2016 FRINGE FESTIVAL ARTIST HANDBOOK

ARTIST HANDBOOK CONTENTS

Registration ...... 3 Venues ...... 5 Artist Opportunities ...... 6 Ticketing ...... 11 Budgeting...... 13 Marketing and Publicity...... 17 The Business Side of Things...... 24

2 1. REGISTRATION

KEY DATES us know about it in this Step. Registrations open: 1st March YOU’RE THEN BLOCKED FROM GOING ANY FURTHER. At this point in time, you Registrations close: 31st March pay your participation fee and once we have Branding strips available from Fringe received it, we will start working hard to website: 31st May find the right venue for your event. You will Sydney Fringe Festival: 1 – 30th September be contacted during March or April by our Artist Liaison to discuss your event. Festival Awards Night: Friday 30th September STEP 5: Sessions Once you have a venue you will be able to REGISTRATION PROCESS proceed to Step 5. You will have discussed your contract and fees with your venue and is an open access event. can now enter in the Session (dates and The process to register and communicate times) that you have agreed on. If your event with the festival and the venues happens is ticketed, this is also the place where you mostly in a custom built online environment set the ticket categories and prices. designed specifically by the Sydney Fringe for our artists. We did this to make things as STEP 6: Approval automated and easy as possible for you. In Step 6 you will be able to sign off on our You will need to consider your answers event. carefully as the information will be used to populate your event page when the site FRINGE EVENT REGISTRATION SITE goes live to our ticket buying audience. (FERS) We won’t delve into too much detail here, as The Sydney Fringe is an open access event. you will be prompted online, but once you The process to register and communicate have created an account through our online with the festival and the venues happens registration portal, the main steps are: mostly in a custom built online The Fringe Event Registration Site (FERS) is STEP 1: Presenter Information our online portal for entering all your event You provide your name and contact details details. STEP 2: Production Company To register your event: Enter the name of your Production Company 1. Head to sydneyfringe.com (It may be the same 2. Click the Register Now Button name as your Presenter!) 3. Create a username and password STEP 3: Event You provide us with all of your event details STEP 4: Venue Essentials This is where you provide us with all the relevant information so that we can match you to a venue. The Sydney Fringe plays an active role ensuring that works are matched to the right venue. If you already have a venue in mind, there is an opportunity to let

ARTIST HANDBOOK 3 EVENT CATEGORIES When you register your event you’ll need to What does my fee get me? select from two categories: • An event listing/tile in the Sydney Performing Arts Fringe printed guide (30,000 distributed throughout metropolitan Genres under this category are: Sydney) Comedy • A unique show page with ticket Music buying click-through on Website sydneyfringe.com Musical Theatre and Cabaret • Ticketing and box office management provided by the Sydney Fringe Dance • Possible listing opportunities in Poetry, Literature and Spoken Word designated magazine special editions Physical Theatre and Circus and wraparounds where possible Kids Fringe • Access to discounted advertising through Fringe Sponsors where Visual Art possible This category includes all visual art and • Free access to all Artist Masterclasses design including photography, sculpture, installation and film, solo and group • The potential to be highlighted in exhibition. Fringe features and advertising, in media partner publications and Please ensure that you select your genre online, where possible category carefully as this will inform where your event is categorized and presented in the Festival Guide and on our program online Please note: Artists are responsible for all of the presentation and production costs relating to their events

PARTICIPATION FEES Your event is not official until payment is Our 2016 fees are: received.

SESSION 0-3 SESSIONS 4+ SESSIONS

PERFORMANCE 180 280

VISUAL ARTS 80

Participation Fees are GST Inclusive

4 2. VENUES

OUR UNIQUE VENUE MATCHING PROCESS While we’re an open access Festival, we take on the role of matching artists to their venue. This ensures that artists find the right space for their event and have a greater chance of covering all their costs. Our team uses their knowledge of the industry to work with producers and to find the right space. This process has also proven very successful with interstate and international artists who aren’t familiar with the Sydney scene. As part of your online registration you will need to document all of your venue requirements. The Sydney Fringe will use this information to match you to an appropriate venue. Our Artist Liaison will also contact each producer individually to discuss his or her venue needs. You may already have a venue in mind for your event or already be in converstion with a venue. If that’s the case you’ll have the opportunity to let us know during the registration process.

EMERGING ARTIST HUB As part of our commitment to supporting first-time artists and producers, the Sydney Fringe will operate an Emerging Artist Hub to provide a safe home for new producers to bring their work to life in a supported environment. The Hub will also provide an opportunity for audiences seeking emerging experimental work to find it in one home. You can nominate for your show to be considered for the Emerging Artist Hub during the registration process in ‘Step 4: Venue Essentials’.

ARTIST HANDBOOK 5 3. ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES

We’re interested in the long-term Artist who attended the masterclasses sustainability of the Independent arts and in 2015 found them to be invaluable and are committed to supporting artists in as offered very positive feedback about how many ways as we can. the workshops directed benefited their event’s bottom line. We highly recommend you make time to attend these sessions. PRODUCER MASTERCLASSES AND NETWORKING NIGHTS And why stop there? We’re hosting all masterclasses in one easy to get to location. An 8-part Masterclass series is designed Each masterclass will be followed by the to provide detailed hands-on advice to opportunity to network with other artists guide you through producing your event. over a drink from the bar, and then enjoy We will provide you with additional printed some free live entertainment from 8pm. resources, worked examples, and an opportunity to ask questions and hear from guest industry experts. The masterclasses align with key festival dates to provide the support you need as you work toward target deadlines.

WORKSHOP 1: Budgeting Essentials Notes When: 9th May 2016 Where: Old 505 Theatre, 5 Eliza Street Newtown Free to Fringe Artists Successfully managing a budget is essential to producing arts events. This workshop will guide you line-by-line through your budget, give you tips for reducing your costs and optimising your revenues, and leave you feeling confident about the financial control of your project. Key ideas covered: • How to accurately estimate ticket revenue • Strategies for reducing expenses • What is a budget contingency? • How to budget for performer fees and profit share • What are my tax and legal obligations? • What records should I keep? • How should I budget for sponsorship and philanthropy?

6 WORKSHOP 2: Funding Strategies Notes Corporate Sponsorship, Crowd-funding, Grants and Philanthropy When: 23rd May 2016 Where: Old 505 Theatre, 5 Eliza Street Newtown Free to Fringe Artists This workshop will assist you to create a funding strategy by taking an in-depth industry look at your funding options. You will be armed with practical ‘how-to’ advice and printed resources. Key Ideas covered: • How to create a funding strategy • How to approach potential philanthropists • Should I bother with government grants and if so, which ones? • How to make my grant applications more competitive • How to confidently approach corporate sponsors • How to create a successful crowd-funding campaign Industry Guests: Local, State or Federal Grants Expert

WORKSHOP 3: Marketing Intensive All three Marketing Workshops (Marketing, When: 6th June 2016 Publicity and Social Where: Old 505 Theatre, 5 Eliza Street Newtown Media are designed Free to Fringe Artists to fall by end of June and July so that artists The first of three workshops dedicated to marketing, this have 2 months (Jul and workshop will equip you with Marketing essentials and focus Aug) to implement on creating a marketing campaign and creating strong marketing campaigns marketing collateral. consistent with the Key Ideas covered: producing cycle • Identifying your target audience • How to share the load – your marketing partners • What are the secrets to great marketing images/ photographs • Should I pay for advertising? • Promotional strategies Industry Guests: Local, State or Federal Grants Expert

ARTIST HANDBOOK 7 WORKSHOP 4: Publicity Intensive (including Outside-the- Box publicity strategies) When: 20th June 2016 Where: Old 505 Theatre, 5 Eliza Street Newtown Free to Fringe Artists The second of three marketing workshops, learn how to sell your event to media and the press. Create effective publicity kits and generate audiences through a range of strategies. Key Ideas covered: • Why is publicity important? • Where to target your efforts • How to create a media release • How to create attention-grabbing publicity ‘stories’ • What makes a great press kit? • Getting the reviewers in • Using ‘outside the box’ publicity strategies to get attention Industry Guests: Sydney Fringe Festival Publicist

WORKSHOP 5: Social Media Intensive - Where, Why, When and How When: 4th July 2016 Where: Old 505 Theatre, 5 Eliza Street Newtown Free to Fringe Artists Having a successful social media campaign is essential to standing out in the Fringe. With most Arts audiences online, you need to know where to post, how to post and what will get you the right attention. Key Ideas covered: • Why is it important to have a social media strategy? • What social media platforms should I be using? • How to create social media ‘stories’ • How to make best use of Facebook • How to integrate social media with your website or blog Industry Guests: Guest Social Media Strategist

8 WORKSHOP 6: For the people, by the people: Nuts & Bolts Presented by a of Crowdsourcing crowdsourcing expert from Pozible When: 18th July 2016 Mid July – August is the Where: Old 505 Theatre, 5 Eliza Street Newtown perfect time to launch Free to Fringe Artists your crowdsourcing Many artists are now turning to crowdsourcing to get their campaign and this projects off the ground. It’s essential to have the know-how workshop will equip before launching that campaign. Make your campaign stand you with the ‘how-to’ out from the crowd and get those dollars you need. Learn how to build a community around your project before it’s even up and running. Key Ideas covered: • The nuts and bolts: what crowdsourcing platform should I use and why? • How to design a successful campaign • What are the major mistakes artists often make with crowdsourcing? • What creative rewards can you offer your supporters? • What do you do once the campaign is up and running? How should you market the campaign to ensure you reach your target?

WORKSHOP 7: The Independent Artist as a small business When: 15th August 2016 Where: Old 505 Theatre, 5 Eliza Street Newtown Free to Fringe Artists Independent artists are like a small business. Often it’s about managing several projects at once and using other non-arts revenue streams to subsidise your income. This workshop is designed to equip you with the skills to think of yourself as a small business. How do I manage my money? Tax? Artist benefits? What insurance should I be protected by? How to I market myself effectively? How should I engage digital and social media to get work?

ARTIST HANDBOOK 9 WORKSHOP 8: Genre-Specific Producing When: TBA Where: TBA Free to Fringe Artists There are genre-specific tips and insights that are worth hearing from experts in their fields. This workshop allows you to focus on your art-form to take it to that next level. 4 multiple streams running simultaneously. Choose which one you attend. Stream 1 – Live Performance Stream 2 – Live Music Stream 3 – Comedy Stream 4 – Visual Art Key Ideas covered: • Expert guests from each genre share their genre- specific knowledge for producing, marketing and realising a performance or exhibition. • Genre-specific producing topics covered will be distributed to Fringe artists closer to the date.

ARTIST PASS If there’s an empty seat, you can fill it for free as a Fringe registered artist. This is our way of helping artist to support each other and to experience the work the Fringe artistic community is making. This year we’re also exploring some added benefits for our artist passes. We’ll be working with some of our partners to provide you special discounts. We’ll let you know about these closer to the Festival.

10 4. TICKETING

TICKETING DATES adult ticket and be the only price available for the performance. 15th July – some early-release tickets to Fringe partners Concession 1st August – Tickets on sale to the general Priced lower than a standard adult ticket, public and applicable for holders of concession cards (Pensioner, Senior, Student, Unemployed). WHAT DO YOU (THE ARTIST) PAY? Adult 1. Artist Inside Charge A standard ticket price category that should Sydney Fringe charges a fee per ticket to be applied to all sessions except previews. the artist (you) for any tickets sold online All and at the door. This fee is known as the ‘artist inside charge’. If you are only charging one price for all tickets. It should be the only price you add. In 2016, the Sydney Fringe will charge $2.20 (incl. GST) on every ticket sold. Child 2. Complimentary Tickets charge For children 12 years and under who will occupy a seat. Children 2 years and under All comp tickets incur a $0.60c (GST are free on lap. Inclusive) fee payable by you the artist Groups 6+ A discount for groups booking more than WHAT FEES DO CUSTOMERS PAY? 6 tickets, set lower than an Adult ticket 3. Customer Booking Fee price. Tickets must be purchased in one All tickets Sydney Fringe sells through transaction for discount to apply. sydneyfringe.com are subject to a $2.20 customer booking fee (incl. GST) per ticket Breaking Down the Ticket Price to sold. This fee is payable by the customer at accurately set your price the point of sale. Using an average of 30% capacity houses Please note that the Customer Booking Fee over your season is a good guide when and any relevant credit card charges for working out what box office you need to bookings are passed on to the customer and recoup in order to break even with your not incurred by the artist. projected income.

PRICE CATEGORIES The average ticket prices at the 2015 Sydney Fringe Festival were around $22 Adult and The Sydney Fringe has set the ticket $16 Concession. Usually Group and Preview categories that you will be able to select ticket prices are similar to Concession when inputting ticket prices in the tickets. registration system. Please note that your event does not need to include all price Please ensure that your ticket prices take categories. into account the inside charge on each ticket Preview sold collected by the Sydney Fringe. Discounted tickets for any sessions prior to the official opening of your season. Ticket price should be set lower than the normal

ARTIST HANDBOOK 11 For example: For Rushtix to be entered in our system, you will need to email our Box Office Coordinator by Close of Business, 5pm, the TICKET PRICE LESS ARTIST NET TO ARTIST INSIDE CHARGE day before the performance for which you would like Rushtix activated. You are able to activate Rushtix in advance, $22 - $2.20 $19.80 for example for all of your performances, but they will only appear from 11am on the day of each session.

So, if you actually need to recoup $22, you To activate Rushtix, email our Box Office should set your ticket price at around $24 to Coordinator at [email protected] account for the inside charge. from 15th August 2016

Complimentary Tickets SETTLEMENT All complimentary tickets incur a $0.60c Settlement of your sales will be paid within (GST Inclusive) fee per ticket payable by you four (4) weeks after your last session/ the artist. performance, provided all required paperwork has been returned quickly The Sydney Fringe will allow each presenter following the production. In many cases, to allocate up to 8% of their venue capacity, settlement may occur earlier and we strive per performance, free of charge. (This will be to get settlement to you as quickly as calculated and managed by our Box Office possible. Manager) After 8% has been reached, the presenter will incur the $0.60c fee per ticket You will receive via email a summary of your for any additional complimentary tickets total ticket sales, minus applicable charges, and the money will be deposited straight For Complimentary tickets to be entered in into the bank account you entered into the our system, you will need to email our Box registration system. Office Coordinator by Close of Business, 5pm, the day before the performance for which you would like complimentary tickets. Please note that the Sydney Fringe can only Please note that all complimentary tickets, settle box office once the artist has provided under or over the 8% allocation, need to be all relevant information and forms required entered into the ticketing system. from them in email correspondence during the settlement process. To allocate complimentary tickets, email our Box Office Coordinator at Failure to produce any outstanding [email protected] documentation by 30th November 2016 from 15th August 2016 will result in the artist forfeiting their ticket revenue. Rushtix For last minute ‘bums on seats’ consider offering a limited number of seats on sale at half price. Rushtix will be available for purchase from 11am on the day of the performance only.

12 5. BUDGETING

Successfully managing a budget is essential OTHER INCOME to producing an event. Your chances of breaking even or generating profit are FUNDRAISING significantly increased when you accurately estimate your expenses and potential SPONSORHIP revenues. You will need a carefully thought through budget to ensure (and to prove to IN-KIND/PHILANTHROPIC potential backers and investors) that you can deliver on your vision. GRANTS

Under taxation law, if you are earning an CROWDFUNDING income from your event at Sydney Fringe, you are required to have an ABN and quote MERCHANDISE this on Tax invoices issued to the Sydney Fringe and your venue. Visit www.ato.gov.au TOTAL OTHER INCOME for more information and don’t hesitate to contact our Artist Liaison to guide you in the TOTAL INCOME right direction with any enquiries. The main aim of budgeting is to avoid any hidden or unexpected costs so that you can estimate, as accurately as possible, your end EXPENDITURE position. There are many different costs and revenue avenues that you should consider PRODUCTION and these will significantly vary depending PERFORMANCE VENUE HIRE on the type of event, length of run, venue and the level of your experience. Below is REHEARSAL VENUE HIRE a basic budget template that provides a general outline of the categories you should SET consider. TIP: Baffled by budgeting? Attend our COSTUME hands-on budgeting Workshop PROPS/FURNITURE

BUDGET TEMPLATE LIGHTING

INCOME SOUND

BOX OFFICE INCOME AUDIO-VISUAL

NUMBER OF PERFORMANCE OTHER EQUIPMENT HIRE

VENUE CAPACITY TRANSPORT

EXPECTED ATTENDANCE (%) RUNNING COSTS

AVERAGE TICKET PRICE

TOTAL BOX OFFICE INCOME

ARTIST HANDBOOK 13 ADMINISTRATION POSTERS

SYDNEY FRINGE PARTICIPATION FEE PR PHOTOGRAPHY

GROUP PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE SYDNEY FRINGE GUIDE ADVERTISING

PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE WEB ADVERTISING

PHONE/INTERNET/IT CONTINGENCY

STATIONARY AND OFFICE SUPPLIES TICKETING

POSTAGE AND COURIER TICKETING CHARGES

PRINTING AND COPYING CREDIT CARD CHARGES

COPYRIGHT ROYALTY (RIGHTS) BOX OFFICE SHARE TO VENUE (%)

APRA / AMCOS FEES GST **

WAGES AND FEES

DIRECTOR

DESIGNER (LIGHTING/SET/SOUND)

PERFORMER FEES

WRITER/CREATOR

PRODUCER

OPERATOR/STAGE MANAGER

OTHER (COULD INCLUDE ADMIN, FRONT OF HOUSE ETC)

MARKETING AND PUBLICITY

BANNERS

GRAPHIC DESIGN

LEAFLET/POSTER DISTRIBUTION

PRINT ADVERTISING

PRINTED PROGRAMS

POSTCARD/FLYERS

14 Expense breakdown • Publicist: For larger or more established companies/artists, a • Performance Venue Hire: The Fringe Publicist is a very effective way of team will play an active part in ‘outsourcing’ publicity and press matching events to the right venue. to an expert. Many smaller arts It is essential to have a clearly organisations or those with short defined contract with your venue performance runs cannot afford these and to understand all the terms of expenses. The Marketing section of that contract so that no unexpected this handbook should equip you with expenses surface later in the game. all the necessary skills and knowledge • Rehearsal Venue Hire: For many to tackle this task. independent groups and producers, • Contingency: It is important to budgeting for a rehearsal venue budget for contingency as a buffer, significantly impacts the bottom should any unexpected expenses line. With few rehearsal venues in arise. Generally speaking, contingency Sydney and higher rates of hire, this is budgeted at 5 – 10% (10% is cost could potentially take smaller recommended) of total expenses companies into a financial loss. Think excluding ‘Ticketing Expenses’ outside the box here. Many indie shows are rehearsed in living rooms or unused residential spaces. Is there Estimating ticket revenues a local business, say your local cafe, which you could ask to rehearse in at For many independent arts events, ticket night? revenue is the largest source of income. Accurately estimating ticketing revenue is • Public Liability Insurance: It is a important in order to see if expenses will be requirement of registration that all covered or to see how much funding you will Fringe shows be covered for Public need to raise from other sources. Liability Insurance. As a general guide, ticketing revenue before • Sydney Fringe Guide Advertising: ticketing charges are deducted is estimated This is an optional expense that as shown in the example table below: allows companies/groups to buy advertising space in the published Net Revenue that you the artist take = Fringe Guide, 30,000 of which are $4050 - $368.18 GST (withheld by venue printed and distributed to local unless you are registered for GST) - potential audiences. All details for Sydney Fringe Inside Charges $356.4 (6 advertising options can be found at performances x 90 capacity x30% assuming sydneyfringe.com. This year we are 30% target is reached) = $3325.42 offering artists affordable prices to Note: If you or your presenting company advertise in our guide to make your are NOT registered for GST, you will need to show stand out during the Fringe. deduct GST in your take-home revenue

NUMBER OF VENUE EXPECTED AVERAGE ESTIMATED X X X = PERFORMANCES CAPACITY ATTENDANCE (%) TICKET PRICE REVENUE

6 (E.G.) X 90 X 30% X $25 (E.G.) = $4050

ARTIST HANDBOOK 15 calculation as your venue will need to keep it when estimating your merchandise profit and pay it to the government. margin. Also, ensure that you meet all intellectual property requirements - you should own all the design elements and FUNDING AND RAISING MONEY content of your merchandise.

Sponsorship Government Grants Finding corporate sponsorship can be Arts Grants are available on the national time-consuming and requires patience, but ( Council), state (Arts NSW) is well worth it if you manage to secure and local (council) levels. The process some funds for your work. The key to of applying for a grant is detailed and successful sponsorship is be targeted with extremely time-consuming. For independent which potential sponsors you approach. artists who are working with tight time Successful sponsorship is not a matter of frames, it is essential that you are completely finding a company that you know generates eligible for a grant before dedicating time to profit and asking them for a donation. writing the submission. For Fringe events, Instead, it is important to consider how your it may be worth considering development project relates to an organization, what the grants or cross-arts grants. Also, consider organisation gains from supporting your applying for local government funding if project and what non-financial benefits your projects meet the criteria - City of you could offer your sponsor such as logo Sydney and Marrickville Council for example placement, a private screening, a managing both offer local council artist grants at director introducing a show etc. various times of the year. It is also useful to consider what in-kind Private Donations / Philanthropy support a corporate sponsor could provide, Asking for money from your existing that is non-financial support. Think about network of contacts is an excellent way the content of your work and what might be to build a small bank of funding to get interest a sponsor. your project up and running. Private Sponsorship works best when it is targeted, philanthropists may be supporters of specific and personal - pick up the phone your past work and could include family and try to meet face-to-face. and friends who are keen to support your project. Philanthropy needn’t be a one-way Crowdfunding street. Consider the ‘benefits/rewards’ you Crowdfunding is a very effective way of could offer your patrons. These benefits raising some up front funding. Crowdfunding could include acknowledgement in your offers a great platform for friends, print and online media, complimentary colleagues and family to contribute while tickets to the event, a private performance also reaching out to other potential donors for your patrons and special access to an who might get excited by your project. open rehearsal (to name a few). Popular Crowd-funding platforms include Merchandise Pozzible, Indigogo and Kick Starter. Merchandise could include the selling of TIP: Want specific strategies for raising your show programmes, clothing (T-Shirts funding? Attend our ‘Raising Money etc.), CDs, DVDs, high quality photographs Workshop’ with expert industry guests or other novelty items. Make sure to budget for the cost of producing your merchandise

16 6. MARKETING AND PUBLICITY

50% ART, 50% SELL THE SYDNEY FRINGE PUBLICIST For many independent arts companies Sydney Fringe Festival has a Publicist and groups, limited resources and limited dedicated to promoting the Festival as a people-power means that most attention whole. Sometimes there are opportunities often goes toward producing the art or to showcase some events through our event itself, at the expense of a marketing Publicity channels. The more proactive you and publicity effort. For groups that don’t are with providing us with a media release have the budget to employ a Publicist, the and interesting stories/images, the more we push to get the work ready sometimes can do to try assist in the promotion of your comes at a cost. The most consistent event. feedback we have had from Fringe artists over the past few years is that they felt MARKETING BASICS that starting marketing and publicity earlier Marketing is, basically, everything that would have significantly increased their you do as an artist or company to place audiences, and therefore their income. We and create an interest with your potential strongly recommend that you start your audience, encouraging them to see your marketing effort well in advance of Fringe event over and above someone else’s. Month and that you dedicate equal time to marketing your work as you do to creating it. Why do I need to market? • To create knowledge, intrigue and excitement about your event WHAT WILL SYDNEY FRINGE DO TO HELP? • To maximize the number of tickets sold Sydney Fringe’s marketing efforts for you will include: • To raise the profile of your work, performance, artists, or company • Listing in Fringe Guide • To form connections with like-minded • Unique show page with ticket buying peers and potential networks click-through on Sydney Fringe Website • To place you as an artist in front of potential partners and sponsors • Central box office provided by The Fringe • To prepare you for future projects that you may have in mind – • The opportunity to place materials in documentation of your work or Fringe-run venues (where possible) performance in the form of posters, • The potential to be highlighted flyers, photos, press clippings, through our social media channels reviews, etc. and platforms where possible

Additionally, we will provide thorough PREPARATION guidance to groups and individuals doing It is crucial to create a marketing and their own marketing and publicity. We publicity plan in advance – this will help push have dedicated three masterclasses to this your event forward and create exposure to topic that with along this Handbook should your intended audience. Think about the arm you with all the strategies to pursue a following: successful marketing campaign. • Promotional flyers and posters – when will you print them?

ARTIST HANDBOOK 17 • Graphic designer – will you use one? like. What makes you unique? Define this clearly and use this to create a clear and • Photographer – do you need one? consistent message that carries through all • Publicist – will you engage your own of your marketing (and publicity) materials. or go it alone? Consistency is the key. • Advertisements – how will you advertise? How much will they cost? YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE • Target audience – how can you reach While it is very tempting to think of your them? audience as being everyone who lives in Sydney, is aged between 18 and 80, and • Media outlets – which of these outlets likes independent theatre/music/visual will be most interested in your event? arts, it can be very difficult to devise an effective marketing campaign for such a Think about your target audience – what broad audience. It is best to define your sort of people will most likely come and audience as much as possible, as it will focus see your show? If you think your show will your efforts and resources. Think about appeal to a general audience, it means these questions to help you define your you will have a lot more work to do in target audience: Where does your audience comparison to keeping a focus on an work and live? Why will they be interested audience that have higher relevance to in attending your show? What is their age the theme of your show. For example, if group? What is their cultural background? your show contains materials that are not How will they find out about your show? appropriate for audiences under the age of What is the audience profile, reputation and 18, then make sure you focus on over 18’s. It style of your venue? What is the time of is important to create high quality publicity your event and the cost of tickets? All these photos – it will be the best investment of factors have an influence on who your target your time and money. These photos can be audience members are. used across your marketing materials and If you decide to use the service of a graphic for press enquiries. Previous artists have designer to create an strong artwork for you had their images used time and time again and your show, then the target audience throughout the Fringe period, due to their will be an important element for how the eye-catching and striking images that have graphics are developed. appealed to press and media publications giving them that extra publicity for free. LOGO, ARTWORK AND PRINTING

DEFINE YOUR IDENTITY The final part of the visual identity that will sell your show to audiences is your artwork. It is important to establish your marketing Make sure you create a strong logo and flyer objectives early; these are the outcomes design. Use it as your brand across whatever you expect to achieve with the marketing of your doing. Make sure it can be your calling your show. One objective might be career card, and it is as professional as your show. building, raising your personal profile, your company or artist space, or it might be On the website will be further details on as simple as maximizing ticket sales. In our requirements for logo and artwork establishing the objectives and identifying specifications, so if you are using a graphic your audience you can begin to determine designer, there are a few things that you what your marketing strategy might look should bear in mind.

18 We have made it easier by designing strips PHOTOGRAPHY that can be placed along the bottom of Come up with a creative, striking image that postcards, flyers or posters. Please see represents your show – think of something the Branding tab under Artist Info on our that will express your show’s identity and website. stand out. These shots will be used for PLEASE NOTE: marketing materials, on the Fringe website For certain venues, you will need to use the and in the Sydney Fringe Festival Guide appropriate designed logo strip. These will Energetic, strong and original images are a be available from 30th May for download powerful tool. Strong imagery is also what from the Branding page on our website, will give your event much higher chances of found under Artist Info. press coverage.

We strongly recommend that any available MARKETING COPY / BLURB marketing budget first be dedicated to capturing that strong image that will sell your show So, what’s a blurb? It is a short piece of copy that should encapsulate everything about BILLING your event, and convince the reader to snap up those tickets. Creating a good blurb is You want people to know you’re an official one of the most important things in your participant of the Sydney Fringe 2016, and advertising arsenal. Right after your artwork, we want them to know it too. People will the perfect blurb can mean the difference be searching for Fringe shows during the between a sale and a pass. festival period. The billing required by your contract applies to all press releases and 1. People love stories. publicity materials. Make sure your blurb contains details about For all festival productions, we require the your story, even if it’s a thin one. Don’t just following format: fill your blurb with accolades, awards, stars, etc. Those are great but ensure that there’s [your producing entity], as part of Sydney a story that the reader finds compelling in Fringe 2016, presents [Your Show] your blurb. Or, in cases where producer billing follows 2. Let the people pick your words for the title, use the following: you. [Your show], produced by [your producing Hear how other people describe your work, entity] as part of Sydney Fringe 2016, and then look for commonly used words. You must use our FULL NAME in official 3. Look at what other people are writing billing – Sydney Fringe 2016 – on postcards, posters, etc. The pre-designed logo strips for Visit other festival sites or ticket sales you to use on your printed flyers etc. can be websites and browse through the shows, downloaded from the ‘Branding’ Tab under reading each blurb. Notice what techniques the Artist Resources of the Fringe Website are used. After reading ten blurbs, decide from 31st May 2016 which shows of the ten you would want to see? Which shows do you not want to see? Again, always include www.sydneyfringe. Why? com as the site for more information or for tickets. If you have a separate web address for your show, please direct people to it from

ARTIST HANDBOOK 19 the Sydney Fringe site rather than including covered, the fees will vary. So, make sure you it as the destination on your press release. do your research before proceeding.

It is crucial that www.sydneyfringe.com be the central location for information about all SYDNEY FRINGE WEBSITE shows so that we can most effectively cross- This is where it all starts. promote, helping all shows (and the event as a whole) to be a success. Clearly, if you have The Fringe website receives hundreds of an individual site for your show, you should thousands of hits during the months of be directing people to www.sydneyfringe. August and September. com for tickets. YOU MAY NOT DIRECT Everything we do will be about driving THE PUBLIC TO CONTACT YOURSELF OR people to www.sydneyfringe.com in order ANY THIRD-PARTY AGENT FOR ADVANCE for them to find out about our shows and to TICKETS. buy tickets to them.

PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION SOCIAL MEDIA If you are thinking of distributing posters Many people have stories about events and flyers on your own, do bear in mind that have completely sold out just through there are certain laws and regulations that information that has been disseminated you have to follow. It is ILLEGAL to put up through Facebook and other social posters and distribute a large number of networks. Have a strategy that links your flyers without a license, therefore make sure online endeavors, keep updating content that you get permission before starting on regularly and speak to your audience in a this mission. timely fashion. If you need more information on City of Building a Facebook page and maintaining Sydney’s regulations on street distribution, it is one of the best marketing strategies you please visit: www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/ can employ. It is something that empowers live/report-local-issues/bill-posters your artists and friends to help you promote It is important to remember when you your show. By creating a page instead of a decide to distribute the posters and flyers group, your posts will be published in your on your own that you respect other people’s fans’ mini-feeds, keeping you on their radar properties. Make sure to ask for permission and hopefully attracting new fans. beforehand when you hang up your posters Another success story in the online space or when you distribute your flyers on shop is Twitter. There are many online resources windows, cafes and clubs, otherwise the to learn how to tweet effectively and owner will remove your posters from the Twitter can be particularly useful for getting wall/window. Posters and flyers cost money, information out quickly, such as Rushtix or as you know already, so when they are taken special event information. down, that’s your money wasted. We suggest using #SydneyFringe to tap You can always hire a professional poster/ into a wider audience. The Sydney Fringe flyer distributor. There are a number of Instagram hashtag is also #SydneyFringe. distributors in Sydney who can do the job for a fee and often, they can distribute PLEASE NOTE: in areas where a regular person can’t. We ask artists to not name any Facebook Depending on the amount of flyers and pages with ‘Sydney Fringe’ in their page title. posters, as well as areas that need to be This will be an essential part of the artist

20 contract and failure to comply with this could result in the Fringe withdrawing an ADVERTISING event from the Festival program. You can consider using advertising if you want to give your show a little bit more BLOGS push, a little bit more of exposure to your Starting your own blog is also another good audience. idea to promote your show, assuming you You may want to consider advertising in don’t have your own website already. the Sydney Fringe Festival Guide. We offer Blogging is a really easy way to get some special discounts to Fringe registered artists current content up to inform your audience. which will be detailed on our website under Having a connected dialogue with your the ‘Artist Info’ tab from April 2016. audience is an essential way to get them Online Advertising is something you should feeling involved with your work. You want to consider as well. Ads on Facebook can be be generating as much conversation about targeted towards people in your area with yourself and the Fringe as you can. Just be your specific targeted age and interests. wary of too much shameless self-promotion, make sure your comment is relevant. CROSS PROMOTION

EMAIL Cross promotion is one avenue that you should consider if you are sharing a venue You have an email list, and so does everyone with another act/event, or if you know other that is associated with your show or who Fringe artists. wants it to succeed. Email them an e-flyer of your event, ask them to pass it on and OTHER PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES spread the word. Send all your friends and families details of your show a few weeks When Sydney Fringe Festival launches before it opens, and another during the in September, it shouldn’t mean your season. Ask them to forward it onto their marketing efforts have come to an end. The networks and you’ll be increasing your reach Festival will be the most critical period for all enormously. your promotions. Make sure you are aware of what else is happening during The Fringe. Start thinking about an email database that Have your posters and flyers handy with you not only encompasses your friends but at all times, since you’ll never know when expands to include interested audience and you’re going to need them, and above all industry members - ask people to sign up else just keep spreading the word. to your mailing list when they arrive at your show. PUBLICITY

FLICKR AND YOUTUBE Good publicity is an essential element in organizing your event. Publicity, in simple Moving image is a very effective way to words, means media coverage for your engage potential audience and to give them show. It is a free flowing medium and it is an impression of what to expect in the live important to remember that this is not a experiencing of your work. You can shoot form of free advertising, because it cannot short videos on your mobile phones these be paid for and you cannot totally control days, easy unloadable to social media. Film what media writes about you. There are behind the scenes or even short segments a few main reasons why publicity should of rehearsal or performance.

ARTIST HANDBOOK 21 be harnessed: one, to recruit your specific • What the event is about? target audience; and two, to gain profile • Why should we be interested? and recognition for your artists as well as organizers, sponsors, company; to send • Where is it happening? your message out to a wider audience that • When is it on? you may not be able to reach personally. • The Title of your Show The media coverage that publicity brings is a greater cache than advertising since it • The Name of the Company creating it carries third-party editorial endorsement. • Cast and Creatives When done correctly and effectively, it will be able to increase the promotional efforts • Dates, Times and Venue/s and level of awareness of your event. • Ticket prices and details for The mediums of publicity include purchasing tickets newspapers, radio (mainstream and • Your Contact name and phone community), TV (mainstream and number (for media) community), and the web. If you’re looking at print media, it could mean targeting • The Sydney Fringe logo daily newspapers (The SMH or the Daily Keep the press release to one page when Telegraph, Sunday papers), community possible, and no more than two. When you newspapers, monthly magazines (Time Out exceed the one page maximum, insert the Sydney), Gay Press (such as SX) or street word MORE at the bottom center of the press (such as The Music and Brag). Each first page. Subsequent pages should be publication has a different focus, so pick up numbered and alongside the page number, a copy, get a sense of the house style and indicate the topic. tailor your message to them. You want to balance it so that it’s both Remember, print needs strong images, so exciting enough to ignite a journalist’s here is where your photos can help you. interest, without sounding too much like Offer them straight away – preview versions a completely self-promotional attempt. in low resolution first. Or they may want Writing for the media is different from to send their own photographer, so have a writing any other marketing pieces. Cut photo idea or location prepared and ready most hyped adjectives (awesome, fabulous), to go. unless they’re positive statements you can attribute to someone in the form of a WRITING A PRESS RELEASE quote. Also, get colleagues to proofread the release, and check it again yourself. The last You’ll need to generate Press Releases in thing you want is date and spelling errors order to create publicity. The purpose of (especially of names), or any other factual these is to create an angle for media to inaccuracies. Again, really think about what generate a story. Include positive press makes your show unique, different and quotes, details of cast, a synopsis of the newsworthy, and make that the focus of show’s content, and any newsworthy details. your media release. Keep it simple, always be positive, play up any topicality and keep in mind the needs of Be mindful when contacting journalists the publication and your target audience. that some won’t have time to acknowledge your release but may still be annoyed to Remember to include: have it sent twice. Be polite. Be diplomatic. • Who is involved? Keep in mind that journalists don’t know

22 a thing about your show, and may just SCHEDULE. Tickets are $XX and can be not be interested, without a strong angle. purchased online at www.sydneyfringe.com.. Remember this when contacting a journalist, For more information, please visit and make sure they know what you feel www.sydneyfringe.com is vvthe newsworthy angle of what you’re Contact: [YOUR PRESS CONTACT NAME doing. Be prepared to accept a ‘no’ with HERE] at [PHONE / EMAIL ADDRESS FOR good grace. PRESS CONTACTS] Press Release Template MEDIA CONTACTS For Immediate Release: [DATE RELEASE IS ISSUED] Assign someone in your team to collate press contacts and to start to make [YOUR COMPANY NAME HERE] approaches with your press release. Also PRESENT “[YOUR SHOW TITLE have your team pool their collective HERE]” [MIGHT INCLUDE WRITTEN BY/ resources and industry lists and create a DIRECTED BY, ETC.] PLAYS AS PART OF mailing/email/phone list of people that you THE SYDNEY FRINGE 2016 DATES OF want to know about the show PERFORMANCES [THE RUN] OFFICIAL OPENING DATE: [IF APPLICABLE] Please note that the Sydney Fringe does THEATRE / VENUE NAME [STREET not distribute a list of media contacts to ADDRESS] artists. PARAGRAPH DESCRIBING SHOW: PLOT, THEMES, ANY SOURCE MATERIAL (“Based upon”), etc. Not too many adjectives. For example: a show can be called “a dark comedy” – but you should not say “a wildly funny romp” – that’s for the press to say. Adjectives should only be used in so far as they DESCRIBE the show (tone, style, etc.) ...not editorialize about as press quotes would. A PARAGRAPH on CAST / DESIGN CREW. Who plays who and who designed what. Credits for actors / designers can be listed here as well. BIO PARAGRAPH on WRITER AND / OR DIRECTOR (bios for any noteworthy creative team members can go in this next paragraph or two. Keep bios to a paragraph each – at most) BIO on PRODUCTION COMPANY / THEATRE COMPANY if there is one. Mission statement can go here. FINAL PARAGRAPH: RECAP OF THE SPECIFICS and TICKET INFO. SHOW TITLE plays at THEATRE as follows: LIST

ARTIST HANDBOOK 23 7. THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS

PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE of that work. The Sydney Fringe can provide artists with assistance in checking whether a Sydney Fringe Festival requires all events work is protected under copyright. If a work to take out Public Liability Insurance. This does not have the rights to be performed, coverage protects you financially in the it will likely be withdrawn from the Festival event that an audience member is injured or program. third party property is damaged. Producers are required to submit a Certificate of For more information on copyright, visit the Currency when registering an event to show Australian Copyright Council: that Public Liability coverage is active. http://www.copyright.org.au Public Liability does not cover injury to performers or to you and your property. APRA / AMCOS These are at your discretion to address and could include additional insurance Music has become a vital part of the being taken for contents, injury or performance landscape. APRA administers worker’s compensation depending on your the rights of songwriters, publishers and circumstances. composers in Australia and New Zealand. If you are planning on using copyrighted music As a general rule, the riskier the event is to (pre-recorded or live) in your Fringe event, the public, the more expensive and difficult you are required to obtain the appropriate to secure public inability insurance. license and pay any relevant fees. For It is important to consider the structure of more information and resources on music your group/company when searching for copyright: www.apra-amcos.com.au affordable public liability insurance (PLI). For example, you may want to consider PLI for LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING / one project where the insurance only covers AGREEMENT the duration of your event. For performers or companies who work across the year, A Letter of Understanding / Agreement, consider taking out annual public liability more formally called a Memorandum of insurance either as a group or individually. Understanding, is a useful and effective document that sets out the agreement/ Artist/producers need to email copies of terms of a relationship to avoid any their certificates of currency to misunderstanding and to ensure that [email protected] by the 31st July all parties agree on the terms. Letters 2016 of Understanding ensure that you have agreements in writing which are signed and COPYRIGHT AND ROYALTIES dated for accountability. Examples where Letters of Understanding are useful include: The Sydney Fringe Festival subscribes to between producer and performers; between the principles of copyright and intellectual producers and designers; between members property as they are outlined under of groups creating a Fringe Event and those Australian law. Copyright ensures that the financing one. owner of the work is acknowledged as such and that any relevant fees for using the A Letter of Understanding could cover work are paid. Fringe artists are obligated issues such as: to obtain the written permission from the • The parties the agreement is between copyright holders, owners or originators of • Financial obligations a work and pay any relevant fees for the use

24 • Reporting obligations • Time commitments expected • Confidentiality clause • Who owns the copyright to a newly created work • Dispute resolution processes

WORKING WITH CHILDREN Groups working with children are required to have each of their members pass a working with children clearance. Also, groups working with children are bound by industry legislation regulating the pay, working conditions and maximum time commitments of a child in a production. For detailed advice on working with children, visit the Arts Law Centre of Australia at www.artslaw.com.au/

ACCESSIBILITY The Sydney Fringe has committed to working closely with Accessible Arts NSW to find opportunities to improve accessibility over the coming years of Fringe festivals. Although you may have little power over changing your venue’s accessibility, there are many things you could consider to make your events/productions more accessible to a wider audience. The Fringe Guide to Accessibility will be available for download from the Fringe Website in late May 2016. For great genre-specific ideas and more information regarding issues of accessibility, ensure you visit the Accessible Arts website: http://www.aarts.net.au

Disclaimer The information in this guide is correct at date of publication. All Artist resources are updated as new information comes to hand. This document was created by Sydney Fringe and may not be reproduced or copied without prior permission. Full ticketing terms can be found at sydneyfringe.com and represent the most up to date conditions surrounding ticketing.

ARTIST HANDBOOK 25