to the ensemble stuff. Keeping it all seperate from our individual joint bank accounts will make everything easier to track and will help with accountability in the case of funding. It isn't mandatory, at least for the smaller sizes of music ensembles, but it would be a headache to have individual and ensemble income and expenses all lumped in together...
Meanwhile, the advice was to stay as lean and mean as possible... don't become too reliant on government funding in the beginning, as that can lead to a false sustainability. On the other hand, apply anyway... just to get the name out there, and have some experience in grant funding writing when the time gets serious...
... and to start thinking about what is unique and special that we would bring to the local community. After all, no local funding body or individuals will be that keen to back something that is essentially bringing in little benefit to the community that is supporting you!
There was also some helpful advice on how to balance initial personnel selection... especially in a group which is small and always flexible... not to have anyone accidentally being given the impression that they are completely locked in. And not to accept anything that might give that impression... such as additional funding. So, retaining full control... regardless of a potential tempting pot of money. It is something that I had already been mulling over... short-term financial boost, but at what cost.
Meanwhile, gathering letters of support and understanding from as many groups and individuals as possible... such as interested venues that are able to support us through joint ventures.
Selling a vision of the group... and what it would bring to the local community, and how it would be different and unique in an already crowded funding/grant space. Using the on-stage persona... selling big, and being confident... not my off stage quiet self... I think I will try to rely on my enthusiasm for that little boost, I hate writing resumes at the best of times... despite the fact that I know that other people "boost" theirs quite a bit, I am often loathe to add in even legitimate things that I've done as I feel like it comes across as bragging...
So, some interesting things to think about. I will be mulling it over... I will make an appointment with the local Arts Funding body to talk about how and when to put in applications. It is a difficult thing, I know that I have something to offer to the local community in terms of Early Music... and that I could help build a group and community here for that sort of music, but how to convince people that I have an interesting vision that is worth supporting?
Sigh... that was the other part... expect to be working hard and for nothing... as it is my OWN pet passion project, and not anyone else's.
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