Accomodation

Sometimes, when the artist or artist's agent and the presenter negotiate the artist's fee, the artist can ask the presenter to include hotel rooms over and above the fee. This practice is not very common in Quebec, except in remote areas where it may be a determining factor for the artist to participate, and will only do so  if the presenter helps with transportation and accommodation. The presenter often has agreements with area hotels and can add rooms to the contract. Otherwise, he will negotiate with the artist so that this addition to the contract does not put a strain on the budget. 

Transportation

For artists travelling by land, the presenter may cover local transportation without it becoming too costly.  He can also pick up the artist free of charge at the station or the hotel and take him or her to the performance venue.

However, the situation is entirely different when it involves transportation for artists from abroad, whether they are from the United States or from another continent. Everything must be negotiated in advance, and a cost estimate from the presenter is preferred. When an artist travels by air, the transportation of material and the number of artists travelling must be planned. This could mean renting a minibus or two, hiring a driver for the return trip to the airport and arranging local transportation from the theatre to the hotel.  It is a good idea to have someone on staff from the auditorium who has the necessary licences to pick up artists at the airport. The connection with the auditorium is made as things progress.

Hospitality

Food and Beverages 

Pre-show meals

 Riders for popular music artists often contain a request from the artist  that a meal be offered three or four hours before the show.  The presenter often does not have a caterer readily available or the resources on site to serve a meal. A growing trend is for artists to accept a buy out for the number of artists received ($20 per artist for example). This makes it easier for the presenter, who can then recommend a neighbourhood restaurant where the artist can dine or one that offers delivery.

Refreshments

Most artists specify some hospitality requirements in a rider to their contract – for example, fresh fruit and beverages to be made available backstage.  If the quantities are unclear, consider the needs of the travelling crew as well as the artist.  Do not necessarily limit refreshments to what the artist has asked for: most artists will keep their requests to the minimum but would certainly appreciate a variety of food and beverages.  If  you go beyond the rider, however, check in advance regarding specific food requirements (e.g., vegetarianism or diabetes).  Also, if an artist has an issue with alcoholic beverages, the cooler of beer you normally deliver to your local crew at the end of the show should be deferred.

Lunch

If the set-up for the show takes a full day, the artist may request you to provide a mid-day meal for the crew. In that case, be sure to plan for local as well as traveling crew members.

Post-show Reception

Few artists eat a large meal before a performance, so if you have invited the artists to a post-show reception, be conscious of the fact that they probably have not had any dinner. Check to see if they would prefer a sandwich tray or other more hearty fare after the performance and make sure that you do not keep them at the reception so late that they will be unable to find a restaurant still open for dinner.

Volunteers

To carry out his or her presentation mandate, the presenter can use two types of volunteer. There are administrative volunteers who site on a board of directors or on a programming committee. There are also operational volunteers who carry out various duties for the presenter in staging the show. For example, this could include distributing promotional material, greeting the audience, taking tickets at the entrance to the auditorium, putting inserts in the evening programmes, handing out programmes at the entrance, helping persons with a mobility impairment, seniors, etc. The support of volunteers can be very important for an organization that does not have many human resources. Volunteers can help with the various tasks that the presenter does not have enough time to carry out.  Using volunteers can also boost the image of the presenter in the community because this shows the involvement of community members in the presentation organization.

For more on volunteer recruitment, training, etc. go to http://www.govolunteer.ca/select.html