The "Putting up your own work" Checklist
Alright divas, we have made it through the last week or at least I hope you have. Before I start with my next subject, I just want to thank everyone who took time out of their day to listen to me rant! I hope you learned something or found a tactic to help you cope with our insane lives. Okay, down to business. This week's subject is about putting up your own work. Do you have some songs, a show, a performance piece, a puppet show?? Wanna put it up so others can see? Don't know how? Look no further! Last year I put up my original immersive musical "Chrysalis" from the ground up, and now I will share with you all I learned from that controlled chaos in the form of a checklist. I am hoping this will provide you guys with a real functioning checklist that will allow you skip some of the mistakes I made while putting up my work. And away we go:
ASSEMBLE A CREATIVE TEAM AND CREW
◻ Gather an Avengers style team of performers that believes in your work as much as you do
-Find humans that you can rely on and that you love. The best part about putting up your own work is that you get to decide who you want to work with and who you want to share this journey with. Pick people that believe in you so much that they will work for you for free (at first you may not be able to pay your actors which believe me is frustrating, so you want people who love you and your work enough that money doesn't matter). My advice is to also pick people that not only show you and your work respect, but are professionals (I talked about this a lot in my last entry). I also specifically chose performers that I knew didn't need many rehearsals, could provide other services such as choreography, hair and makeup, and designing, and had their own network of people to reach out to.
◻ Find a group or organization that can help relieve the workload of putting up a project
- Putting up any kind of show is A LOT of work. That's a given, but having the right producing team or crew will make your journey less exhausting. While still in the writing phase of my show "Chrysalis" I was introduced to Gina Solebello of THE CREATORS COLLECTIVE by a dear friend. Though my show was unfinished, I pitched the show to her and her partners, Nasrene Haj and Haley Robinson, and they were immediately smitten. I knew they were the right fit for me. I could see the gears turning, and they already had ideas before they heard the material. I would HIGHLY recommend checking them out or submitting your work to them at http://www.thecreatorscollective.org. They helped me get free rehearsal and performance space, ran tech for me at the show, shared their network of contacts, provided me with a wide range of performance opportunities post the show itself, and helped me gather funding. I would also check out Brunch Theater Co. at https://brunchtheatre.co. They specialize in putting up new plays and musicals, and they also partner with local food trucks and restaurants to provide brunch at their performances. If you reach out to either of these organizations mention my name;).
FIND FUNDING
◻ Fundraisers
- To put up "Chrysalis" I did most of the funding myself. I put up a fundraiser in my home town which I would also highly recommend. I sang a few songs from the show, and even though I charged $5 at the door I left with twice that amount because people believed in my work and donated.
◻ Grants and Residencies
- Another great way to fund work is to apply for grants and residencies. A grant is a lump sum of money given to artists of merit. Usually these have conditions such as you must live in a specific area, the medium of your work, and there are a lot of grants for minorities in the arts. Residencies are where you will work with a specific location that allows/invites you to work exclusively out of their space. I will say however applying for these sorts of things are also a lot of work, there is a lot of competition, and I have yet to receive a grant or residency even though I had inside connections. There is a lot of money out there for artists though so here are 2 links with a list of various grants and residencies, as well as resources for art supplies and spaces:
⧐https://www.artworkarchive.com/blog/the-complete-guide-to-2018-artist-grants-and-opportunities ⧐https://www.americansforthearts.org/by-topic/funding-resources
◻ Group Funding
- I was also able to gather funding through group funding platforms. If you haven't heard of group funding you should check out Amanda Palmer's Ted talk called "The Art of Asking" (https://youtu.be/xMj_P_6H69g). Some of the group funding platforms I have experience with are Indie Go-Go, Patreon, and Go Fund Me. I personally used Indie Go-Go (Here is the link to my show's Indie Go-Go page: https://igg.me/at/KodilynnsChrysalis/x/16637770). I was able to raise almost $500 for my show. I am a huge fan of crowd funding, however, don't expect your friends and loved ones to support you all the time.
◻ Personally Fund your Project
- Finding funding is hard. If I am being honest, the majority of the money for my project was provided by me. I believe that if you want to put up your own work you have to invest in yourself before you can expect anyone else to. If you provide your own funding you have no pressure to perform. Meaning if your project doesn't go as planned the responsibility of it all falls on you not on the people that put their hard earned money into you or your project. If you're not ready then don't ask people for money. That is irresponsible and no one will want to fund you again. This ties into my last entry as well. Take this seriously, it's a job.
◻ Budget and Spend wisely
- I was able to cut my budget for my show from $5000 to a little under $1200 just from simple budgeting. I used recycled sets, costumes, and props for my show, and I cut almost $3000 from my budget because I was able to find people who could provide me with free rehearsal and performance space. Without that my project would still be in the developmental stage. I'm sure you've heard this, but this industry is all about who you know.
FIND SPACE
◻ Rentals
- There are so many spaces in NYC and all over the world to put up your work and if you have the budget to rent them, more power to ya! My personal favorite space in the city is The Center for Performance Research, but here is a link to a list of paid rental spaces in the city: https://www.peerspace.com/venues/new-york-city-metro-area--ny/performance-venue?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=generic&utm_team=pm&utm_content=sitelink&gclid=CjwKCAiAweXTBRAhEiwAmb3Xu-vffT2Boxe2zaLAjYEoRQ8OAP0a4s_lP-CfxXQSflkYImlvJoFGaRoCfpEQAvD_BwE
◻ Houses
- If you have a basement, roof, or giant apartment, why not do a really intimate show in your own home? It's free and the audience really gets a inside look into the artists involved. I would, however, only recommend doing small events and fundraisers in your own space for safety reasons. If you have any questions about this check out Zoey Michaels on Instagram. She regularly puts up interdisciplinary performances in her basement! I am actually performing at one with my band "Requiem for a Butterfly" on Feb 10!
◻ Free Space
- Though they are rare, there are spaces in the city that provide artist with free performance space. The Tank is a perfect example of this. You can check out The Tank at thetanknyc.org!
P.S Make sure your space is accessible to all people. Art is for everyone not just able bodied people. Here is a link to the ADA guidelines for performance spaces: https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/NEA-ADA-TipSheet-v2.pdf
MARKETING YOUR SHOW
◻ Establish your target audience
- Write down who you think you target audience for your show is. This will help you focus in on the exact marketing strategies you want to use. For example: Chrysalis's target audience is men and women between the ages of 17-35 that currently reside in the Brooklyn Area. More specifically Williamsburg, Bedstuy, Crown Heights, Bushwick, South Slope, and Greenpoint. We are targeting people with interests in the areas of the LGBTQ community, environmental awareness, modern religion, original music, diverse and youthful casts, as well as interdisciplinary performances. Once you know this you can begin to market to your piece's intended audience using the following platforms and tactics.
◻ Social Media
- I think that social media is the number 1 way to get people to come out to see your work. There are hundreds of platforms out there and it's actually really fun to promote and create marketing flyers, posts, events, and blurbs about your work. My favorite social media platform is Instagram. I think its clean, easy to use, and way more visual than all the other platforms, which is great for artists. You can also utilize the instagram story feature to inform fans on any recent developments in really unique and creative ways. I would also suggest promoting your work on other platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. You can also pay to promote your posts on most social media platforms to expand your audience beyond your network.
◻ Word of Mouth and Networking
- Another way to market your show and fill seats is to talk about it! Before the show went up I made eye-catching flyers and business cards to take with me everywhere from rehearsals for other shows, to my local bar, to my survival job. I got people excited and engaged because I was excited and engaged. Don't be afraid to talk to new and interesting people. It can't hurt and your expanding your network!
◻ Other Media (Newspapers and Radio ads)
- For my show specifically these platforms were not productive in reaching my target audience, but if you are marketing towards an older crowd, newspaper and radio ads are great tools!
DOING THE THING! (IT'S SHOWTIME FOLKS)
◻ Work out the kinks
- Don't let the audience see you struggle. Do the best you can to cover your tush before you get people in to see your work. Make sure you are well rehearsed and everyone involved in the project is on the same page before opening your doors. Make sure your performance space is clean and organized and put 100% of yourself into your work!
◻ Know when to step back and enjoy the ride
- You did all this work for a reason, so enjoy it. Nothing is ever perfect, but that's the beauty about art. Know when to put your OCD away and just go with the flow. Trust that you put in the hard work and let it pay off! Also be content with the turnout and be grateful for what you have been given.
◻ Thank your people
- There are so many people involved in putting up a show from the audience to the performers. So make sure that you properly thank and compensate your people. Send a personal email, picture, or post to all of those involved. After all you can't do it without them and every piece of art is a symbiotic and community driven effort!
BONUS TIP: If you want to make more money, sell alcohol at your events :)!
Okay. This is a lot of work and our industry is not for the faint of heart, but trust me, its totally worth it in the end! This checklist should help you get started and hopefully make the task of putting up a show or event less frightening! I hope you enjoyed!
If you would like to learn more about me and the people I work with you can check out my website at kodilynnmilburn.com or my instagram @kodilmilburn. If you liked this post keep an eye out for my next blog: Art and Mental Health. I put up a new blog every Wednesday!
ASSEMBLE A CREATIVE TEAM AND CREW
◻ Gather an Avengers style team of performers that believes in your work as much as you do
-Find humans that you can rely on and that you love. The best part about putting up your own work is that you get to decide who you want to work with and who you want to share this journey with. Pick people that believe in you so much that they will work for you for free (at first you may not be able to pay your actors which believe me is frustrating, so you want people who love you and your work enough that money doesn't matter). My advice is to also pick people that not only show you and your work respect, but are professionals (I talked about this a lot in my last entry). I also specifically chose performers that I knew didn't need many rehearsals, could provide other services such as choreography, hair and makeup, and designing, and had their own network of people to reach out to.
◻ Find a group or organization that can help relieve the workload of putting up a project
- Putting up any kind of show is A LOT of work. That's a given, but having the right producing team or crew will make your journey less exhausting. While still in the writing phase of my show "Chrysalis" I was introduced to Gina Solebello of THE CREATORS COLLECTIVE by a dear friend. Though my show was unfinished, I pitched the show to her and her partners, Nasrene Haj and Haley Robinson, and they were immediately smitten. I knew they were the right fit for me. I could see the gears turning, and they already had ideas before they heard the material. I would HIGHLY recommend checking them out or submitting your work to them at http://www.thecreatorscollective.org. They helped me get free rehearsal and performance space, ran tech for me at the show, shared their network of contacts, provided me with a wide range of performance opportunities post the show itself, and helped me gather funding. I would also check out Brunch Theater Co. at https://brunchtheatre.co. They specialize in putting up new plays and musicals, and they also partner with local food trucks and restaurants to provide brunch at their performances. If you reach out to either of these organizations mention my name;).
FIND FUNDING
◻ Fundraisers
- To put up "Chrysalis" I did most of the funding myself. I put up a fundraiser in my home town which I would also highly recommend. I sang a few songs from the show, and even though I charged $5 at the door I left with twice that amount because people believed in my work and donated.
◻ Grants and Residencies
- Another great way to fund work is to apply for grants and residencies. A grant is a lump sum of money given to artists of merit. Usually these have conditions such as you must live in a specific area, the medium of your work, and there are a lot of grants for minorities in the arts. Residencies are where you will work with a specific location that allows/invites you to work exclusively out of their space. I will say however applying for these sorts of things are also a lot of work, there is a lot of competition, and I have yet to receive a grant or residency even though I had inside connections. There is a lot of money out there for artists though so here are 2 links with a list of various grants and residencies, as well as resources for art supplies and spaces:
⧐https://www.artworkarchive.com/blog/the-complete-guide-to-2018-artist-grants-and-opportunities ⧐https://www.americansforthearts.org/by-topic/funding-resources
◻ Group Funding
- I was also able to gather funding through group funding platforms. If you haven't heard of group funding you should check out Amanda Palmer's Ted talk called "The Art of Asking" (https://youtu.be/xMj_P_6H69g). Some of the group funding platforms I have experience with are Indie Go-Go, Patreon, and Go Fund Me. I personally used Indie Go-Go (Here is the link to my show's Indie Go-Go page: https://igg.me/at/KodilynnsChrysalis/x/16637770). I was able to raise almost $500 for my show. I am a huge fan of crowd funding, however, don't expect your friends and loved ones to support you all the time.
◻ Personally Fund your Project
- Finding funding is hard. If I am being honest, the majority of the money for my project was provided by me. I believe that if you want to put up your own work you have to invest in yourself before you can expect anyone else to. If you provide your own funding you have no pressure to perform. Meaning if your project doesn't go as planned the responsibility of it all falls on you not on the people that put their hard earned money into you or your project. If you're not ready then don't ask people for money. That is irresponsible and no one will want to fund you again. This ties into my last entry as well. Take this seriously, it's a job.
◻ Budget and Spend wisely
- I was able to cut my budget for my show from $5000 to a little under $1200 just from simple budgeting. I used recycled sets, costumes, and props for my show, and I cut almost $3000 from my budget because I was able to find people who could provide me with free rehearsal and performance space. Without that my project would still be in the developmental stage. I'm sure you've heard this, but this industry is all about who you know.
FIND SPACE
◻ Rentals
- There are so many spaces in NYC and all over the world to put up your work and if you have the budget to rent them, more power to ya! My personal favorite space in the city is The Center for Performance Research, but here is a link to a list of paid rental spaces in the city: https://www.peerspace.com/venues/new-york-city-metro-area--ny/performance-venue?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=generic&utm_team=pm&utm_content=sitelink&gclid=CjwKCAiAweXTBRAhEiwAmb3Xu-vffT2Boxe2zaLAjYEoRQ8OAP0a4s_lP-CfxXQSflkYImlvJoFGaRoCfpEQAvD_BwE
◻ Houses
- If you have a basement, roof, or giant apartment, why not do a really intimate show in your own home? It's free and the audience really gets a inside look into the artists involved. I would, however, only recommend doing small events and fundraisers in your own space for safety reasons. If you have any questions about this check out Zoey Michaels on Instagram. She regularly puts up interdisciplinary performances in her basement! I am actually performing at one with my band "Requiem for a Butterfly" on Feb 10!
◻ Free Space
- Though they are rare, there are spaces in the city that provide artist with free performance space. The Tank is a perfect example of this. You can check out The Tank at thetanknyc.org!
P.S Make sure your space is accessible to all people. Art is for everyone not just able bodied people. Here is a link to the ADA guidelines for performance spaces: https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/NEA-ADA-TipSheet-v2.pdf
MARKETING YOUR SHOW
◻ Establish your target audience
- Write down who you think you target audience for your show is. This will help you focus in on the exact marketing strategies you want to use. For example: Chrysalis's target audience is men and women between the ages of 17-35 that currently reside in the Brooklyn Area. More specifically Williamsburg, Bedstuy, Crown Heights, Bushwick, South Slope, and Greenpoint. We are targeting people with interests in the areas of the LGBTQ community, environmental awareness, modern religion, original music, diverse and youthful casts, as well as interdisciplinary performances. Once you know this you can begin to market to your piece's intended audience using the following platforms and tactics.
◻ Social Media
- I think that social media is the number 1 way to get people to come out to see your work. There are hundreds of platforms out there and it's actually really fun to promote and create marketing flyers, posts, events, and blurbs about your work. My favorite social media platform is Instagram. I think its clean, easy to use, and way more visual than all the other platforms, which is great for artists. You can also utilize the instagram story feature to inform fans on any recent developments in really unique and creative ways. I would also suggest promoting your work on other platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. You can also pay to promote your posts on most social media platforms to expand your audience beyond your network.
◻ Word of Mouth and Networking
- Another way to market your show and fill seats is to talk about it! Before the show went up I made eye-catching flyers and business cards to take with me everywhere from rehearsals for other shows, to my local bar, to my survival job. I got people excited and engaged because I was excited and engaged. Don't be afraid to talk to new and interesting people. It can't hurt and your expanding your network!
◻ Other Media (Newspapers and Radio ads)
- For my show specifically these platforms were not productive in reaching my target audience, but if you are marketing towards an older crowd, newspaper and radio ads are great tools!
DOING THE THING! (IT'S SHOWTIME FOLKS)
◻ Work out the kinks
- Don't let the audience see you struggle. Do the best you can to cover your tush before you get people in to see your work. Make sure you are well rehearsed and everyone involved in the project is on the same page before opening your doors. Make sure your performance space is clean and organized and put 100% of yourself into your work!
◻ Know when to step back and enjoy the ride
- You did all this work for a reason, so enjoy it. Nothing is ever perfect, but that's the beauty about art. Know when to put your OCD away and just go with the flow. Trust that you put in the hard work and let it pay off! Also be content with the turnout and be grateful for what you have been given.
◻ Thank your people
- There are so many people involved in putting up a show from the audience to the performers. So make sure that you properly thank and compensate your people. Send a personal email, picture, or post to all of those involved. After all you can't do it without them and every piece of art is a symbiotic and community driven effort!
BONUS TIP: If you want to make more money, sell alcohol at your events :)!
Okay. This is a lot of work and our industry is not for the faint of heart, but trust me, its totally worth it in the end! This checklist should help you get started and hopefully make the task of putting up a show or event less frightening! I hope you enjoyed!
If you would like to learn more about me and the people I work with you can check out my website at kodilynnmilburn.com or my instagram @kodilmilburn. If you liked this post keep an eye out for my next blog: Art and Mental Health. I put up a new blog every Wednesday!
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