Selly Park Singers
Charity 1187669
https://www.sellyparksingers.co.uk/
Overview
Summary
Selly Park Singers appears to be a small, locally rooted participatory arts organisation whose main civic role is to make sustained choral participation accessible in south Birmingham. Its model combines regular low-barrier membership with occasional public performance and wider-facing events. While its charitable purpose is framed as public music education and appreciation, the available evidence suggests that belonging, confidence-building and inclusion may be as central to its practical contribution as concerts themselves.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Bournbrook and Selly Park
Confidence: medium
The choir's regular weekly rehearsals are explicitly held at Christ Church, Selly Park, and its next advertised concert is also at that venue. This is its clearly evidenced continuing operational base. The available evidence identifies Selly Park but does not itself establish the ward boundary.
- Selly Park Singers, About SPS
States that Selly Park Singers rehearse on Monday evenings at Christ Church, Selly Park, Birmingham. - Selly Park Singers, Rehearsal Dates
Lists continuing Monday rehearsals at Christ Church, Selly Park, including the Autumn 2026 programme. - Selly Park Singers, homepage and Concerts page
Advertises the next choir concert at Christ Church Selly Park on 5 December 2026.
Remaining uncertainties
- The evidence describes the choir as serving or being based in south Birmingham, but does not identify the residential locations of members, audiences or participants. It therefore does not establish regular delivery across all of south Birmingham.
- The organisation has recently performed or participated in events at venues outside Selly Park, including St Francis Church Bournville in June 2025 and Birmingham Midland Institute in December 2025. These appear to be individual performances rather than evidence of continuing operational sites, so they have not been recorded as current operational areas.
- Christ Church Selly Park is a regular host venue and the website refers to valued collaboration with the church, but the available evidence does not establish a formal partnership arrangement beyond venue use.
Additional evidence needed
- A current annual report, programme or venue schedule showing all planned rehearsals, concerts and outreach activity for 2026–27.
- An anonymised membership and audience catchment summary to assess whether the choir's practical reach is neighbourhood-based or extends consistently across south Birmingham.
- Confirmation from the organisation of any recurring delivery partnerships or regular performance venues beyond Christ Church Selly Park.
Areas of work
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
Who they help
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Inclusion is built into the operating model
The choir appears to reduce common barriers to joining choral music through its non-audition policy, introductory free period and practical learning support. This suggests inclusion is not only a stated value but a feature of how participation is organised.
Why it matters
This distinguishes the organisation from performance-led choirs that primarily select established singers. It may make Selly Park Singers a useful local entry point for people returning to music, new to the area or lacking formal musical training.
Show evidence
“It is a non-audition choir.”
Source:Organisation“New members are given a settling in period with no fee for the first half term.”
Source:Organisation“The choir gives buddying support to singers who do not read music and provides rehearsal sound files.”
Source:Organisation
The choir’s civic value may lie in continuity, not event volume
Weekly rehearsals for around forty members, alongside only one or two concerts annually, suggest that regular shared practice and social connection may be the organisation’s core rhythm, with public concerts serving as focal points rather than its sole output.
Why it matters
This helps avoid judging the organisation only by its public events. Its contribution may include an ongoing local setting for participation, learning and relationships that is less visible than performances.
Show evidence
“Selly Park Singers is a choir of around forty who meet in south Birmingham each week.”
Source:Organisation“It performs twice each year.”
Source:Organisation“The choir is described as friendly.”
Source:Organisation
It connects broad musical education with local public life
Its repertoire and events suggest an organisation that presents classical choral traditions alongside folk, jazz and popular music, while using local venues and participating in a charity concert and community fayre. It may therefore act as a bridge between formal music-making and accessible neighbourhood cultural activity.
Why it matters
This indicates potential complementary relationships with community venues, charities and organisations seeking inclusive cultural participation rather than specialist arts provision alone.
Show evidence
“The object is to advance public education in, and appreciation of, music, including through public concerts and recitals.”
Source:Charity Commission“Its repertoire includes Byrd and Rachmaninov, masses, folk songs and jazz.”
Source:Organisation“Members took part in a charity concert at the Birmingham Midland Institute in December 2025.”
Source:Organisation
- Whether the choir reaches people who are otherwise excluded from cultural participation, rather than mainly serving existing choral singers.
- How its relationships with local charities, venues and community groups are developed and sustained.
- Whether membership fees or rehearsal location create barriers despite the inclusion measures described.
Remaining uncertainties
- Anonymous membership and attendance data, including new-member retention and participants’ prior singing experience.
- Information from partner organisations and details of community performances, fundraising or joint projects over several years.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Selly Park Singers is choir of some 40 members, singing a range of classical, jazz and popular music. It is a non-audition choir. It has weekly rehearsals and performs concerts once or twice a year. We are based in south Birmingham.
Charity objects
THE OBJECT OF THE SOCIETY SHALL BE TO ADVANCE, IMPROVE, DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN, AND APPRECIATION OF, THE ART AND SCIENCE OF MUSIC IN ALL ITS ASPECTS BY ANY MEANS THE TRUSTEES SEE FIT, INCLUDING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC CONCERTS AND RECITALS