Performing arts programming is
something I have a real fascination with. When I studied for my
Masters degree at Northumbria University I wrote my dissertation on
influences and issues in theatre programming in the UK. Since then
I've spent five years working in the Programming unit of a large
performing arts centre, and during that time I did a lot of work on
programming strategy.
We were constantly juggling multiple
and often conflicting priorities, and one of the constant challenges
was balancing the financial and attendance targets with artistic
aspirations. In fact it's a constant reality for most arts
organisations!
In order to make well-informed
programming decisions you need to have a good understanding of these
kinds of issues (in no particular order):
- Your revenue and expenditure budgets
- Venue usage and attendance targets
- Artistic aspirations (including content for specific programs)
- Business plan objectives and internal policies
- Staff capabilities and workload
- Your relationships and historical agreements with presenters
- Your current and future audience demographics
- Who the competition are and what they are doing
In my experience, if you don't consider
all of these issues, decisions can end up being flawed, sometimes
with disappointing results. Even more unnerving, is sometimes you can
take all of these things into account, and something else goes wrong!
It just shows what a complex challenge it is to get it right.
Click the link to have a look at the
program currently on offer at Arts Centre Melbourne.
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