All posts tagged Idea Generation

Shoreditch Fringe 2012

By Araceli On January 31, 2012 In Blog With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Shoreditch Fringe 2012Permalink

We are excited to announce that  the guys at Idea Generation are putting the first fringe festival in East London. It is a great idea to bring together all of the diversity and richness of the area. They  will have over 100 leading cultural organisations and businesses – from Vice & Village Underground through to Hackney Empire & Hackney Council – have joined together in support of the development of a Shoreditch Fringe Festival for the Summer of 2012.

Inspired by the spirit of the pioneers of the original Edinburgh Fringe festivals, the aim for the Shoreditch Fringe is to have an impact beyond both the borough and 2012 – creating an enduring legacy to build audiences for arts & culture.

For programmers, the Shoreditch Fringe will provide a framework & platform from which to promote their events to audiences; fast-track applications to the council; and share ideas with other venues & promoters – with all registration fees being directed toward the marketing & support of the programme.

For audiences, the Shoreditch Fringe will provide a hub of easy-to-access information, ideas & tickets – enabling them to explore the beating cultural & creative heart of London.

The resulting programme will be an all-inclusive 100 day cultural festival (from the Queen’s Jubilee super-bank holiday weekend on 1st Jun through to the end of the Paralympic Games on 9th Sep), showcasing all that the creative heart of London has to offer during the Summer of 2012.Preparing For The Biggest Cultural Event In London’s History

“The idea for the Shoreditch Fringe came from a group of local galleries, bars & businesses” comments spokesperson Auro Foxtrot, “all of whom were independently developing their own ideas to engage and entertain the crowds that will be in town for the 2012 celebrations next summer.”

“Instead of working independently, the Fringe can enable us to work together. We hope to bring the entire community together, creating a focal point around which everyone can share ideas, co-programme and make some noise.

“For a small registration fee, we aim to provide more than fringe benefits – a mixture of support, advice, networking, marketing and publicity.

“Reflecting the DIY DNA of the borough, the Shoreditch Fringe will be open to any type of event from across the creative & cultural spectrum – visual art, music, comedy, cabaret, craft, literature, poetry, food, film, theatre, dance, digital, design and debate.

“And in keeping with the spirit of the spectrum of 2012 celebrations, this rich variety of events will cater for every type of audience – local and London-wide; national & international; children & adults; experimental & mainstream.”

Registration Now Open

“We put the idea of a fringe to a small network of local businesses a few weeks ago – and the response was one of unanimous & overwhelming interest & excitement; within a month have attracted over a 100 supporters already working together to develop their programmes.

“We’re now opening it up to the community at large to ensure that there is sufficient demand for the idea before aiming to press the green button in January.

“The network is now open – at www.yammer.com/shoreditchfringe – and all venues, programmers and artists interested in participating are encouraged to sign-up before December 23rd. Get involved now!”

More than Fringe Benefits

A not-for-profit venture, the Shoreditch Fringe aims to provide benefit the broadest possible number of groups over both the short & longer term:

For Venues & Programmers:

- High profile online platform from which to promote their venue – Marketing & PR campaign support – Direct advice & fast-track processing for applications from Hackney Council – Networking & introduction opportunities via online community & special events – Long term, deeper community ties

For Visitors to London:

- Clear information straight from the heart of London’s cultural hub – Ideas across the spectrum of arts & entertainment – Simple ticketing process & special offers – Additional ideas & suggestions to visit the rest of London & the UK – A more varied & enjoyable visit to London & the UK

For Creative Community:

- Audience development & marketing support – A case-study template for community programming – A platform for London-wide collective marketing – The development of a legacy nation-wide fringe database

Tips on Raising Sponsorship for Theatre and Dance

By Araceli Camargo-Kilpatrick On April 21, 2010 In Blog With No Comments Permanent Link to Tips on Raising Sponsorship for Theatre and DancePermalink

stage-w-chair

THECUBE hosted an amazing panel on the 19th of April in regards to creating a more viable form of funding for theatre and dance productions. Through out the years, these two industries have formed a habit of ‘begging’ for money and as the economy changes this tactic is becoming increasingly unsustainable. The solution? Sponsorship.

 

5 Reasons to look at Sponsorship as an option
1. Sponsorship forces producers to think of their project as brands, thus creating a stronger package for their audience.
2. Building a successful rapport with a sponsor could lead to larger bundles of funding rather than little bits at time.
3. Sponsorship gives the producer the liberty to create a production at a larger scale.
4. The inclusion of a sponsor can turn into an interesting collaboration, which has the potential to push the boundaries beyond the usual theatrical boundaries. For example the Such Tweet Sorrow a drama based on Romeo & Juliet, which is currently being tweeted by RSC and Mudark Production Company. According to Camilla from Idea Generation, it has received an amazing reception with press calls coming from China and Russia. This unlikely creative partnership has reached audiences not even thought of before, which is a win/ win for both sponsor and RSC.
5. It is a path that has not been exploited or exhausted, thus increasing the chances of funding.
10 Tips on how to acquire Sponsorship for Theatre and Dance
1. Research which brands are launching a new product or creating a new platform, as they will be in need of brand awareness.
2. Conduct detailed research on the brand that you are approaching, so you can understand how to create the best possible match. It is a matter of speaking their language and understanding their needs.
3. Tailor each proposal to the specific brand, do not send generic information.
4. Be prepared for the long haul, there are no short cuts and some may take up to 18 months to secure.
5. Build a rapport with several potential sponsors, start with a phone call or email.
6. Create a soft prototype of your projects, a video illustrating your vision or showcase an excerpt of the full performance, this will allow the sponsor to clearly vision their brand in correlation with the project.
7. Be specific about Return on Investment, both in monetary and brand terms. In other words how will their brand benefit and how many people it could reach?
8. Make the proposal about them, how will their brand benefit, how will they reach a new audience, essentially you want them to see your production as a means to their ends.
9. Be creative; find a way into the brand by offering something innovative and unique.
10. Make sure you have a strong brand, which will be able to offer an interesting, strong, and compatible partnership with the sponsor.

Special Thanks to our Partner Stellar Newtork and to the panel Idea Generation, Imagination, Royal Court Theatre, and Rambert Dance.