On the Road - Presenters Handbook

LET’S GET STARTED!

Presenters work in many environments.  Many of them are entirely volunteer operations with no paid staff. Some are bookstore owners, restaurateurs, or coffee shop operators who bring live performances to their business.  Some work in civic facilities, running a venue that hosts local arts organizations as well as presenting performers from across Canada and around the world.  Some work in a university environment.  Some are festivals, presenting a lot of work in a short period of time. Some are artists themselves, seeking to create performance opportunities for others in their discipline. 

There is a significant challenge in presenting live performing arts events that stems from their very nature: they are LIVE.  Unlike a book or a cd (or a bar of soap in your grocery store), the “product” doesn’t sit on a shelf until it is convenient for your customer to buy it.  There are lots of things that get in the way of attending our events, even among our best-intentioned citizens. They could be deterred by cold, snow, sleet or rain.  They could be tired from a sleepless night or a hard day at work.  Or, they could be scheduled into another activity (like chauffeur service for their child’s sports or lessons).  For many presenters, however, the risk is part of the attraction!

The reasons for presenting are many and varied. 

What is your reason?  Will your program address a particular need or fill a void in your community?  Are you hoping to attract a wide range of people? Does your organization have a specific constituency for culturally relevant programming?  Are you inspired by personal interest in a particular art form?   Are you a parent who wants to ensure that the children in your community have access to the arts?  Are you an artist who would like to expose your audience to a wider range of work or to inspire and teach your performers through exposure to the work of other artists? 

So, before you ask yourself which artists you would like to present, spend a little bit of time thinking about “why”.  

 Accès Asie: How It Came To Be

The Asian Heritage Festival was formed in response to a need for a stronger Asian presence in the Canadian cultural climate.  And, as a third-generation Chinese-Canadian, I felt inspired to take a role in revealing our hidden talents.
Janet Lumb, Festival Accès Asie
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Step 1 – Ask the right questions.

Here are some questions you might like to ponder as you begin to develop your presenting program. Begin developing your presentation by answering that fundamental question – Why present? Not all of the questions will be relevant to you, but they will generally help you to articulate your programming objectives and the impact you wish to create.

 Why Present?

I was about 10 years old when my parents carted us four kids to see a free B.B. King concert at the Forum at Ontario Place…. I always felt a connection with the blues.…
Elaine Bomberry, Rez Bluez Productions, Rez Bluez TV Inc.
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 Spoken Word from a Host's Perspective

One of the events I am currently producing is “The Red School House Poetry Primer”.… Sometimes there are 40 people, sometimes 200 people squashed into the venue.  However many, they are…all attentive and truly appreciative of the work, craft and presentation from the poet.
Jill Battson, Poet and Artistic Director of the PoetBureau
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Step 2 – Investigate the environment. 

It’s also a good idea to learn about the performing arts landscape in your general area.  Are there other groups presenting arts and entertainment events?  Are there amateur groups, such as theatre troupes or community choirs or orchestras that perform regularly?  Ideally, you will be consulting with these other arts and entertainment providers so that your programs complement each other.

Step 3 – Experiment and learn.

Many presenters began by presenting a single event and then got “hooked” on the challenges of putting it together, the thrill of meeting interesting artists and the rewards of making a difference in their community.  If you are jumping into presenting for the first time, you may want to consider undertaking one or two events before taking on a whole year’s activities.  That way, you’ll have a chance to try things out and learn about all the different aspects.

Learning by doing
Every presenter has “war stories” about the show that went awry. The best advice for any novice presenter is this –  do not to be afraid to make mistakes.  Not every show will go perfectly, but each will contribute to your organizational knowledge and to the cultural legacy of your community. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Other presenters in your community, in your province and around the country will have the knowledge and experience to advise you.  Just pick up the phone and ask for help.