Charity is the ultimate act of kindness on the planet. There is nothing more worthwhile than giving up your time and energy to help those less fortunate. And there are so many different ways one can help. Especially if you’re someone who is part of a band. Charity gigs are some of the most effective money raising opportunities out there.

But how do you actually host a charity gig? There are quite a few key differences between a charity gig and a regular one. The primary one being that neither the venue owner or the band will be making any money. But the actual running of charity events is also subject to a few key differences. Today we are going to be showing you how to host a charity gig in six easy steps!

Find A Venue

If you are the owner of a venue already then you can ignore this step. We will assume you are going to be generous enough to offer up your venue for the gig. But if you’re not then the first step is finding somewhere that is willing to host the gig for free. This is easier said than done. A lot of venue owners often can’t afford to run a gig for free.

The venue you select should be spacious enough to accommodate a fair amount of people. To ensure you can raise enough money to make the gig worthwhile. It should have space so that you can provide refreshments and sell band merch or put up a charity donation stall. The location should be easily accessible by public transport too.

A Mixture Of Bands

The best way to ensure you get lots of people interested in the gig is to secure a few different bands. If possible the bands should be ones that are extremely popular in the local area. While this is a charity gig, people still need to be entertained. Otherwise they are less likely to make any donations.

Most local bands are going to be very willing to perform at a charity gig. It is great exposure for them and, on the whole, musicians are kind people. We recommend getting 3 to 4 different bands to perform.

Provide Snacks

Most music venues will already have their own bar. And they will likely run this to ensure they can still pay the staff wages for the evening. But you should consider providing snacks for the guests. A baked goods stall is a great way to bring in some extra money for your chosen charity.

You don’t need to go all out either. Some simple recipes such as brownies, cookies, cakes, and muffins are always a good idea. You will need to ensure you have some vegan options too. I recommend the vegan cookie recipes here at easyvegancookies.com. They are easy to make and will definitely impress the guests.

Ample Marketing

Marketing is the lifeblood of any successful gig. And this is especially true for a charity gig. Without proper marketing you are doomed to failure from the get go. You need to be doing so much marketing that people can’t ever forget that this charity gig is happening.

Social media is the most obvious marketing channel you should be using. You should use every social media platform at your disposal. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook. Any and every one. You should also do a lot of physical marketing. Posters and fliers are the best way to increase awareness of your charity gig.

Work With The Charity

If you really want to make the event a success you should consider actively working with your chosen charity. Especially if they are a local one. Get some of the charity organizers involved with the gig. Maybe they could appear on stage and briefly tell everyone what the charity is about and how the money raised will be used.

Host A Raffle

This is another great way to raise a bit more money during the gig. Everyone loves a raffle. Especially when it’s for a good cause. See if the bands that are playing are willing to donate some band merch as prizes for the raffle. Or the venue could offer up free tickets to future gigs or free drinks from the bar.