2012 Performing Arts Exchange

1. Presenting 101
Thursday 20 September 2012
Performing Arts Exchange
H. Perry Mixter, Lead Faculty
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 1

2. 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
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 2

3. Session 1
• Today’s Topics • Today’s Faculty
• Programming • Perry Mixter, Mixter
Fundamentals Consulting
• Artistic Planning and • John Ellis, Diana
Programming Wortham Theatre
• Amy Dupain Vashaw,
Center for the
Performing Arts @
Penn State
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 3

4. Let’s Go!
• Introductions of Faculty
• Who’s in the room?
• Discussion: What is “presenting”?
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 4

5. Today’s Course Outline
• Programming • Artistic Planning &
Fundamentals Programming
• Presenter as Curator • Working with Artists/
Managers
• Conferences and
Research - Finding • Programming Variables
Artists
• Budget
• Booking Cycles/
Timeframes • Programming /
Repertory
• Educational
components
• Tech Requirements
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 5

6. 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.
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 6

7. Who are we?
• 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
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 7

8. 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?
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 8

9. 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.
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 9

10. 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
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 10

11. 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
• 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
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 11

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
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 12

13. Artistic Planning &
Programming
• Programming Variables: Budget • Working with Boards - Who
makes the decisions?
• Develop a programming budget
and event budgets • Income Sources
• Fixed versus Variable • Box Office and Earned
Expenses Income
• Ticket Pricing Strategy • Contributed Income
Prepare preliminary ticket
• In-Kind Contributions
sales projections
• Grants
• Historical programming/box
office • Partnerships
• Assess financial feasibility and • Sponsorships
risks
• Ancillary income
• Obtain stakeholder (internal and (concessions, merchandise,
external) buy-in etc.)
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 13

14. Artistic Planning &
Programming
• Programming Variables:
• Discipline Specific
• Themes: Disciplined based, (Dance, Classical, Theatre,
community/campus based etc.)
• Complementary Programs vs. • Mission-Driven (i.e.
Contrasting Programs colleges/universities,
residency tie ins)
• Series Options
• Educational Programming
• Pros of a series: known
quantity, audience trust • Family/Young Audiences
• Cons of a series: limiting, • Festival Programming
lacks flexibility of adding to
• Compressed time span:
schedule, ‘branding’
weekend, week, month
confusion
• Opportunity Programming
• Programming styles
• Book as opportunities arise
• Series-based (Fixed range
throughout the year
• of events in a season)
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 14

15. Artistic Planning &
Programming
• Programming Variables:
Educational Components
• Relation to organization’s mission?
• Residencies
• Youth/Adult Experiences (lifelong learning)
• Budgetary Impact
• Technical Impact
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 15

16. Artistic Planning &
Programming
• Technical Requirements
• Sound levels, lighting, etc.
• KNOW YOUR VENUE
• Communicate with ROAD
• Facility availabilities, scheduling manager well in advance, does
and hold policies / procedures not always communicate with
home office on many details.
• Assess technical feasibility of
production • Artist’s needs
• Don’t book a five truck • Artist hospitality and
show in a two truck facility impact on performance
• Venue type, size, capabilities • Performance Selection - before
(fly, lifts, traps, etc) you sign contract!
• Q: What is negotiable and when to • Make artistic decisions
negotiate? A: Everything is
• Communication with the
negotiable and now is the time to
Artist/Agent
negotiate!
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 16

17. 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
•
Presenting 101 • PAE ‘12 17