The Brass Band Conference is an annual event and awards ceremony providing an unmissable opportunity for brass banders from across the country to learn, share and network.
The Brass Band Conference 2025 will take place on Saturday 27 September at Redhills, the Durham Miners’ Association Hall in Durham city centre. Demonstrating BBE’s dedication to the future of the brass banding sector, the 2025 theme will be ‘The Next Generation.’
The Brass Band Conference 2024: Creative Communities
This year’s conference will be held at City of London School, London on Saturday 19 October 2024 on the theme of Creative Communities.
The conference opens at 9.30 for registration, coffee and networking with talks, workshops, discussion sessions and performances running from 10:30 - 17.00. We’ll finish the day with a drinks reception - and all ticket holders are invited!
View the 2024 conference programme.
We are looking forward to welcoming over 140 brass community members from a range of bands across the country to the conference; you can view the full delegate list below which includes our brilliant line-up of speakers plus the wonderful BBE team.
Book your Conference place
Meet the Speakers
Click on each person below to find out more about them and how they’re contributing to this year’s conference.
NB: If you would like to take part in the practical session ‘Creating a Bloco Banger’ please bring along your instrument. If this isn’t possible you’ll still be able to participate as Kinetika Bloco will be bringing along spare instruments for attendees to use.
Making Music 121 sessions
Your membership of Brass Bands England includes membership with Making Music and full access to all their services and guidance. Making Music is the UK’s largest membership organisation for leisure-time music groups with over 3,900 music groups across the UK. These range from choral societies and orchestras to ukulele groups, community choirs and, of course, brass bands. We are here to help, support and guide your music group when you need it, where you need it, on whatever gets in your way of making music.
If you are having a problem with your band and need some help, book in for a one-to-one session at the conference. We will listen, share our experience, and see what we can do to help. Or come along to say hello and find out more about what we offer, like tailored insurance packages, a charity registration service or Making Music Platform.
Making Music's clinic desk will be found on the 1st floor at the Conference. You can drop in on the day or pre-book a session using the link below.
Book time with Ben Saffell: Brass Band Conference - one-to-one sessions
Venue and Travel
City of London School boasts excellent travel links and stunning views out across Tate Modern, Millennium Bridge, the Shard and even St Paul's Cathedral. There is step free access from the Riverside entrance. There is lift access to each floor of the building, with each conference space being fully accessible.
Address: City of London School London EC4V 3AL
NB: Please note that the venue is fully accessible, however for attendees who will be attending using a wheelchair please let us know in advance so we can provide specific information to support your travel to and into the venue to be as smooth as possible.
Transport: The nearest underground stations are Mansion House and Blackfriars (4 minute walk), St Paul’s (6 minute walk) and Bank (10 minute walk). The nearest Overground stations are Blackfriars (4 minute walk), Cannon Street (6 minute walk), London Bridge (12 minute walk) and Liverpool Street Station (25 minute walk).We encourage everyone to use public transport to reach us where possible.
If you have any access needs that we need to be aware of for us to support the event (including any dietary requirements please email conference@bbe.org.uk prior to the event.
Conference Fringe
The Brass Band Conference 2024 has been extended with additional online events added to the programme. The Conference Fringe will offer further opportunities for learning as well as open up the Conference for those who are unable to attend the event in person on 19 October in London.
Participation in the Conference Fringe will be free for Conference delegates as well as any of our members.
In addition to three webinars in the week's run-up, we will also host a members virtual meet-up the following week to continue the opportunity for networking and discussion on the conference theme of ‘Creative Communities’. Please see the schedule below for dates, and booking links.
Event Schedule
Monday 14 October - INCLUDE presented by Making Music
Tuesday 15 October - Music Matters - The role of music and artistic directors in engaging the community
Wednesday 16 October - Ancestral Reverb Listening Party
Saturday 19 October - The Brass Band Conference 2024
Wednesday 23 October - Members’ Meetup
Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities
Find out more about Sponsorship and advertising Opportunities at this years' Brass Band Conference.
Anyone interested in finding out more can email the BBE events team on conference@bbe.org.uk.
Any questions? Just email our events team on conference@bbe.org.uk
