The BFBB Strategic Plan

BFBB is shortly to publish its strategic plan which will direct most of its operations over the next five years. Some announcements regarding the plan were made at the BFBB Annual General Meeting held in April at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. Three striking objectives were put forward which really focus on driving brass music in this country into an exciting and engaging future. These ambitious objects are outlined below:

Objective
Every Post Code district should have a Brass Band

Post Code Districts are a useful device for grouping the population of the UK. They define where the people live and where our communities are based. There are currently 2,971 Post Code Districts in the UK. By establishing a Brass Band in every district the BFBB will be able to provide the opportunity for individuals from all communities to participate either as musicians, volunteers or audience members.

BFBB will work on the following delivery programmes:

 Establish the UK Brass Band Map as the definitive statement of Brass Band coverage in the UK and use it to track progress towards meeting this objective.

 Identify, develop, endorse and share best practice models for establishing new Brass Bands across the UK

 Provide comprehensive and definitive information packs and training services on how to overcome any obstacles that new bands may experience.

 Work with local cultural, educational and voluntary sector delivery partners and service providers to articulate the benefits of participation and help new bands to get started

 The BFBB will continue to raise the profile of the Brass Band sector nationally.

TARGETS:

 There are currently estimated to be around 1000 Brass Bands in the UK, 800 of which are in England (source: www.ibew.co.uk).

 By 2015 the BFBB will work with our partners to increase this number by 50% to 1500 Bands in the UK, 1200 in England.

 By 2020 the BFBB expect to come close to the goal of a Brass Band for every Post Code District by achieving a target of 2400 in England.

Objective
Every Brass Band must offer training or youth participation opportunities

BFBB will work with established and new Brass Bands to ensure that they can all offer training / youth participation opportunities to the children and young people of their local community. As BFBB works with its partners to establish a Brass Band in all UK Post Code Districts, the possibility of being able to offer these participation opportunities to every child and young person should become a reality.

BFBB will work on the following delivery programmes:
 Verify how many of the Bands of the UK Brass Band Map can offer training or youth participation opportunities and use it to track progress towards meeting this objective.

 Identify, develop, endorse and share best practice models for establishing training or youth participation opportunities in all Brass Bands.

 Provide comprehensive and definitive information packs and services (e.g. CRB checks) on how bands can deliver services to children and young people safely and in accordance with current legislation.

 Work with local cultural, educational and voluntary sector delivery partners or service providers to articulate the benefits and help establish training or youth participation opportunities within all UK bands

 Use the BFBB’s National Youth Brass Band Championships and the newly established National University Brass Band Championships to raise the profile of the active participation of children and young people in high quality music making within the Brass Band sector.

 The BFBB will help all its partners to promote the training and youth participation opportunities available directly to children and young people.

TARGETS:

 It is currently estimated that about 50% of Brass Bands provide good quality Training / Youth Participation opportunities for children and young people.

 By 2015 BFBB will work with our partners to increase this figure to 75% of Brass Bands.

 By 2020 BFBB expects this figure to be nearly 100% of Brass Bands.

Objective
Every BFBB member values greatly the services and support provided by the organisation

BFBB will prioritise the development and delivery of high value support services to its member bands and associations. Over the next 4 years BFBB expects to significantly grow its membership numbers as a direct result of this work.

BFBB will work on the following delivery programmes:

 Maximising the opportunity for member bands to participate in major national celebrations and help raise the profile of the whole Brass Band sector, some examples:

o Olympics and Paralympics events.
o Torch Relay as it visits every county in the UK.
o Specific Cultural Olympiad events (e.g. Bandstand Marathon, New Music 20×12 commission, Musical Baton Relay, etc…)

 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (e.g. the People’s Millions)

 Assist and train members on the use of the latest digital technologies to promote their services to increase the level of participation in their local Brass Band activities (e.g. learning to play, volunteering, listening, etc..).
 By providing a definitive source of relevant funding information for bands and for sharing best practice across the sector.

 A member’s only area for accessing and downloading the latest BFBB information packs for bands (e.g. Governance, Child Protection, Diversity, Marketing, Legal, etc…)

 A “One Stop Shop” with interactive maps (using Google Maps technology) to assist the general public to locate and participate in the activities of local brass bands / brass band events.

 Online ticketing for member events using “We Got Tickets”

 Online internet streaming of rehearsals and performances using Ustream TV.

 Additional promotional coverage through featuring entries / events / activities of member bands

 E-newsletter tools/services for member bands

 Online evaluation tools for feedback from participants / audience members (e.g. SurveyMonkey)

 Networking and Advocacy on behalf of BFBB members and the Brass Band Sector with key strategic partners (All Party Parliamentary Group for Brass Bands, Voluntary Arts, Arts Council England, National Lottery, PRS Foundation, Music Education Service Providers, etc…)

 Use the English National Brass Band Championships as an exemplar of supreme musical excellence to showcase the very best that the Brass Band sector can deliver for fellow musicians to aspire to and for audiences to enjoy.

This will be an exciting programme of work in exciting times.

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