N ational P erformance N etwork presents: Doin’ It On the Road

1. National Performance Networkpresents:Doin’ It On the Road A general reference for artists interested in touring their work

2. Introductions • National Performance Network • Who we are • Network of 61 Performing Arts Partner Organizations across the United States (43 cities; 28 states) • Visual Artists Network – 15 VAN Partners • What we do • Support the creation and touring of performing and visual arts across the United States

3. Basics of Touring • Why tour? • Broaden audience base • Connect to like-minded communities • Extend the life of the work • Income – cold hard cash • See the country, meet new people

4. Are you ready to tour? • Finished work that has an audience at home • Company Members who are willing to travel • Technical Package / Tech Rider • Promotional Package / Marketing Materials • Management/Representation • Networking – how do you approach presenters with your product? • Social Networks – making the web work for you • Research, research, research…

5. Relationship between your work at home and touring • Portability of your completed work • Understanding the audience you serve • Connecting with similar markets/audiences in potential cities/sites across the U.S. • The complete package…

6. Kinds of Presenters • Colleges and Universities • Multi-disciplinary Arts Centers • Community Centers • Municipal Performing Arts Centers • Producing Dance/Theater Companies (other artists) • Booking/Touring Houses • Arts Councils • …and many more…

7. Structures that support touring: • Association of Performing Arts Presenters • National Performance Network • Southern Arts Federation • New England Presenters • Mid Atlantic Arts Federation • Western Arts Alliance • Arts Midwest • Alternate ROOTS • National Dance Project

8. What kinds of work tours? Work that • has a local, regional support base • is economically feasible • knows it’s audience • crosses disciplines/sectors note: these are simply some recent presenting trends, not universal mandates

9. A Few Industry Definitions

10. Presenter • An organization which contracts with an artist to present that artist’s work to the public. The presenter provides the facility and technical support, promotes the event to the community, and pays the artist a fee.

11. Producer • An individual/entity who supervises and controls the finances, creation and public presentation of a play, film, program or similar work. In some cases, artists/companies have an organization which produces their work; in other cases artists/companies contract with producers for this function.

12. Producing Company /Artist • An entity that conceives and creates a work of art for which a presenter contracts.

13. Booking Agent • An entity that represents and promotes Producing Companies/Artists to Presenters, arranges tours and negotiates contracts. For some artists the booking agent function happens within the company, sometimes it is an external entity to which the artist pays a fee and/or percentage of contracts.

14. Manager • An advisor, confidant, counselor, organizer, industry “buffer,” cheerleader, or protector for the artist/company. A manager sees things from a different perspective from the artist (the big picture) and helps to devise a master plan that the artist can follow in order to achieve their goals.

15. Curator (performing arts) • A presenter who holds an aesthetic vision for their organization and community and applies that vision to their selection of artistic work for a season or series.

16. How to Build Relationships with Potential Presenters

17. Presenters’ decision-making process • Seeing work live • Learning about artists and their work • Booking conferences • Packets and media • Rosters • Web (MySpace, You Tube, FaceBook, etc.) • Opportunity for presenters to share how they select work

18. The Booking Process • Agents • Self-representation • Deepening the experience with residencies • Calendar/cycle of planning a season • Booking conferences • Grant deadlines • Presenting Seasons

19. Different Approaches to Presenting • Relationship based • Artist • Presenters • Community • Curatorial theme • Mainstream • Booking conferences • Filling quotas • Using booking house

20. Tools for Touring • Pricing your work • Mutual understanding of presenter’s and artist’s financial realities • Subsidies and financial resources

21. Sample Artist Budget • ARTIST FEES, 1-WEEK • Salaries for Artists/tech 6x$700 $4,200 • Fringe Benefit for Artists/tech 6x$140 $840 • Transportation 6x$350 $2,100 • Lodging 6x7nightsx$75/night $3,150 • Per Diem 6x7 daysx$40/day $1,680 • Administrative Allowance $1,500 • Artistic Director's Contingency $300 • TOTAL FEE $13,770

22. Sample Presenter Budget • EXPENSES • Facility Costs • Rental $2,000 • Insurance $100 • Personnel • Front of House $600 • Backstage $1,200 • Booth $1,500 • Presenter (admin/misc.) $1,000 • Box Office $2,000 • Hospitality $500 • Marketing • Advertising $5,000 • Direct Mail $1,000 • Web $100 • Program/playbill $1,000 • Equipment Rental $1,000 • Artist Contract $13,770 • TOTAL EXPENSES $30,770 • REVENUES • Box Office (400 seats @ $15.00 x 2 nights) $12,000 • Ad Sales $1,000 • Contributions and Grants $17,770 • TOTAL REVENUES $30,770

23. Connecting with community, promotion of touring artists • Contextualization of your work for an audience • Presenter responsibilities • Artist responsibilities • What are your intentions, and to whom does your work speak?

24. Other Opportunities • Commissioning • Long-term residencies • Artistic collaborations

25. Questions / Answers