help please! i need some info!

[j l]

even though i've been facilitating drum circles for several years now i've always (and only) done free programs through the music stores where i teach and for the local vegeterian community. i find myself, now, in the position of being asked to arrange and facilitate circles at a group of senior centers for compensation... the problem is that i don't know what is a fair fee for the work.
i obviously don't want to overcharge, expecially considering that drumming is a spiritual endeavour and in my opinion spiritual and financial worlds do not easily mesh; conversely, the work has value and i don't want to shortchange myself or undercut anyone else doing similar things who IS concerned about the money.

so i was wondering what other facilitators charge (or suggest as a donation) to organize and facilitate a circle, what factors influence the rate, and how other facilitators deal with the "business" end of things...

any information anyone would like to share is really and truly appreciated -- thanks in advance!

[Simon Edwards]

depending what kind of circle and the funding available either from the organizer or the individual. If it isn't your main income then you can afford to be generous with your time and talent.

For a recreational circle I charge £3 per head and £5 for drum hire. That money covers imediate costs like petrol, venue hire and investment into more equipment plus replacment of damaged gear.

Other workshops I calculate how much time is involved in both administartion and actual facilitation plus a reasonble cover for costs

Sometimes I would just take what I am offered because that is all that they can give. Depends on the group.

I would be interested in what others charge for single session / half day / full day facilitation

[j l]

thanks so much for the input - right now teaching drumming and performing are my only income (i lost my "dayjob" and haven't been able to find another), it's been a totally synchronistic blessing that these facilitation requests have started to come in. I'm not trying to get rich, but paying some bills would be wonderful right now. it makes a lot of sense that the charge should vary by group and goal.

i'm curious about charges on this side of the atlantic (being from the US) and how they compare with the UK, europe, and elsewhere. the cultural differences would seem likely to have an effect, but perhaps not...

again, thanks for sharing... :)
namaste!

[Andrew Ecker]

I generally try to get 100 per hour now I just came up with number basically off the top of my head a good recomendation is to think about the cost of other activities and classes such as yoga or tai chi or what ever even a trip to the movies I can give a class to 50 people so the center ends up saving money I hope this helps by the way I tried the mickey hart great tunes