Playing Music in Care Homes: A Stable and Accessible Market for Musicians

Why care homes are a serious market for musicians

Music workshops in care homes meet a genuine need identified by nursing teams and activity coordinators. These facilities have annual activity budgets, often approved at the start of the year during management meetings. Unlike concert venues, they do not depend on ticket sales — which makes payments secure.

A regular performer can build a network of 10 to 20 facilities and schedule monthly or bimonthly visits, generating predictable income alongside their other activities.

What type of music to offer?

The mistake would be to assume that residents only appreciate music from the 1950s. The repertoire to offer depends above all on the average age of residents in each facility, but here is what tends to work well:

• Classic pop and folk songs: artists from the 1960s to 1980s that residents may have seen live themselves.
• Dance music: waltz, tango, foxtrot. These rhythms can encourage mobile residents to dance or simply tap along.
• Classical and operatic music: recognisable melodies rather than full works.
• Participatory formats: group singing, musical quizzes. Interactive activities are often valued by care staff as they stimulate residents.

Check with the facility's activity coordinator before your visit: they know the preferences and constraints of the group.

How to find care homes to approach

There are thousands of care homes across the country. To identify facilities near you or in a target geographic area:

• Official national and regional government portals publish registers of social and health-care establishments, freely accessible.
• Group operator directories (Korian, DomusVi, publicly-run homes) allow you to identify facilities in bulk.
• LiveContact verified contact databases centralise the details of activity managers and directors, with verified emails, saving you hours of manual research.

Focus on a geographic radius consistent with your travel constraints. A visit to a facility 20 km away is profitable; at 150 km, transport costs must be factored into your fee.

Who to contact and how to write your pitch

The priority contact is the activities coordinator or social life coordinator. If unavailable, the management assistant can point you in the right direction. The medical director is generally not the right contact for this type of service.

Your pitch email

Be concrete from the subject line: "Music workshop proposal – [your name/group] – availability 2026". In the body:

1. Introduce yourself in two sentences (instrument, repertoire, experience with this type of audience if you have any).
2. Describe the workshop format: duration (45 min to 1 hour is standard), number of musicians, equipment needed (light PA or acoustic).
3. State your fee or mention that you will send a personalised quote.
4. Propose a trial date. Some facilities prefer to see you "in action" before committing to a longer arrangement.

Attach a link to a short performance video if possible. Avoid large attachments that may be blocked by institutional email servers.

Building a clear commercial offer

Many musicians hesitate to discuss fees with social-care facilities, fearing it will be poorly received. This is a mistake: activity managers handle budgets and need precise quotes to approve purchases. A structured offer inspires confidence.

Propose two or three distinct packages:

• "Discovery" package: 45-minute acoustic concert, standard repertoire, light setup. Ideal for a first collaboration.
• "Participatory workshop" package: 1 hour including group singing and exchanges with residents. More engaging and often more appreciated by care staff.
• "Annual programme" package: commitment over 6 to 12 dates, with a preferential rate. This is the package that best secures your income and builds facility loyalty.

Attach a simple quote detailing the service, duration, equipment provided and all-inclusive fee. If you are unsure about your rates, benchmark similar providers in your region and position yourself slightly below to land your first dates.

Practical and financial aspects

Fees vary depending on the size of the facility and its status (public, non-profit private, commercial private). A one-hour visit typically falls between €150 and €400 net, depending on your profile and the format offered. Some facilities also have specific cultural or welfare budgets that can fund more elaborate programmes.

Make sure to declare your performance through the appropriate channels as required by the regulations in your country. This simplifies the administrative process for both parties.

To organise your outreach at scale, see our prospecting methodology or discover the Geo Campaign service, which allows you to reach dozens of facilities in a chosen area without managing the mailings yourself.