Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Presenting 101Thursday 20 September 2012Performing Arts Exchange

H. Perry Mixter, Lead Faculty

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Presenting 101 @ PAE

• Today’s Topics - Core Presenting Functions

• Programming Fundamentals

• Artistic Planning and Programming

• Friday’s Topics - Behind the Scenes Issues

• Production and Logistics

• Contracts and Negotiations

• Saturday’s Topics - Building and Retaining Audiences

• Marketing and Promotion

• Developing and Engaging Audiences

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Session 1

• Today’s Topics

• Programming Fundamentals

• Artistic Planning and Programming

• Today’s Faculty

• Perry Mixter, Mixter Consulting

• John Ellis, Diana Wortham Theatre

• Amy Dupain Vashaw, Center for the Performing Arts @ Penn State

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Let’s Go!• Introductions of Faculty

• Who’s in the room?

• Discussion: What is “presenting”?

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Today’s Course Outline• Programming

Fundamentals

• Presenter as Curator

• Conferences and Research - Finding Artists

• Booking Cycles/Timeframes

• Artistic Planning & Programming

• Working with Artists/Managers

• Programming Variables

• Budget

• Programming /Repertory

• Educational components

• Tech Requirements

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Who are we?• Performing Arts Presenters:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

• Performing arts presenting organizations facilitate exchanges between artists and audiences through creative, educational, and performance opportunities. The work that these artists perform is produced outside of the presenting organization.

• Performing arts presenters are typically found in three varieties:

• Those attached to a college, university, or other educational institution, with performances usually taking place on campus;

• Those that are an administrative branch of a theater or concert hall, usually presenting performances only in that space;

• Those that are independently administered outside any specific venue, usually renting multiple venues for performances.

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

• How do these types of organizations differ in their mission/vision, structures and methods of operation?

• Nonprofit organization with presenting as its primary function

• Nonprofit organization with presenting NOT its primary function. Ex: Arts Council, Orchestra

• University/College presenters

• City/County government units

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Who are we?

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Programming Fundamentals

• The Presenter as Curator

• The Curatorial Process: How to select artists for your season

• How risk averse are you?

• How loyal is your audience, do they trust you? How well do YOU know your audiences?

• How committed are you to presenting cutting edge/edgy events?

• What is the scope of your presenting program? What is your competition? Do you have a market niche?

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Programming Fundamentals

• The Presenter as Curator, continued

• Assessing artistic quality

• Developing relationships and trust with artist managers and other presenters

• Understanding process-focused artists and performance-focused artists

• Process-focused – exploring what is learned on the way to the final product

• Longer/deeper relationship with the audience

• Could involve “works in progress,” staged readings, residencies, etc. - http://danceexchange.org/

• Performance-focused – more traditional “presenting” of final artistic product - http://www.alvinailey.org/

• First-hand experience

• Your gut: USE IT! If it doesn’t feel right to you, don’t do it.

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Programming Fundamentals

• Conferences and Research - Finding Artists for the Presenting Organization

• Live Performances, Events, & Showcases

• Presenting and/or Performing Arts Conferences - national and regional

• Referrals (fellow presenters, audience members, advisory committee)

• Audio & Video Recordings; Understanding the limitations of recorded media

• Awards & Special Recognition

• Critical Reviews

• Media (radio, TV, print)

• Online: Artist Websites, Agency Sites, State Arts Agency/Regional Arts Agency Artist Rosters, Social Networks- Facebook/MySpace, Industry Sites (Pollstar, Sonicbids, etc.)

• Vetting artists and current touring rep

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Programming Fundamentals

• Booking Cycles/Timeframes

• The booking cycle – What it is and how it is changing

• Artists’ availability and flexibility - touring versus run-out

• Relationship on Calendar to other events

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• Block-booking possibilities and impact on scheduling

• First to book vs. last to book – scheduling and finance implications

• Event scheduling requirements beyond performances and/or rehearsal

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Artistic Planning & Programming

• Framework

• Public trends/tastes – do you anticipate or follow? If the former, does your board have your back?

• Personal and organizational vision(s)

• Why, as a presenter and artist, should one trust their instincts? Is it appropriate to program to one’s own personal taste?

• Use of advisory committees/other staff – Pros and cons

• Parameters: Venue, Time, Budget

• Working with Artists/Managers

• Evolution from “Us vs. Them” mentality to cooperative booking and collaborations

• Examples

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Artistic Planning & Programming

• Programming Variables: Budget

• Develop a programming budget and event budgets

• Fixed versus Variable Expenses

• Ticket Pricing Strategy Prepare preliminary ticket sales projections

• Historical programming/box office

• Assess financial feasibility and risks

• Obtain stakeholder (internal and external) buy-in

• Working with Boards - Who makes the decisions?

• Income Sources

• Box Office and Earned Income

• Contributed Income

• In-Kind Contributions

• Grants

• Partnerships

• Sponsorships

• Ancillary income (concessions, merchandise, etc.)

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Artistic Planning & Programming

• Programming Variables:

• Themes: Disciplined based, community/campus based

• Complementary Programs vs. Contrasting Programs

• Series Options

• Pros of a series: known quantity, audience trust

• Cons of a series: limiting, lacks flexibility of adding to schedule, ‘branding’ confusion

• Programming styles

• Series-based (Fixed range of events in a season)

• Discipline Specific (Dance, Classical, Theatre, etc.)

• Mission-Driven (i.e. colleges/universities, residency tie ins)

• Educational Programming

• Family/Young Audiences

• Festival Programming

• Compressed time span: weekend, week, month

• Opportunity Programming

• Book as opportunities arise throughout the year

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Artistic Planning & Programming

• Programming Variables: Educational Components

• Relation to organization’s mission?

• Residencies

• Youth/Adult Experiences (lifelong learning)

• Budgetary Impact

• Technical Impact

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Artistic Planning & Programming

• Technical Requirements

• KNOW YOUR VENUE

• Facility availabilities, scheduling and hold policies / procedures

• Assess technical feasibility of production

• Don’t book a five truck show in a two truck facility

• Venue type, size, capabilities (fly, lifts, traps, etc)

• Q: What is negotiable and when to negotiate? A: Everything is negotiable and now is the time to negotiate!

• Sound levels, lighting, etc.

• Communicate with ROAD manager well in advance, does not always communicate with home office on many details.

• Artist’s needs

• Artist hospitality and impact on performance

• Performance Selection - before you sign contract!

• Make artistic decisions

• Communication with the Artist/Agent

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Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12

Tomorrow’s Topics

• Bring your questions!

• Production and Logistics

• Contracts and Negotiations

• Get Personal! Face Time Consultations with Perry:

• Today, 3:00-4:40pm

• Tomorrow, 1:30-3:10pm

• Saturday, 1:30-3:10pm

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