2021 ARTIST HANDBOOK ARTIST SERVICES DISCLAIMER SUPPORTED BY 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 and terms. CONTENTS

4 5 7 8 VISION AND MUST READ; KEY DATES WHAT IS THE WELCOME YOUR FRINGE AT SYDNEY FRINGE? A GLANCE 9 10 12 19 WHY BE PART OF 2019 REGISTRATION VENUES SYDNEY FRINGE SNAPSHOT IN 2020? 22 28 31 36 ARTIST FESTIVAL TICKETING AND THE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES GUIDE SETTLEMENT OF SHOW; PRODUCING YOUR EVENT 46 57 MARKETING THE BUSINESS AND PUBLICITY SIDE VISION AND WELCOME

What a year it has been. As we geared up to welcome you for 2020 we were fresh off a high of celebrating a decade of Sydney Fringe in 2019. It was our largest festival to date with over 1600 performances by over 2900 artists. We were certain that 2020 was going to be bigger than ever. Of course we all know that last year took a turn and our sector was left scrambling with the need to reimagine, reinterpret and rediscover, and of course just survive.

In many ways the year of reflection has been incredibly beneficial for Sydney Fringe. We quickly moved our focus to supporting artists and venues through the crisis, and tackled some big important projects like initiating our community consultation for the establishment of a dedicated First Nations program, reviewing our Access Plan and convening a fantastic Access Advisory Committee, creating a digital touring network with our international partners that will enable you to tour your work no matter what and build international audiences.

We safeguarded our organisation to ensure that we could be here for you in 2021 stronger than ever, and ready to serve, assist and get things going. We are optimistic for the future and can’t wait until we can welcome you in person to the 2021 Sydney Fringe, because we think our city is going to need its Fringe Festival more than ever before this year. Sydney Fringe is all about hearing Sydney stories by Sydney voices in their originating landscape, and we are sure you have some epic tales to tell this year. Know that we are here for you, we can’t wait to see what you have in store for us and we whole heartedly welcome you to the 2021 Sydney Fringe Festival.

KERRI GLASSCOCK Festival Director / CEO

4 MUST READ; YOUR FRINGE AT A GLANCE

WHAT? WHEN? st The Sydney Fringe is Your Festival – the Registrations Open on April 1 and close on community of artists decides on, makes, and April 30th. (With EOI’s for limited programmes produces the shows and events. from March.) We are an open access arts festival, which No late registrations will be accepted. means that anyone can put on a show as The Fringe Festival itself runs from September part of the festival in September. There is no 1st to 30th. selection process, you simply need to register your event at: See Key dates on the next page! – P6 https://sydneyfringe.com/for-artists-venues/ for-artists WHY? More details; What is Sydney Fringe – PP 7-9, Registration– PP 10-16 To name just a few reasons: Sydney Fringe has the highest profile of any WHO? independent arts event in New South Wales. Open Access also means that The Sydney In 2019 we reached 39 million pairs of eyes Fringe does not produce your show – We are via our PR and marketing campaigns, and here to assist you in finding a venue, we will almost 70,000 people attended the festival market the festival generally and manage all that’s the largest single audience base of any ticketing, and we are here to provide you with independent arts festival, venue, or event in the advice, support and exposure necessary to NSW. make your show a success – however, you need Guaranteed Access to appropriate and to create, produce, manage, and market your affordable performance space. work! In 2019 we activated 34 unique spaces not More details; Producing Your Event– PP 30-33 available to artists at any other time of the year, and brokered free or discounted rent with WHERE? a range of existing performance spaces. Our venue matching process continues to evolve, Sydney Fringe works with two kinds of venues: providing more diverse performance spaces 1) Fringe Hub Venues (or ‘Managed Venues’)– than ever before, with more themed hubs and existing and temporary spaces managed by precincts. Fringe and our partners. Our Audience are committed to taking a risk At a Fringe Hub your venue contract is with and experiencing new work. Fringe, and all venue related conversations 45% of our audience say the main reason they are with Fringe or a close partner – such as come to Sydney Fringe is to see new work, and Legs On the Wall, ACA or PACT. 43% say their main reason is to have unique OR experiences. So you know our audience want to go on whatever journey you have to offer! 2) Registered Venues – existing performances spaces run by other managers, such as More details; the New Theatre, Chippen Street Theatre, or Why Be Part Of Sydney Fringe? – P8 Tortuga Studios. Artist Opportunities – PP 20-24

At a Satellite Venue, once we match you EXCITING UPGRADES - A WHOLE NEW SUITE up with the right one, your venue hire OF DIGITAL TOOLS! contract and all venue related conversations are with the external venue manager. Our festival has grown too complex for some of the digital platforms we’d been using before If you already have a venue confirmed you can 2020. We heard your concerns about this and of course ‘BYO Venue’. Your venue’s manager reviewed all of our digital tools during 2020. will need to register as an official Fringe venue We built a brand new bespoke website, made and sign up to our Venue Terms and Conditions specifically for the needs of Sydney Fringe (A similar process to Event registration, but audiences, artists and venues, and we’re moving to a high-powered new ticketing system used by much simpler!) our sister Fringes all around the world. More details; Venues – PP 17-19

5 HOW?

There’s more on how to budget, market and create your show at the end of this handbook, and Sydney Fringe hosts a series of five masterclasses from May through August, which will see you on your way to producing and presenting a cracker show or event in 2021.

A few tips and tricks and system changes from previous years: • Remember to include the customer ticketing fee in your advertised price. • Remember that in 2021 all managed venue Hubs will have mandatory opt-in for the 15% Multi-show Discount deal, so factor this in when setting ticket prices. • Make sure you budget specifically, bank on no more than 30% capacity, and record the time and resources you’re giving to the project ‘In-Kind’ (i.e. without payment). • In 2021 the Sydney Fringe will withhold your Box Office settlement until you have completed your post-festival artist survey and Door Sales reporting. • Remember to embrace everything the Fringe has to offer – from masterclasses to networking events, the chance to see shows for free, awards and future touring possibilities - your Fringe experience can be so much more expansive than your own show! More details: Registration Fees – P16 ; Budgeting – Pp 34 - 39 ; Marketing PP 40-49

YOUR MAIN POINT OF CONTACT Artist Services Team

[email protected] 0402 371 004 5 Eliza Street Newtown 2042

6 KEY DATES

EOI’S OPEN FOR LIMITED CURATED PROGRAMMES MAR

EOI’S CLOSE FOR LIMITED CURATED PROGRAMS 31 MAR

ARTIST REGISTRATIONS OPEN 3 APR

ARTIST REGISTRATIONS CLOSE 30 APR

MASTERCLASS 1: FUND IT 10 MAY

MANAGED VENUE HIRE AGREEMENTS ISSUED 15 MAY

MANAGED VENUE HIRE FEES DUE 31 MAY

BRANDING LOGO STRIPS AVAILABLE 31 MAY

MASTERCLASS 2: SELL IT 31 MAY

PRINTED GUIDE AND WEBSITE COLLATERAL DUE 13 JUN

MASTERCLASS 3: MAKE IT 21 JUN

MASTERCLASS 4: SHARE IT 12 JUL

PUBLIC LIABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENTS DUE FOR FRINGE 13 JUL MANAGED VENUES

FEATURE EVENTS LAUNCHED FOR SALE 15 JUL

PROGRAM LAUNCH PARTY 31 JUL

PRINTED GUIDE RELEASED AND TICKETS ON SALE 1 AUG

MASTERCLASS 5: GROW IT 2 AUG

SYDNEY FRINGE BEGINS 1 SEPT

SEPT ARTIST DEVELOPMENT ROUNDABLES, MEET & GREETS AND FORUMS

SYDNEY FRINGE FESTIVAL AWARDS 26 SEPT

7 WHAT IS THE SYDNEY FRINGE?

The Sydney Fringe is an open access arts festival, the largest independent arts festival in NSW. Open Access means that anyone can put on a show as part of the festival in September. There is no selection process and the main festival program is not programmed or curated. The Sydney Fringe does not produce any shows that register through our system. We are here to provide you with the resources, support and exposure necessary to make your show a success. The Fringe does produce large scale public events, as well as increasingly commissioning work, providing paid performance opportunities and working with our partners to create vibrant festival hubs, that bring the city to life throughout September. (Keep you eyes peeled for EOI’s for performance opportunities and commissions!) We also use our status as NSW’s largest independent arts festival to advocate for the needs of artists in Sydney. Over the past seven years, under the directorship of Kerri Glasscock, the Sydney Fringe team have enabled new open access spaces for artists year-round, modelled pilot programmes including partnerships with retail, business and government (which keep your costs down), and tirelessly represented the challenges faced by artists to your elected officials. In 2021 we want to celebrate the resilience, creativity and re-emergence of our artistic community, and remind Sydney of everything that makes our city great.

8 WHY BE PART OF SYDNEY FRINGE IN 2021?

YOUR CITY YOUR WAY ACTIVATING SPACE Be a part of the highest-profile independent We are working all year round to find and arts event in New South Wales and join with activate new, under-used and unused space us to bring Sydney the most diverse range of throughout our enormous city. Making sure you creative experience possibilities. have access to anything from small cabaret rooms to giant empty warehouses, matched OUR AUDIENCES AND ARTISTS to your needs – from the traditional to the site LOVE NEW WORK AND NEW specific. EXPERIENCES BRAND VALUE AND REACH The Sydney Fringe is a great platform to try out new or experimental work or work in The Sydney Fringe Festival is growing and development. Our audiences are open and audiences know we’re here in September. willing for something a little different so use the In 2019 we reached over 39 million people Fringe as an opportunity to develop, test and through our PR and marketing campaigns, and explore your work. almost 70,000 people attended Sydney Fringe. NEW ARTISTS Be part of the noise.

The Sydney Fringe is constantly attracting new artists from a variety of backgrounds, CAREER PATHWAYS/DEVELOPMENT mediums and skills. Use the Sydney Fringe as Use the Fringe as an opportunity to set goals, a great way to increase your network, making push yourself with new deadlines, and get new connections with artists and industry in front of local, interstate and international professionals. industry. Every year Fringe directors from MULTI ART FORMS around the world visit Sydney in September specifically to see shows in the Sydney Fringe The Fringe is genre fluid and a platform for all programme. Our growing range of awards bring artforms. We don’t believe in boxing you in, prestige as well as offering courses, supported allowing you to tag your work with a variety touring opportunities, industry mentorships and of genres as well as giving you access to cold hard cash. artists and audiences from the full spectrum of artforms and mediums. We also support specific genres and their needs by creating WE ARE MORE THAN JUST A hubs around specific genres and types of FESTIVAL experiences. We are committed to year-round advocacy work to grow and strengthen the culture and OPEN ACCESS night life of our city. The more of you we work The Sydney Fringe works to remove as many with and hear from the better we can advocate barriers to getting your art out there as for your needs - join us as we invest in the possible. We are open access, which means we cultural life of our vibrant home. don’t curate the festival, so if you can put on a show, we’ll put you in the program. NEW PROGRAMS In 2020 – in the midst of COVID, and unable NEW AUDIENCES to safely run a full festival – we returned to We have an audience of tens of thousands of our first principals of supporting artists and Sydneysiders that visit the Fringe every year venues. We created new projects and programs looking for new work and new experiences. Put supporting creative community: including your art in front of a whole new audience from residencies, digital global touring, a podcast, all over Sydney. a rejuvenated focus on access, and first steps towards a dedicated First Nations Program.

These new programs will continue and grow in 2021 and beyond.

9 2019 SNAPSHOT

34 84 498 NON-TRADITIONAL SPACES VENUES HOSTED SYDNEY EVENTS PRESENTED ACROSS MADE AVAILABLE BY SYDNEY FRINGE EVENTS SYDNEY FRINGE IN 2019 FRINGE FOR EVENTS

1,623 27,798 69,427 INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS TICKETS SOLD TO SYDNEY PEOPLE ATTENDED A FREE OVER 30 DAYS FRINGE EVENTS OR TICKETED SYDNEY FRINGE (32% INCREASE FROM 2018) EVENT

39.62%

$503,000 39 MILLION BOX OFFICE INCOME MARKETING REACH OF AUDIENCE GENERATED ACROSS (SET’S OF EYES ON SYDNEY CAPACITY SOLD THE FRINGE FRINGE MARKETING)

10 PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE OF MAJORITY OF ARTISTS IN EACH EVENT 37.65% 34.57% 27.78%

0-5 5-10 10+ YEARS YEARS YEARS

73.89% 53.10% 57.08%

SYDNEY PREMIERES WORLD PREMIERES AUSTRALIAN PREMIERES

11 REGISTRATION

12 REGISTRATION PROCESS

The Sydney Fringe is an open access event. The process to register and communicate with the festival and the venues happens mostly in a custom built online environment designed specifically by the Sydney Fringe for our artists. We did this to make things as automated and easy for you as possible!

You will need to consider your answers carefully as the information you provide in the early stages will inform how we work with you during the venue matching process, and the information you provide in phase 2 will be used to populate your event page when the site goes live to our ticket buying audience.

Our EVENTOTRON portal makes it much easier to connect with other national and international festivals when you’re thinking about taking your show on the road. Most importantly, it’s easy to use.

REGO’S PHASE ONE:

STEP 1: CREATE AN ACCOUNT + CREATE AN EVENT

Once you have registered with your email address, you will be sent a password to your email. Use that password to login to EVENTOTRON. Once logged in, click + CREATE NEW EVENT.

Once your event exists go to the festivals tab in the top right hand corner, find Sydney Fringe Festival 2020 and click ‘APPLY’.

STEP 2: ENTER PRODUCER AND SHOW DETAILS

This is where you tell us about you and your event. We’ve kept the questions as simple as possible and you’ll be guided through the process with progress bars in each section. You can track your progress in the progress bar at the side.

13 STEP 3: ENTER VENUE REQUIREMENTS AND PAY REGISTRATION FEE

The Venue Requirements section is where you provide us with information about what you need in a venue.

The Sydney Fringe endeavours to ensure that everyone who wants to put on a show can find a suitable venue. It’s important that your answers to the Venue Requirements questions are accurate and detailed.

(In this step you can also let us know if you have already secured a venue. Even if you have, we ask that you still fill out the venue requirements section – it’s helpful for our reporting and advocacy work to know what artists are looking for in a venue!) When you’ve completed all the required fields the progress sidebar will look like the image to the right.

If any of the three sections are not completely grey with a tick, click on the section name to navigate back and fill any missed fields.

Once all fields are complete finalise your registration and pay your rego fee by clicking the orange ‘Click To Finalise’ Button.

Once you’ve provided all your event and venue needs and paid your participation fee the button will turn green and say ‘Finalised’- your event is officially a part of Sydney Fringe 2020!

You can now browse venues in the Venue Finder page to get an idea of where you might like to perform, and even get in touch with venues.

When you’ve paid your registration fee a member of the Fringe team will contact you to discuss venue options. Please Note: We cannot begin the Venue Matching Process under any circumstances until you have paid your registration fee. Whether your venue ends up being a Fringe Hub, a registered venue or a venue you found yourself, once your venue has confirmed your event, you can begin phase two.

14 REGO’S PHASE TWO:

STEP 4: VENUES & SESSIONS

By now, you will have discussed your contract and fees with your venue and you may be linked up with them in Eventotron. If not make sure to navigate to the Venues page in the side bar, find your venue and hit “Apply” (see image on previous page). Once your venue has approved your application you can enter in the Sessions (dates and times) that you have agreed on as well as ticket categories and prices. Once you have a session entered your venue page should look something like this (the more sessions the more rows you’ll have:

There’s more information about how to price your tickets under the ticketing and settlement section of this handbook.

STEP 5: FESTIVAL GUIDE & WEBSITE

Here, you’ll be able to upload your final copy and imagery for the Festival guide and see a LIVE PREVIEW of exactly how your listing will appear in the guide and online. Check the ‘approve’ box only when you are completely happy with your entry, and have made sure that the text doesn’t meet or overlap with the genre logo’s. if it does, you’ll need to cut the text down!

15 STEP 6: DEMOGRAPHICS & FINISH

Once you’ve entered everything required for the festival guide and website we just have a few more questions for you – these are demographics questions which help us with our planning, and to advocate for artists all over the industry year round. Please fill them in detail, or make your best estimate if you’re unsure at the time you complete your rego. The second phase of registration is only complete when your sidebar looks look like the image to the right.

INTERNATIONAL PERFORMERS

The Sydney Fringe welcomes International Performers. The Registration process is the same as for a local performers, but you will be required to answer a few more questions relating to financials and taxation (For further information refer “Ticketing and Settlements”) If you are an international performer, you are responsible for ensuring that you have the correct Visa’s to perform in Australia. The Sydney Fringe can offer limited support in the area of Visa’s. Please contact [email protected] for further information.

16 SEARCHABLE EVENT TYPES

GENRE – CHOOSE UP TO 5: These are your standard art-form genres – We know that many Fringe events are genre- fluid, that’s why we offer you the opportunity to select multiple genre tags. Audiences love this function, so select what feels right – just remember that audiences will be expecting a prominence of that genre in your event.

THEATRE MUSIC COMEDY DANCE

FRINGE KIDS POETRY & VISUAL ARTS WORKSHOPS LITERATURE & FILM & TALKS

PHYSICAL MUSICAL THEATRE SPECIAL EVENTS/ IMMERSIVE THEATRE & CABARET ACTIVATIONS & CIRCUS This year, we continue our focus on accessibility for diverse audiences, and access to diverse stories. You’ll be asked to select if your event includes any of the following access options, or subject matters. Only select content tags if your event has a true focus on issues of particular relevance to those audiences.

STORIES AND ACCESS TAGS CONTENT

Culturally & Linguistically Wheelchair Accessible Diverse People

Auslan Interpreted Indigenous Australians Performance/s

Audio Described People With A Variety of Performance/s Abilities

Relaxed Performance/s LGBTIQ People

Older People

AUDIENCES CAN Younger People ALSO SEARCH BY EVENT NAME, Women’s Issues VENUE, VENUE PRECINCT AND DATE Men’s Issues

17 REGISTRATION FEES

In 2021, knowing that the climate is even more challenging for artists than usual, we’ve working to reduce up-front costs to artists as much as possible. Registration fees have been slashed and there is a single registration fee amount for all events – whether you’re doing one performance or thirty!

All Visual Art 1 – 3 Performances $281 $200 Performing Arts Events, 1-3 Sessions $281 $200 Performing Arts Events, 4+ Sessions $417 $200

WHAT DOES MY FEE GET ME?

Fringe provides a range of services and benefits to registered shows. Your registration fee includes:

GUIDE LISTING FREE ENTRY & DISCOUNTS WITH YOUR • An event listing/tile in the Sydney Fringe ARTIST PASS printed guide (40,000 distributed in 2019 • Access to see most shows for free (Events throughout metropolitan Sydney and for which the artist passes can’t be used beyond) will be published on the Sydney Fringe website in August.) SHOW PAGE • Access to discounted advertising through • A unique show page with ticket buying Fringe Sponsors where possible click-through on the Fringe Website • food and drinks discounts at a range of sydneyfringe.com Fringe venues • Discounted / Free access to training and VENUE MATCHING fitness with a range of Fringe partners, • Venue brokering and advice services from including Legs on the Wall our team of dedicated staff • More goodies to be confirmed. TICKETING AND BOX OFFICE • Management of all pre-sales provided by MEDIA the Sydney Fringe • The festival-wide visibility of 39 million plus eyes cast over our press and media (media • Management of ticketing promotions ‘reach’ 2019). including multi-show deals and rushtix • The potential to be highlighted in Fringe Features and advertising, in media partner PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT publications and online, where possible • Free access to four pre-festival Artist Masterclasses • Potential inclusion in ‘what’s on this week’ Social Media promotion • Free access to a range of in-festival artist development roundtables, meet and greets • Potential inclusion in promotion of multi- and forums. show deals • Eligibility to be considered for a Fringe Award • Access to touring networks

Please note: Artists are responsible for all of the presentation, production and marketing costs relating to their events. Your event is not official until payment of the participation fee is received.

18 VENUES

19 TWO WAYS TO FIND A VENUE

There are TWO ways you can go about finding the perfect space for your show:

1. BYO VENUE If you know what venue (or venues) you want to perform in you can contact them directly and book it in! In Eventotron you’ll see a list of all the venues who’ve expressed interest in hosting Fringe events. Feel free to give one or more of them a call and apply to perform there. If the venue you want to perform in hasn’t registered with Fringe you can still approach them and perform there. Just note that the venue manager will need to register in the Eventotron system – it’s a quick easy process (like a simpler version of the artist’s registration) and they can do this in April if you’re still figuring out the details during your registration. In these cases your main point of contact for anything venue related is the venue manager. Fringe can of course support you if needed, but your event will be subject to a direct agreement between the artist and the venue in regard to venue hire.

2. VENUE MATCHING If you’re not sure what venue would be best for your event, you want assistance making contact with the venue, or you would like your event to be considered for one of our many Hubs, we’ll help match you up to a venue! Unless you advise us in your registration that you’ve already confirmed a venue, once you’ve paid your registration fee a member of the Sydney Fringe staff will be in touch to discuss your venue needs in more detail and figure out the perfect venue for your show or event.

20 TWO KINDS OF VENUE WE’LL MATCH YOU TO

1) FRINGE HUBS 2) REGISTERED VENUES The Sydney Fringe and our partners manage The best place for your event might not be several venues during the festival, and these in a Fringe Hub. Lots of existing venue have hubs are the lifeblood of the festival. Audiences a strong relationship with The Fringe, and we seek out events at Sydney Fringe Hubs based work with these venues to make sure their on the kind of experience they are looking for, rent is affordable for our artists, and they can and Hubs give artists access to spaces that are provide the resources our artists need. not accessible at any other time of the year. During venue matching we may broker a deal Fringe Hubs are venues managed by the between your show and one of these existing Fringe and our partners, such as Legs On The satellite venues. Wall, The Old 505, PACT and Actors Centre Australia. In these cases, once matched to a venue, your event will be subject to a direct agreement between the artist and the venue in regard to Fringe Hub venues are set up with a variety venue hire. of financial arrangements. As with registration fees we’re working to keep these as low as Depending on the venue, a number of hire possible for 2021 (and into the future!). structures may exist. Some of these include: Details of venue hire costs at fringe hubs will 1. Straight Hire - Venues charge a fixed at rental be available in Eventotron from April 1st. per week or session 1. Base Hire and Box Office Split - for the first 2. Box Office Split - artist and venue split the time in 2020 we’re doing a box-office split box office takings to account for venue hire at a number of hubs – reducing your up- 3. Base Hire / Box Office Split - venue charges front costs, lowering the risk for you, and a cheaper rental fee plus a share of box ensuring that when you win we win. Hubs office (e.g. 10 or 15% of box office) with a box office split will have a 4. No Venue Hire – Some might offer you the substantially reduced venue hire fee, and venue for free. There may still be charges then The Fringe will retain a small portion of for tech, equipment, staff etc. Some venues your box office at the end of the festival. will waive venue hire for events they feel will 2. Straight Hire – some hubs will still charge generate other revenue streams e.g. a bar. a straight venue hire fee. Shows in these hubs will receive 100% of box office Remember to confirm all details directly with less any other applicable charges, and GST your satellite venue manager and obtain a if applicable. venue hire contract from them.

21 ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES

22 ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES

ARTIST E-NEWS ARTIST PASS You’ll receive regular bulletins with key This year we’re expanding our artist pass deadlines, new opportunities and extra support programme – so you get more bang for your for all those nuts and bolts along the way. They registration buck. will be sent straight to your inbox so read them carefully and stay in the loop. FREE RUSHTIX: This year we’ll also keep in touch by text If there’s an empty seat at a Fringe show, you message – so that if something’s really can fill it for free as a Fringe registered artist. important or exciting there’s no chance of it This is our way of helping artist to support getting lost in a crowded inbox or junk folder. each other and to experience the work the Fringe artistic community is making. It is a simple process. Just turn up before the show AWARDS and if there is an available seat, it’s yours. Judged by an industry panel of judges, awards for genre excellence are presented on the last FOOD AND DRINKS DISCOUNTS: Sunday of the Festival. In addition to genre Thanks to our friends at Young Henry’s, you excellence awards, all registered events are have access to a range of discounts on food a eligible to be considered for touring and drinks at venues around the city, and especially development awards including : at lots of Fringe venues. Check the website for • Melbourne Fringe Tour Ready Award more details closer to the festival. • SYNZ Award (with NZ Fringe) • Perth Fringe World Award CONDITIONS OF USE:

• San Diego International Fringe Festival • Your pass will only be issued once – they Touring Award (USA) cannot be replaced if stolen or lost • Brighton Fringe Award (UK) • The pass is not transferable and photo ID • The EDGE Artist Development Award, may be requested. supported by Inner West Council • If you are suspected of sharing your pass it • Hollywood Fringe Award (USA) will be revoked for the duration of the festival. This decision will be at the sole Also for the second time this year, we will discretion of the Sydney Fringe announce award nominees on a rolling basis management. through the festival. Judges will submit • You must comply with the Front of House assessment from the prior week each Thursday. and Box Office policies of the venue you are On Friday we’ll announce the nominees for attending. that week in each category in an e-mail blast • Events for which Artist Passes cannot be to our over 10 thousand subscribers - giving used for entry will be published on The nominated shows a marketing push, and great Sydney Fringe website. talking point to crow about heading into the • Artist passes will be available from the weekend. Sydney Fringe office from August 2019, times will be advised in artist e-bulletins.

23 PRODUCER MASTERCLASSES AND NETWORKING NIGHTS

Our 5 part Masterclass series, presented in partnership with NIDA, is designed to provide detailed hands-on advice to guide you through producing your event and improving your skills as a creative producer. Featuring experts from around the industry the masterclasses are full of important information for novices, hot tips for experienced producers, and chances to ask questions and hear from experts. The masterclasses align with key festival dates to provide the support you need as you work toward target deadlines. For the first time in 2021 Masterclasses will be both Online and In Person, and for those who come in person will be followed by a chance to network with other artists over a drink from the bar.

FUND IT Fundraising and Budgeting When: Monday 10 May, 6-8pm Where: Fringe Head Office, 5 Eliza Street Newtown

Budgets might seem boring, but knowing you’ve got the dollars whipped gives1 you the freedom to let your imagination run wild when you’re creating. The creative management of a budget, and hunting for money in unexpected places, can itself be rewarding, and sometimes even result in unexpected ideas and innovations that feed back into the creative process. The Crash Course will guide beginners through major budget lines to consider, and throw in hot tips on reducing your costs and optimising your revenues - for beginners and experienced producers alike. Then we’ll take you through how to create a funding strategy and take a look at your funding option: sponsorship, partnerships, grants, private giving and crowd sourcing. In The Deep Dives you can explore the grants landscape with Charley, or diversifying your income streams with Carmel

Key Ideas: EXPENSES, REVENUE, CONTINGENCY, ARTIST FEES, TAX AND LEGAL OBLIGATIONS, RECORD KEEPING, SPONSORSHIP, GRANTS, PHILANTHROPY, FUNDING STRATEGY, CROWD-FUNDING

24 SELL IT Marketing, Publicity + Social Media When: When: Monday 31st May, 6-8pm Where: Fringe Head Office, 5 Eliza Street, Newtown & Online

If a great show happens in an empty venue and no-one is around for the brilliance,2 did it even really happen? There’s no point having a great show without an audience, so in this session we talk all things marketing: creating a marketing plan and strong marketing collateral, how to sell your event to media and the press, and leverage the editorial, creating effective publicity kits and generating audiences through a range of strategies. We’ll also take a look at the mind-boggling world of social media – with most arts audiences online, you need to know where to post, how to post and what will get you the right attention, and it’s rarely just a question of great content (although that helps!)

Key Ideas: MARKETING STRATEGY, ADVERTISING, IMAGERY, COLLATERAL, PUBLICITY, PRESS RELEASE, REVIEWS, EDITORIAL, RADIO, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, MEDIA, ‘STORIES’, MOVING IMAGE, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, WEBSITE, BLOGS

MAKE IT Lighting, Sound, Design & Direction on a Shoestring When: Monday 21st June, 6-8pm 3 Where: Fringe Head Office, 5 Eliza Street, Newtown & Online

How do you create bold and exciting work on limited budgets and in pop- up, low infrastructure or immersive spaces? This production 101 Masterclass is hosted by expert teachers in design, sound, lighting and direction. Learn some trade secrets, be inspired by some out-of-the-box ideas and embrace bare- bones and low-fi performance and the doors it opens rather than close.

Key Ideas: BARE-BONES PERFORMANCE, LIGHTING DESIGN, SET DESIGN, SOUND DESIGN, EQUIPMENT FOR LOW-FI SPACES, IMMERSIVE PERFORMANCE, SITE-SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE, DIRECTING IN UNUSUAL SPACES, TRAVERSE PERFORMANCE, IN THE ROUND PERFORMANCE.

25 SHARE IT Making your work accessible and inclusive. When: Monday 12th July, 6-8pm Where: Online 4

Learn how to increase accessibility and inclusivity in your practice and at your event. We’ll share skills and ideas to ensure that your practice and events are as accessible and inclusive as possible, including how to work with venues around physical access, providing signed or captioned, audio described and relaxed performances, disability representation and access in created development spaces, and inclusivity initiatives for marginalised groups and economically disadvantaged audiences.

Key Ideas: THE SOCIAL MODEL OF DISABILITY, PHYSICAL ACCESS, AUSLAN INTERPRETATION, OPEN AND CLOSED CAPTIONING, AUDIO DESCRIPTION, RELAXED PERFORMANCES, ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE, SOCIAL EXCLUSION, INCLUSIVE EVENTS, SAFE SPACES, TRIGGER WARNINGS, INCLUSIVITY FOR ADDICTION AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, INCLUSIVITY FOR TRANS & GENDER DIVERSE PEOPLE

GROW IT Developing A Rewarding And Fulfilling Practice In The Independent Sector When: Monday 2nd August, 6-8pm 5 Where: Online

Making art in the independent sector can be a struggle, and often feels like a never ending race from one opening night to the next, through too many bowls of ramen and too little time and money. How can artists play an effective long-game, and ensure that your practice is sustainable, enjoyable, and remains creative? A panel of independent arts leaders will share insights into how to plan projects that really fulfil you, how to match your project to the resources available, how to diversify income streams and leverage your skills to make bank, and how to make the most of unique opportunities.

Key Ideas: SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE, MATCHING FORM TO FUNCTION, EMBRACING ALTERNATIVE SPACES AND CREATIVE MODELS, WORKING WITH FESTIVALS, VENUES AND PARTNERS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WORK, DISCOVERING YOUR CREATIVE AIMS

The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is pleased to continue our partnership with the Sydney Fringe Festival which this year as the official partner of the festival’s Producer Masterclass Program, in addition to the sponsor of the Emerging Artist Hub. Through this partnership, NIDA continues to play a profound role in empowering Australia’s storytellers and cultural leaders. – NIDA 26 Live a unique creative experience

Acting – Costume – Cultural Leadership – Design Directing – Musical Theatre – Props – Live Production Scenic Construction – Stage Management – Writing

→ Bachelor of Fine Arts → Master of Fine Arts → Vocational Diplomas → Part-time Studios → Weekend courses → Evening courses

Join the creative community at Australia’s leading institution for dramatic arts education and training. nida.edu.au

Higher Education Provider ID: PRV12052 CRICOS Provider Code: 00756M RTO Code: 90349 FESTIVAL GUIDE

28 FESTIVAL GUIDE EVENT INFORMATION

Sydney Fringe is the publisher of all event information in the Fringe Guide and online at sydneyfringe.com. All material must be suitable for a wide audience. The following tips and conditions apply to all material you submit as part of your registration.

EVENT COPY SOME TIPS: • Make your copy short and sharp • Quotes require “quotation marks” • One exclamation mark is enough! • Use Australian English

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT NOT TO PUBLISH: • Copy that can incite racial, ethnic or homophobic hatred • Copy that encourages or constitutes a criminal offense • Copy that is detrimental or could cause damage to the Sydney Fringe • Explicit language. What the f*ck? These can be included but please note that given the Festival Guide is distributed to a broad audience, we will replace one character with a symbol.

FESTIVAL GUIDE SEPTEMBER 2016

29 EVENT IMAGE SOME TIPS: • Invest time in your image - images are the thing that will get you media attention • Less is more, don’t overcrowd the image • Make it bold and a standout • Don’t include too many people. Sometimes, images need to be printed smaller and can look crowded • Don’t include ANY text on your image. The event name will appear separately. • Ensure you images are High Resolution

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT NOT TO PUBLISH: • Images that have text on them • Images that could cause damage to The Sydney Fringe • Explicit or Pornographic images • Images designed to cause offense or that could incite racial, homophobic, ethnic or gender hatred.

30 TICKETING & SETTLEMENT

31 FEES AND CHARGES

WHAT DO YOU (THE ARTIST) PAY? WHAT FEES DO CUSTOMERS PAY? ARTIST INSIDE CHARGE CUSTOMER BOOKING FEE Sydney Fringe does not charge any inside All tickets Sydney Fringe sells through charges to registered artists for ticketing sydneyfringe.com and at Sydney Fringe services. However this year, in service of our managed venues are subject to a $4 customer Audiences, the advertised ticket price will booking fee. These fees are payable by the include the customer booking fee. customer at the point of sale, but the booking In 2018 our audiences told us that including fee should be included in your advertised price. fees in advertised prices was their main priority Our audiences have told us that including fees for improving the booking system – they’re in advertised prices is their main request for happy to pay the fee, but they don’t want to improving the booking system – they’re happy do maths!! to pay the fee, but they don’t want to do maths!!

BREAKING IT DOWN TO ACCURATELY SET YOUR TICKET PRICE

The Customer Booking Fee should be passed on to the customer and not incurred by you! Making art can be expensive and audiences appreciate this. Using an average of 30% capacity houses over your season is a good guide when working out what box office you need to recoup in order to break even with your projected income. The average ticket prices at the 2019 Sydney Fringe Festival were around $24 Adult and $18 Concession before fees, with events ranging from FREE to $65 a ticket. Usually Group and Preview ticket prices are similar to Concession tickets (there’s more info on budgeting later in the handbook). The price you advertise on your flyer and poster should be the same one you advise us of – the price that we print in the Fringe Guide and put on the website. As most Sydney Fringe artists are not registered for GST, the Sydney Fringe will need to retain this amount to pay to the government on your behalf. Also remember that the government and banks charge GST and Credit Card fees as percentages. This can make for messy ticket prices, so we recommend rounding up, which has the added bonus that you make a few cents extra per ticket! Ticket price is entirely up to you, but if you’re wondering what to charge below are some recommendations, and a breakdown of what you will actually receive per ticket.

See table on the next page.

32 TICKET PRICE BREAK DOWN

YOUR PRICE + GST + CUSTOMER INCOME ADVERTISED + CREDIT FINAL PRICE TICKET FEE REQUIRED PRICE CARD FEE

What you +10% +$4 What you THE PRICE +2% WHAT THE need to make charge inc. IN THE CUSTOMER in the end fees GUIDE PAYS

AN EXAMPLE OF A BIGGER MORE EXPENSIVE SHOW: You need to make at least $25/ticket on average. Go a couple of dollars over for Full Price and a couple of dollars Under for Concession.

Full: + $2.80 + $4.00 $ 34.80 $35 + $0.70 $ 35.70 $28 Concession: + $2.20 + $4.00 $ 26.20 $27 + $0.54 $ 27.54 $22

AN EXAMPLE OF A SMALLER SHOW: You need at least $20/ticket on average. Go a couple of dollars over for Full Price and a couple of dollars Under for Concession.

Full: + $2.30 + $4.00 $ 29.30 $30 + $0.60 $ 30.60 $23 Concession: + $1.70 + $4.00 $ 22.70 $23 + $0.46 $ 23.46 $17 NB: If you are not registered for GST, your settlement (ie. what you received for ticketing income) will be GST exclusive.

PRICE CATEGORIES The Sydney Fringe has set the ticket categories that you will be able to select when inputting ticket prices in the registration system. Please note that your event does not need to include all price categories.

PREVIEW CONCESSION Discounted tickets for any sessions prior to the Priced lower than a standard adult ticket, and official opening of your season. Ticket price applicable for holders of concession cards should be set lower than the normal adult (pensioner, senior, student, unemployed). ticket and be the only price available for the performance. ALL If you are only charging one price for all ADULT tickets. It should be the only price you add. A standard ticket price category that should be applied to all sessions except previews. GROUPS 6+ A discount for groups booking more than 6 CHILD tickets, set lower than an adult ticket price. For children 12 years and under who will Tickets must be purchased in one transaction occupy a seat. Children 2 years and under are for discount to apply. free on lap.

33 COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS TICKETING DATES You book and manage your own comp tickets. 15th July - Some Feature Events on early- Each show will be given a unique discount release sale to the general public, and exclusive code that will allow you to reduce the price presales to Fringe Partners. to $0 on up to 10% of your season capacity 1st August – All shows, all tickets on sale to the through the Sydney Fringe Buy Tickets page. general public. Comps over 10% of your capacity must be requested from Box Office Staff at least 3 days SALES AND DOOR LISTS in advance of the session. Producers will have access to sales reports and door lists from 1 August 2019 when ticketing MULTI-SHOW DISCOUNTS goes live. In 2019 we started trialling some multi- show discounts and in 2021 we will offer GST our audiences a chance to save by seeing If you are not registered for GST, your multiple shows, and you the chance to reach Settlement will be GST exclusive. a new audience by being part of multi show discounts, across all hub venues. SETTLEMENT The multi-show discount will be 15% off all Settlement of your ticket sales should be shows in one Hub when 3 or more events are completed within four weeks of your last purchased in 1 transaction. Evidence from session/performance, provided that all required 2019 suggests that this really does encourage documents and information have been audiences to see more, and see more work provided. This includes: they had never heard of – they know about • Your end of season artist survey (this one or two shows, and then take a punt on the document is incredibly important for our final shows to reach discount capacity, and advocacy work and reporting. It doesn’t everybody wins! take long!) In 2021 all major managed venue Hubs will • A written record of Door Sales for your have mandatory opt-in for this Multi-Discount performance/s (This does not apply to deal as part of your venue hire contract, so Producers performing in Sydney Fringe please factor this in when setting ticket prices. Managed Venues). • A valid and active ABN or a Statement by a Supplier, your GST status, bank account number, name and BSB. These details should be provided during registration.

34 SETTLEMENT PROCESS STEPS INTERNATIONAL PRODUCERS PERFORMING IN AUSTRALIA Once all sessions / performances are completed: International Producers must be aware of the taxation requirements and laws for performing and earning income in countries where they 1. Artists to complete the ‘door sales’ survey are not citizens. The Sydney Fringe reserves and the Post Festival Artist Survey, which the right to withhold or deduct tax from the you will have received by e-mail.2. Sydney Settlement of international producers, in Fringe prepare a detailed Settlement accordance with Australian taxation legislation

and international tax agreements. 2. Statement showing the total ticket sales less customer booking fee and any other During the Registration process, you will be applicable charges. required to answer questions relating to your Country of Residence and whether you are 3. Sydney Fringe emails the Settlement carrying on a business in Australia – this will Statement to the Producer, which includes impact the manner in which The Sydney Fringe the total amount owing/payable. Note. If applies tax to your Settlement. the Producer has an amount payable to the Sydney Fringe, an invoice will be issued to We strongly advise that you seek advice on the Producer. this as early as possible, so that there are no delays in Settlement. 4. Producer to review the settlement statement and advise Sydney Fringe within the Sydney Fringe will charge a fee of $30.00 per nominated timeframe if any changes are transaction to transfer/make payments into a required. foreign bank account. 5. Sydney Fringe will deposit the settlement funds into the bank account nominated during the registration process.

NB: Payments are made by the Sydney Fringe periodically. Failure to produce any outstanding documentation by 30th November 2021 will result in the Producer forfeiting their ticket revenue.

35 THE BUSINESS OF SHOW

36 PRODUCING YOUR EVENT

It’s called Show Business for a reason. We know you’re all amazing at the ‘Show’ bit– that’s why you’re here – but it’s important to remember the 50% (or more) of creating an arts event that is ‘Business’. Marketing and Budgeting tips are further down in their specific sections.

On the next three pages you’ll find a handy producer checklist in three phases with some tips. Keep a digital copy or a hardcopy handy throughout your project to make sure you don’t miss any major tasks – and feel free to keep it on file for future shows, at Fringe or elsewhere!

37 PRODUCER CHECKLIST - GETTING STARTED:

BUILD A BUDGET DETERMINE TICKET PRICES Be realistic – get quotes where possible and Don’t undercut yourself – audiences know remember that there are always last-minute that making art is expensive. Remember to account for the customer ticketing fee and extra costs. If in doubt, over-estimate. GST in your advertised price.

BUILD A TEAM CONFIRM TICKETING PROVIDER Think about what roles your show requires. For your fringe show you can tick this one If you have even the simplest lighting off straight away – Fringe is your ticketing beyond the built-in fluros someone needs provider and will manage all presales! to have responsibility for this. What roles can you realistically amalgamate and which ones require special skills or a lot of time? SET UP ANY TICKETING CODES For your fringe show we’ll issue you with FIND A VENUE a producer comp code, which you can use to book up to 10% of your season For your Fringe show we’re here to help - if as complimentary tickets. If you want to you don’t have a venue confirmed our staff add discount codes you’ll need to e-mail will be in touch to help you find one! [email protected]

SIGN VENUE AGREEMENT WRITE YOUR MEDIA RELEASE For your Fringe show, if you’re in a managed venue we’ll issue you a MAP OUT YOUR MARKETING PLAN comprehensive Managed Venue Licence Agreement. If you’ve found your own venue or we link you up with a satellite venue MAP OUT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA make sure you get an official document STRATEGY confirming all costs, times, dates and equipment provided by the venue. DESIGN FLYER AND POSTER

PAY VENUE DEPOSIT AND/OR GET YOUR PUBLIC LIABILITY REGISTRATION SORTED OR UPDATED

BOOK PHOTOGRAPHER COMPLETE YOUR RISK ASSESSMENT If you can’t afford a professional photographer think who among your team Most venues, and all Fringe managed venues and friends has the design eye to take some will require you to fill our a risk assessment. great images for you. These can be a little confusing if you haven’t done it before, but there are plenty of tutorials SELECT A KICK ARSE IMAGE online. One good one is here: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=thDrGy7rgnQ Your ‘hero’ image (the one you use for the Festival Guide, Webpage and any posters DEVELOP A TICKET SALES and Flyers) should be one consistent image, STRATEGY and it’s the first selling point of your show – make sure it’s good! CONFIRM ONEMUSIC (FORMER WRITE YOUR BLURB APRA/AMCOS) OBLIGATIONS Remember to keep it short, sharp and exciting. You might want a few versions – 40 words, 100 words and 200 words are a good start.

38 PRODUCER CHECKLIST - GETTING READY TO OPEN: BOOK IN A TRIAL SHOW WORK OUT A FLYERING STRATEGY For your Fringe show you might have a AND BOOK IN A FLYERING TEAM preview, if not, can you invite a few friends Flyering is massive in some other cities, but to your rehearsal space to see a run before Sydnesiders hate it. Cross this one off your your tech rehearsal? list for Sydney Fringe, but come back to it if you tour – especially to the ‘big’ Fringes in BOOK IN A DIRECTOR/ Edinburgh and Adelaide. OUTSIDE EYE Your show might be led by a director, if not, TRACK YOUR TICKET SALES it’s always useful to get an outside eye in – REGISTER FOR ANY RELEVANT sometimes you’re so close to the show that AWARD APPLICATIONS you can’t see something blindingly obvious to an outsider. An outside eye should be At Fringe you will have opted in for awards someone who understand what you are during registration. trying to do, knows a bit about the artform, and who respects and likes your work and WORK OUT A GIVEAWAY STRATEGY your team. Giveaways in arts media publications and

through aligned companies and venues BOOK IN TECHNICAL REHEARSAL are a great marketing strategy – and best If you’re in a Fringe Managed Venue, your of all they’re usually free! While they don’t technical time will be set, and will be in your guarantee new sales, they raise awareness venue hire contract. of your event. Even those who don’t win will have the show on their mind and be more CONFIRM TECHNICAL likely to come. Remember to follow up with un-successful entrants and encourage them to

SPECIFICATIONS pay, or maybe offer them a discount code.

If you’re in a Fringe managed venue, Fringe will provide these by July 1st. BOOK IN VIDEO/PHOTO DOCUMENTATION SEND OUT MEDIA RELEASES This is particularly important if you want your show to have a life beyond its first season. If INVITE REVIEWERS TO YOUR you can’t afford a professional photographer MEDIA NIGHT or videographer think who among your team and friends has the design eye to take some great images for you.

MAP OUT YOUR FIRST THREE CONTINUE TO MANAGE AND NIGHTS WITH PAPERING AND/OR UPDATE YOUR BUDGET WEEKLY GIVEAWAYS

In a short run you may not need to do this, DOUBLE CHECK ALL DEADLINE FOR but it’s always good to have a few friends on hand to come along to a quiet second FESTIVAL/VENUE REQUIREMENTS show, or some giveaways you can run early For your fringe show The Key Dates page at in the season – word of mouth is your best the top of this guide is a good cheat sheet! marketing tool, but it only works if a few people have seen the show to begin with! PRE SCHEDULE SOCIAL MEDIA

Scheduling your social media is a great way to BOOK IN REHEARSALS make sure you’re getting traction in the vital weeks leading up to opening, while reducing work load at the busiest time.

39 PRODUCER CHECKLIST - GETTING IT ALL WRAPPED UP COLLECT ALL REVIEW AND PRESS OBTAIN YOUR CUSTOMER CLIPS INFORMATION FROM YOUR Make sure to compile your press – it’ll come TICKETING PROVIDER in handy for any future seasons or new shows you want to publicise, and for grant SEND OUT ANY THANK YOU NOTES applications and the like. TO YOUR TEAM AND SUPPORTERS

CONFIRM YOUR FINAL BOX FOLLOW UP ANY LEADS YOU HAVE OFFICE FIGURES MADE DURING THE FESTIVAL OR Make sure to check these and confirm the SEASON records match. Quick follow up is important – both industry UPDATE AND CLOSE YOUR FINAL and new audiences will quickly forget why they were so excited about your work if they BUDGET don’t hear from you.

FINALISE ANY VENUE PAT YOURSELF ON BACK FOR A JOB SETTLEMENTS WELL DONE.

ENSURE ALL OUTSTANDING SLEEP! INVOICES ARE PAID

IF WORKING ON A PROFIT SHARE MODEL, PROVIDE A FINAL ACCOUNTS BREAKDOWN AND ANY PROFIT SPLIT TO YOUR ARTISTS

40 BUDGETING

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

Under taxation law, if you are earning an income from your event at Sydney Fringe, you are required to have an ABN and quote this on Tax invoices issued to the Sydney Fringe and your venue. Visit www.ato.gov.au for more information and don’t hesitate to contact our Artist Services Team to guide you in the 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 position. There are many different costs and revenue avenues that you should consider and these will significantly vary depending on the type of event, length of run, venue and the level of your experience. Below is a link to a preformatted budget template that provides a breakdown of most expenses you should consider, and is formated to automatically calculate totals and ticket prices for you.

You should also keep track of the amount of time and resources you are contributing ‘In Kind’ – in kind means that the good or service isn’t paid for with money but is essentially donated, and can include everything from your time, to items for set and costume, to rehearsal space, free marketing and on and on.

Please Note: In 2020 a breakdown of your ‘In Kind’ contribution will be required as part of your post festival artist survey. The Easiest way to complete this will be to print the budget template in this handbook (or use your own – with an In-Kind column), keep track using it, and upload a photo of it at the end of your season.

Please Click Here to download the template as a pre-formatted excel spreadsheet.

TIP: Baffled by budgeting? Attend our hands-on Fund It Masterclass, 15th April, held at Fringe Head Office, 5 Eliza Street Newtown.

41 HOT BUDGETING TIP:

IF YOU HAVE NO MONEY, YOU’RE GOING TO NEED PLENTY OF TIME. IF YOU HAVE NO TIME, YOU’RE GOING TO NEED PLENTY OF MONEY.

Producing your event is a complex process with many facets – you can learn to do every part of it, and no task is beyond the reach of a relatively savvy newcomer, however learning new skills and executing the range of tasks required takes time and emotional energy. Have a look at where your strengths lie and where you have blind spots, and then have a look at the financial resources you have available to you. Match the two up: spend money outsourcing the things that cause you stress or which will be too big a learning curve in the short term. Dedicate your time to achievable up-skilling and tasks where you know you can knock it out of the park.

VENUE FEES – The Fringe team will play an IN KIND – in kind means any good or service active part in matching events to the right that isn’t paid for with money but is essentially venue. It is essential to have a clearly defined donated, and can include everything from contract with your venue and to understand your time, to items for set and costume, to all the terms of that contract so that no rehearsal space, free marketing and on and on. unexpected expenses surface later on. If you’re applying for government funding they will require an annotation of the In Kind being Make sure you’re aware of all the fees your provided, and at the end of your season Fringe venue is charging. Sometimes venue hire is will also require an estimate of In Kind value for all-inclusive but many venues itemise the our advocacy and reporting. services you’re buying from them under different categories. For instance at Fringe All value ‘In Kind’ should be expressed in your Hubs we have four kinds of fees: Hire Fees, budget as an expense line AND an income Box Office Splits, Management Fees and line – think of it like this: paying someone to Technical Services Fees. These come in a range build your set would cost you $2000, but your of combinations and at a range of price points uncle is doing it for free. That’s an ‘expense’ of depending on the Hub, so check your contract $2000, and an ‘income’ of $2000 worth of free for the details. labour. SALARIES AND FEES – you might not be paying yourself or your artists Salaries or Fees, but your time and their time still has value! What are you worth? Minimum wage, surely (around $20/hour, super incl)? If you have a degree in a related field or more than five years experience, you’e probably ‘worth’ award wages (around $32/hour, Super incl).

It’s good for both your mental health and the health of the sector to quantify this time – if you’re not getting paid for it, it becomes value ‘In Kind’.

42 REHEARSAL VENUE HIRE - For many CONTINGENCY - It is important to budget independent groups and producers, budgeting for contingency as a buffer, should any for a rehearsal venue significantly impacts unexpected expenses arise. Generally speaking, the bottom line. With few rehearsal venues contingency is budgeted at 5 – 10% (10% is in Sydney and higher rates of hire, this cost recommended) of total expenses. could potentially take smaller companies into a financial loss. Think outside the box here. ONE MUSIC LICENSES AND PERFORMANCE Many indie shows are rehearsed in living rooms RIGHTS – If your event contains any content or unused residential spaces. Is there a local that was created by another artist, outside your business, say your local cafe, which you could team for another purpose, you probably need ask to rehearse in at night? to pay rights. This goes for everything from the entire script to small incidental pieces of music, PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE - It is a and AV content. Plays can be purchased from requirement of registration that all Fringe a range of rights proprietors who represent shows be covered for Public Liability Insurance the writers and their estates. Usually the published book contains the details of who the SYDNEY FRINGE GUIDE ADVERTISING - rights proprietor is. You should never register This is an optional expense that allows a performance of an existing script until you companies/groups to buy advertising space have acquired the performance rights. AV in the published Fringe Guide, 40,000 of content can be purchased from stock footage which are printed and distributed to potential providers, but most owned content – Clips audiences. All details for advertising options from film and video clips for example – isn’t can be found at sydneyfringe.com. This year available for licensing. If you use music that we are offering artists affordable prices to your team didn’t make, you will need to apply advertise in our guide to make your show for a license through One Music at https:// stand out during the Fringe. onemusic.com.au/ - One Music will then pass your license fee on to Beyoncé, Briggs or David PUBLICITY AND PUBLICISTS - For larger or Bowie’s estate. more established companies/artists, a Publicist is a very effective way of ‘outsourcing’ publicity and press to an expert. Many smaller arts organisations or those with short performance runs cannot afford these expenses. The Marketing section of this handbook should equip you with all the necessary skills and knowledge to tackle this task.

43 ESTIMATING TICKET REVENUE For many independent arts events, ticket revenue is the largest source of income. Accurately estimating ticketing revenue is important, to see if expenses will be covered or to see how much funding you will need to raise from other sources. As a general guide, here’s the basic maths on making sure your budget covers costs: Start by assuming your sales will be around 30%, that way if you sell out you’ll have some left over for ramen, and if you don’t you won’t take too much of a hit. If you’re going to spend $2400 on all elements of your show, and you have no other income stream your pricing matrix would look like this:

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

5 (E.G,) X 80 X 30% X $20 (E.G.) = $2400

Adjust the ticket price until your estimated income is the same as your estimated expenses (or more!)

Remember to take account of Fees when making your budget. So having arrived at this number add those on. (see page 22) If you look to the table in Ticketing & Fees section you’ll see that for this example you’d want to set your advertised ticket prices (including all fees) at around $30 Full Price and $23 Concession.

44 FUNDING AND RAISING MONEY

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

MERCHANDISE TIP: Want specific strategies for raising Merchandise could include the selling of your funding? Attend our ‘FUND IT’ Masterclass show programmes, clothing (T-Shirts etc.), with expert industry guests. CDs, DVDs, high quality photographs or other novelty items. Make sure to budget for the cost of producing your merchandise when estimating your merchandise profit margin. Also, ensure that you meet all intellectual property requirements - you should own all the design elements and content of your merchandise.

45 MARKETING AND PUBLICITY

46 STARTING WITH STRATEGY

50% ART, 50% SELL of your work or performance in the form of posters, flyers, photos, press For many independent arts companies and clippings, groups, limited resources and limited people- power means that most attention often goes • To garner and gather reviews, etc. toward producing the art or event itself, at PREPARATION the expense of a marketing and publicity It is crucial to create a marketing and publicity effort. For groups that don’t have the budget plan in advance – this will help push your event to employ a Publicist, the push to get the forward and create exposure to your intended work ready sometimes comes at a cost. The audience. Think about the following: most consistent feedback we have had from Fringe artists over the past few years is that • Target audience – Who are they and they felt that starting marketing and publicity how can you best reach them? Are there earlier would have significantly increased specific communities that you need to tap their audiences, and therefore their income. into that you can access by direct contact We strongly recommend that you start your or through less conventional channels? marketing effort well in advance of Fringe Make sure your audience isn’t too broad, as Month and that you dedicate equal time to the more specific, the more targeted you marketing your work as you do to creating it. can be. It is important to outline this from the start, as it will impact the look and feel MARKETING BASICS of all your marketing material, the type of venue, the time of your show and the cost Marketing is, basically, everything that you do of tickets, as an artist or company to place and create an interest with your potential audience, • Publicist – will you engage one or go it encouraging them to see your event. alone?

• What marketing material do you need? With 400+ shows Sydney Fringe, like any Promotional flyers and posters / digital or Fringe Festival world wide, does not have the print advertising / social posts? ability to provide extensive marketing support for each and every show. It is important that • What does your shows imagery look like? you create a marketing plan for August and Define your identity, as consistency is key. September in order to gather the audiences • Do you need to engage contractors to you want. A marketing strategy is key. make this imagery professional, attention • Why do I need to market? grabbing and depict your shows narrative? Graphic designer / Photographer – do you • To create knowledge, intrigue and need one? excitement about your event • Write your press release – see “Getting • To maximize the number of tickets sold others to talk about you” for all your • To raise the profile of your work, publicity tips and a press release template performance, artists, or company to get you started. • To form connections with like-minded • What media outlets, agency’s or peers and potential networks distribution businesses do you need to engage? What are their lead times and how • To place you as an artist in front of do these work into your timeline? potential partners and sponsors • What is your budget? Split your budget • To prepare you for future projects that between your different marketing channels you may have in mind – documentation [posters / fliers / paid advertising / social]

47

YOUR VISUAL IDENTITY MOVING IMAGE - To compliment your imagery, We cannot stress enough how important it is a show reel, teaser or behind the scenes to have great imagery and publicity photos. It footage is very useful for social platforms, for will be the best investment of your time and us as the festival promoter to push, as well as money. This imagery can be used across your press to pick up for digital articles. If you have marketing material and for press enquiries. the ability and the funds to produce video it Previous artists have had their images used can be a worthwhile investment. time and time again throughout the Fringe period, due to their eye-catching and striking CREDITING THE FESTIVAL images that have appealed to press and media You want people to know you’re an official publications giving them that extra publicity participant of the Sydney Fringe Festival, and for free. A clear, intriguing, professional image we want them to know it too. will sell your show better than anything. Make sure you have a strong image and logo that All artwork must contain the Sydney Fringe work together in several different types of Festival logo, with certain venues requiring collateral. See below for standard collateral specific logos from partners. These logo strips specifications. can be downloaded from the Sydney Fringe website, artist info page, from May 31st. When creating marketing collateral, keep in The billing required by your contract applies to mind what the purpose is. Different collateral all press releases and publicity materials. has a different purpose, and will be seen in different environments. • For all festival productions, we require the following format: POSTER - Make sure all the show information [your producing entity], as part of Sydney is included, as well as the Sydney Fringe Fringe 2021, presents [Your Show] website for tickets. Make sure the poster is eye catching, even when sitting amongst a wall of • Or, in cases where producer billing follows other posters. Keeping in mind that people the title, use the following: may not have time to read lots of text, so keeping the poster punchy and to the point is [Your show], produced by [your producing key. entity] as part of Sydney Fringe 2021,

FLYER - People will be picking it up and have • You must use our FULL NAME in official more opportunity to read, adding awards and billing – Sydney Fringe 2021 – on postcards, accolades or a short blurb about the show posters, etc. works well in this instance. An image that will sit with copy - Such as a Always include www.sydneyfringe.com as the press image or an image for the Sydney Fringe site for more information or for tickets. If you guide or website, keeping it clean of any have a separate web address for your show, words, and letting the image speak for you will please direct people to it from the Sydney be important. Fringe site rather than including it as the DIGITAL AD - Keeping the size of the ad in destination on your press release. mind, and keeping copy to a minimum, with a strong image, will be key, as these tend to be small. Keep in mind that the purpose of this ad is to make people click, with the ad most likely clicking through to the ticketing page of your show with detailed information.

48 STANDARD COLLATERAL SPECS MARKETING COPY / BLURB So, what’s a blurb? It is a short piece of copy FLYER that should encapsulate everything about your A5 / Postcard / DL event, and convince the reader to snap up 300 ppi those tickets. Creating a good blurb is one of jpeg/PDF the most important things in your advertising arsenal. Right after your artwork, the perfect POSTER blurb can mean the difference between a sale A4 / A3 / A2 and a pass. 300 ppi jpeg/PDF PEOPLE LOVE STORIES Make sure your blurb contains details about IMAGE FOR THE SYDNEY FRINGE FESTIVAL your story, even if it’s a thin one. Don’t just fill GUIDE your blurb with accolades, awards, stars, etc. 490w x 360h pxl Those are great but ensure that there’s a story 300 ppi that the reader finds compelling in your blurb. jpeg/pdf LET THE PEOPLE PICK YOUR WORDS FOR YOU DIGITAL HERO IMAGE FOR SYDNEY FRINGE WEBSITE Hear how other people describe your work, 1490 x 1060 pxl and then look for commonly used words. 96 ppi jpeg/png LOOK AT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE WRITING

DIGITAL GRAPHICS FOR SOCIAL Visit other festival sites or ticket sales websites and browse through the shows, reading each Minimum width 1080pxl x height may vary 72 – 150 ppi blurb. Notice what techniques are used. After jpeg/png reading ten blurbs, decide which shows of the ten you would want to see? Which shows do (note: This is the standard size for an instagram graphic, that will also be bigger enough for you not want to see? Why? facebook and other social platforms.)

DIGITAL ASSETS FOR OTHER PAID DIGITAL ADVERTISING These sizes may vary but the standard sizes are below: Half Page: 300w X 600h pxl Leaderboard: 728w X 90h pxl MREC: 300w X 250h pxl 96 ppi : >100kb jpeg/png nb// there will be opportunity for advertising for both the digital and printed guide as well as on the website specs and details tbc.

49 PHOTOGRAPHY

Come up with a creative, striking image that represents your show – think of something that will express your show’s identity and stand out. These shots will be used for marketing materials, on the Fringe website and in the Sydney Fringe Festival Guide

Energetic, strong and original images are a powerful tool. Strong imagery is also what will give your event much higher chances of press coverage. >> We strongly recommend that any available marketing budget first be dedicated to capturing that strong image that will sell your show

50 PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION ADVERTISING If you are thinking of distributing posters and If you have budget for extra activity, paid flyers on your own, do bear in mind there advertising in the right places can greatly are certain laws and regulations that you extend your shows reach. have to follow. It is ILLEGAL to put up street • There are paid advertising opportunities posters and distribute a large number of flyers in the Sydney Fringe guide, as well as on without a license. Therefore, make sure that our website. These sit outside the standard you respect other people’s property, receiving listings and will draw more attention to permission before you hang up your posters your show. Contact our marketing team or when you distribute your flyers on shop at [email protected] for more windows, cafes and clubs. Otherwise the owner information about these opportunities. will remove your posters from the wall/window. Posters and flyers cost money, as you know • Taking out ads in print publications such already, so when they are taken down, that’s as newspapers, and magazines, can be your money wasted. expensive, but if you are targeting the right audience, it can be budget well spent. The Sydney Fringe Festival has, in You can always hire a professional poster/flyer the past, partnered with certain print and distributor. There are a number of distributors digital publications, which has resulted in in Sydney who can do the job for a fee and reduced advertising rates for artists. Keep often, they can distribute in areas where a an eye on artist communications for these regular person can’t. Depending on the amount opportunities. of flyers and posters, as well as areas that need • Digital advertising is a very cost effective, to be covered, the fees will vary. So, make sure targeted and measurable way to advertise you do your research before proceeding. your show. This can be done through paid search campaigns with google adwords, contacting key websites that draw your target market, or putting money behind ads and boosting posts in social channels.

CROSS PROMOTION Cross promotion is one avenue that you should consider if you are sharing a venue with another act/event, or if you know other Fringe artists.

51 GETTING IT RIGHT ONLINE

The online realm is a big one, but when done PAID ADVERTISING ON SOCIAL right, can result in a significant increase Facebook (and instagram) has made It harder of reach for a lot less money. Making sure and harder for events and businesses to reach you chose your digital channels with your their audiences without monetary investment target audience in mind, and build a strategy in boosting posts or paid advertising. The that links all your platforms together, with key is engagement, if you create engaging consistent, regular and engaging content. content that people will like, comment on, SOCIAL MEDIA share or watch this will increase your organic reach to your community. Putting a bit of Social media has become a key player in the budget behind these posts can be a great online world, which is supported by a whole investment, and allows you to target the right range of statistics from last year’s festival. people. When creating facebook ads, make Since 2016 we have seen the number of people sure to follow all the guidelines to get the best who visit the website clicking through from a outcome for your investment. social media link, exponentially grow, it is the third most used route to our website behind direct and search engines, as well as people surveyed stating Facebook in the top three most important sources of information about the Fringe. Make sure you choose the right platforms for the amount of time you can invest, as well as thinking of your target audience. Facebook, >> instagram, twitter, snapchat, just to name a We ask artists to not name any Facebook few, all engage people differently. pages with ‘Sydney Fringe’ in their page title. This will be an essential part of the Make sure you like the Sydney Fringe Festival artist contract and failure to comply with page on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter this could result in the Fringe withdrawing [@sydneyfringe] and tag us as well at an event from the Festival program. #sydneyfringefestival2021 and #sydneyfringe when posting on all channels.

Facebook is one of the main platforms that sees results for shows across the board. Images and video rank the best of this platform, so keep them coming! Building a Facebook page and maintaining it is one of the best marketing strategies you can employ. It is something that empowers your artists and friends to help you promote your show. By creating a page instead of a group, your posts will be published in your fans’ mini-feeds, keeping you on their radar and hopefully attracting new fans.

Creating a Facebook event is also a great way to get information out to audiences, and providing reminders and updates of the shows details.

52 BLOGS EMAIL Starting your own blog is also another good You have an email list, and so does everyone idea to promote your show, assuming you that is associated with your show or who wants don’t have your own website already. Blogging it to succeed. Email them an e-flyer of your is a really easy way to get some current event, ask them to pass it on and spread the content up to inform your audience. Having a word. Send all your friends and families details connected dialogue with your audience is an of your show a few weeks before it opens, essential way to get them feeling involved with and another during the season. Ask them to your work. You want to be generating as much forward it onto their networks and you’ll be conversation about yourself and the Fringe as increasing your reach enormously. you can. Just be wary of too much shameless Start thinking about an email database that not self-promotion, make sure your content is only encompasses your friends but expands relevant. to include interested audience and industry These posts can be shared through social members - ask people to sign up to your media platforms, as well as helping your mailing list when they arrive at your show searchability in search engines such as google, yahoo and bing. YOUTUBE AND VIMEO

Moving image is a very effective way to FRINGE WEBSITE engage potential audience and to give them This is where it all starts. The Fringe website an impression of what to expect in the live receives hundreds of thousands of hits experiencing of your work. You can shoot short during the months of August and September. videos on your mobile phones these days, easy Everything we do will be about driving people unloadable to social media. Film behind the to www.sydneyfringe.com in order for them to scenes or even short segments of rehearsal or find out about our shows and to buy tickets. performance.

OTHER PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES When Sydney Fringe Festival launches in September, it shouldn’t mean your marketing efforts have come to an end. The Festival will be the most critical period for all your promotions. Make sure you are aware of what else is happening during The Fringe. Have your posters and flyers handy with you at all times, since you’ll never know when you’re going to need them, and above all else just keep spreading the word.

>> It is crucial that www.sydneyfringe.com be the central location for information about all shows so that we can most effectively cross-promote, helping all shows (and the event as a whole) to be a success. If you have an individual site for your show - great! – you still need to be directing people to www.sydneyfringe.com for tickets.

YOU MAY NOT DIRECT THE PUBLIC TO CONTACT YOURSELF OR ANY THIRD-PARTY AGENT FOR ADVANCE TICKETS.

53 GETTING OTHERS TO TALK ABOUT YOU

PUBLICITY THE SYDNEY FRINGE PUBLICIST Good publicity is an essential element in Sydney Fringe Festival has a Publicist organizing your event. Publicity, in simple dedicated to promoting the Festival as a words, means media coverage for your show. whole. Sometimes there are opportunities to It is a free flowing medium and it is important showcase some events through our Publicity to remember that this is not a form of free channels. The more proactive you are with advertising, because it cannot be paid for and providing us with a media release and you cannot totally control what media writes interesting stories/images, the more we can do about you. There are a few main reasons why to try assist in the promotion of your event. publicity should be harnessed: one, to recruit your specific target audience; and two, to gain profile and recognition for your artists MEDIA CONTACTS as well as organizers, sponsors, company; to Assign someone in your team to collate press send your message out to a wider audience contacts and to start to make approaches with that you may not be able to reach personally. your press release. Also have your team pool The media coverage that publicity brings is a their collective resources and industry lists and greater cache than advertising since it carries create a mailing/email/phone list of people third-party editorial endorsement. When done that you want to know about the show correctly and effectively, it will be able to increase the promotional efforts and level of awareness of your event. The mediums of publicity include newspapers, radio (mainstream and community), TV >> (mainstream and community), and the web. Please note; for privacy reasons The Sydney If you’re looking at print media, it could mean Fringe is not always able to share contact targeting daily newspapers (The SMH or the details for media contacts. Daily Telegraph, Sunday papers), community newspapers, monthly magazines (Time Out Sydney), Gay Press (such as Star Observer) or street press (such as Impress, The Music and Brag). Each publication has a different focus, so pick up a copy, get a sense of the house style and tailor your message to them. Remember, print needs strong images, so here is where your photos can help you. Offer them straight away – preview versions in low resolution first. Or they may want to send their own photographer, so have a photo idea or location prepared and ready to go.

Fringe can provide contact details for Fringe friendly publicists upon request.

54 WRITING A PRESS RELEASE

You’ll need to generate Press Releases in order You want to balance it so that it’s both exciting to create publicity. The purpose of these is to enough to ignite a journalist’s interest, without create an angle for media to generate a story. sounding too much like a completely self- Include positive press quotes, details of cast, promotional attempt. Writing for the media a synopsis of the show’s content, and any is different from writing any other marketing newsworthy details. Keep it simple, always be pieces. Cut most hyped adjectives (awesome, positive, play up any topicality and keep in fabulous), unless they’re positive statements mind the needs of the publication and your you can attribute to someone in the form of target audience. a quote. Also, get colleagues to proofread the release, and check it again yourself. Remember to include: The last thing you want is date and spelling

errors (especially of names), or any other • Who is involved? factual inaccuracies. Again, really think about • What the event is about? what makes your show unique, different and • Why should we be interested? newsworthy, and make that the focus of your • Where is it happening? media release. • When is it on?

• The Title of your Show Be mindful when contacting journalists that • The Name of the Company creating it some won’t have time to acknowledge your • Cast and Creatives release but may still be annoyed to have it sent • Dates, Times and Venue/s twice. Be polite. Be diplomatic. Keep in mind • Ticket prices and details for purchasing that journalists don’t know a thing about your tickets show, and may just not be interested, without a • Your Contact name and phone number strong angle. Remember this when contacting (for media) a journalist, and make sure they know what you • The Sydney Fringe logo feel is the newsworthy angle of what you’re doing. Be prepared to accept a ‘no’ with good Keep the press release to one page when grace. possible, and no more than two. When you exceed the one page maximum, insert the Still want some more details about Marketing word MORE at the bottom center of the first and Publicity? Attend our ‘SELL IT’ Masterclass, st page. Subsequent pages should be numbered Monday 1 June, Fringe Head Office, 5 Eliza and alongside the page number, indicate the Street Newtown. topic.

55 PRESS RELEASE TEMPLATE

For Immediate Release: [DATE RELEASE IS ISSUED]

[YOUR COMPANY NAME HERE] PRESENT “[YOUR SHOW TITLE HERE]” [MIGHT INCLUDE WRITTEN BY/DIRECTED BY, ETC.] PLAYS AS PART OF THE SYDNEY FRINGE 2016 DATES OF PERFORMANCES [THE RUN] OFFICIAL OPENING DATE: [IF APPLICABLE] THEATRE / VENUE NAME [STREET ADDRESS]

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 SCHEDULE. Tickets are $XX and can be purchased online at www.sydneyfringe.com. For more information, please visit www.sydneyfringe.com

Contact: [YOUR PRESS CONTACT NAME HERE] at [PHONE / EMAIL ADDRESS FOR PRESS CONTACTS]

56 THE BUSINESS SIDE

57 PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE COPYRIGHT AND ROYALTIES Sydney Fringe Festival requires all events to The Sydney Fringe Festival subscribes to take out Public Liability Insurance (PLI). This the principles of copyright and intellectual coverage protects you financially in the event property as they are outlined under Australian that an audience member is injured or third law. Copyright ensures that the owner of party property is damaged as a result of your the work is acknowledged as such and that negligence. Producers in Fringe managed any relevant fees for using the work are venues are required to submit a Public Liability paid. Fringe artists are obligated to obtain Certificate of Currency for $20 million to the written permission from the copyright ensure that Public Liability coverage is active. holders, owners or originators of a work and pay any relevant fees for the use of that work. Public Liability does not cover injury to The Sydney Fringe can provide artists with performers or to you and your property. These assistance in checking whether a work is are at your discretion to address and could protected under copyright. If a work does not include additional insurance being taken for have the rights to be performed, it will likely be contents, injury or worker’s compensation withdrawn from the Festival program.For more depending on your circumstances. information on copyright, visit the Australian As a general rule, the riskier the event is to Copyright Council: the public, the more expensive and difficult to http://www.copyright.org.au secure public liability insurance. It is important to consider the structure of your LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING / group/company when searching for affordable AGREEMENT public liability insurance (PLI). For example, A Letter of Understanding / Agreement, you may want to consider PLI for one project more formally called a Memorandum of where the insurance only covers the duration Understanding, is a useful and effective of your event. For performers or companies document that sets out the agreement/terms who work across the year, consider taking out of a relationship to avoid any misunderstanding annual public liability insurance either as a and to ensure that all parties agree on the group or individually. terms. Letters of Understanding ensure that Artist/producers in Fringe managed venues you have agreements in writing which are need to email copies of their certificates of signed and dated for accountability. Examples currency to where Letters of Understanding are useful [email protected] by the 1st July 2019. include: between producer and performers; between producers and designers; between members of groups creating a Fringe Event APRA / AMCOS and those financing one. Music has become a vital part of the A Letter of Understanding could cover issues performance landscape. APRA administers such as: the rights of songwriters, publishers and composers in Australia and New Zealand. If you • The parties the agreement is between are planning on using copyrighted music (pre- • Financial obligations recorded or live) in your Fringe event, you are • Reporting obligations required to obtain the appropriate license and • Time commitments expected pay any relevant fees. For more information • Confidentiality clause and resources on music copyright: • Who owns the copyright to a newly www.apra-amcos.com.au created work • Dispute resolution processes

58 WORKING WITH CHILDREN PERSONAL INJURY Groups working with children are required to Public Liability does not cover you or members have each of their members pass a working of your group for injury while performing. You with children clearance. Also, groups working may like to explore Personal Accident and with children are bound by industry legislation Injury Insurance. Discuss these options with regulating the pay, working conditions and your insurance provider. 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/ DISCLAIMER: The Sydney Fringe is not a

licensed insurance or financial advisor and ACCESSIBILITY therefore cannot give advice on specific The Sydney Fringe has committed to working insurance matters, policies or products. closely with Accessible Arts NSW to find You need to speak to a licensed insurance opportunities to improve accessibility over the provider and use the information on these coming years of Fringe festivals. pages as a guide only. Sydney Fringe will Although you may have little power over not be liable for any artists insurance issues changing your venue’s accessibility, there are directly or indirectly. many things you could consider to make your events/productions more accessible to a wider audience. The Fringe Guide to Accessibility SAFETY / WH+S will be available for download from the Fringe Website in late May 2016. For great genre- Artists and venue managers have a specific ideas and more information regarding responsibility to meet WHS and Building issues of accessibility, ensure you visit the Code/Safety standards. Artists in Fringe- Accessible Arts website: managed venues will be required to submit a http://www.aarts.net.au risk assessment as a condition of hire. These are due by the 15th July 2018 to artists@ sydneyfringe.com VOLUNTEER INSURANCE Volunteers are not covered under your SMOKING REGULATIONS Workers’ Compensation or your Public Liability In NSW it is not considered an offence to Insurance. Ensure that you discuss this with smoke during a performance where smoking is your insurance provider and perhaps ask deemed ‘necessary’. However, as with Victoria, your volunteers to sign a release form to WorkCover would prefer that real tobacco indicate that they are responsible for their own cigarettes were not used and encourage insurance. the use of an apparatus or prop to replicate smoking. No smoking will be permitted in any Fringe managed venue.

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@sydneyfringe sydneyfringefestival @sydneyfringe

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