To follow are some basic tips to producing a successful event. We hope that following some or all of these guidelines will make the difference between a stressed-out performer in a noisy unsuitable site with no audience and happy relaxed shows to huge crowds, transforming the city or town.
Programming
We recommend, unless the street performance is part of a larger event, that a minimum of four acts are booked in any one day. This is in order to maximise the impact of their performances. A single performance can be a little lost in the average city or town centre. It is almost always more successful to concentrate your budget on one big day of entertainment rather than several small and barely noticed ones.
The Site
The perfect site for a street show has:
Enough room for a crowd to gather, preferably with some seating or café facilities in the area.
No traffic or distracting background noise (e.g. road works or huge fairground rides adjacent to the performance).
Plenty of people in the area so that the performer can build up an audience for the show.
Publicity
If your event is a free-open air event in a town or city we especially recommend advance publicity. Advance publicity can attract hundreds or even thousands to the area. No publicity can mean that an expensive show is performed to a handful of people who are a bit confused as to why this is happening in their town anyway.
If you require images of the artists you have booked, these can be downloaded from this website. You will need to call us for the password to access these photos. JPEG images can also be emailed on request.
We suggest that you:
Issue a press release accompanied with photographs to local press, radio and TV.
Print a full colour flyer or leaflet with some eye-catching photographic images. The print should detail exactly who is performing, what sort of show they do and the exact times and location of the performance.
Distribute the leaflets to as many schools and community groups/centres as possible in the area.
Provide large display stands, banners or A-boards on the site on the day, explaining what is happening.
Hand out leaflets on the day so that any passing audience will understand what is happening and who is putting the event on.
What the Act Will Need…
It is important that information is provided at least two weeks in advance of the event as this will give the acts plenty of time to look at their information and make any necessary advance preparations for the engagement. Always allow for the fact that first class post can take up to five days to arrive when sending any information by post.
- Good Directions
A full address and postcode of the venue. If an artist is driving into a city or town centre it could be useful to have a map with any one-way systems clearly marked.
- Times
Provide either exact start times you expect the artist to begin their performances or a time frame that you’d like them available during (maximum 4 hours).
- People
Clear instructions on who will be there to meet them on the day and a mobile contact number. They also need exact information on where the meeting point will be.
A steward who will be on site all day, so the act has somebody to call on in the event of any problems.
- Parking
Please provide parking facilities. Many acts have high top vans that will not fit into ordinary multi-storey car parks. If you are not able to provide free parking reserved for the acts, then do let us know in advance and we will help you to choose performers who travel by public transport or have less equipment and are prepared to find and pay for their own parking places.
Some performers need on-site vehicle access in order to unload equipment. At this point, they will also need help from the steward in order to provide security for equipment while they go off and park.
- Changing Facilities
Performers need a secure, warm, dry dressing room with table, chairs and a mirror. This is because many acts need a space in which to apply detailed make-up or go through warm-up exercises prior to the performance. Refreshments are always welcome here too.
A public toilet is never acceptable.
- Accommodation
If you are providing accommodation, please ensure that breakfast is included. For acts travelling by car it is essential that the hotel has plenty of secure parking facilities and for acts travelling by van this must not be a multi storey car park. If you are booking acts into a B&B, please check the facilities before booking accommodation as standards do vary hugely. Also, do bear in mind that the act may be coming from another engagement so may need to arrive very late at night.
We hope that all of the above is useful and do call us if you have any queries.