| ||||
Taking it further
Introduction
You’ve got a creative and enthusiastic youth theatre group meeting on a regular basis. Sooner or later there’s going to be a desire to take it a stage further, to expand the horizons, to be more ambitious. Then you’re going to want to tell the world about it too. This section looks at the basics behind successful fundraising, marketing and PR for your youth theatre.
Fundraising for youth theatres
This guide to raising funds has been devised by Julie Tait, a past Director of NAYT who now works as a freelance arts and management consultant. It is not comprehensive but is intended as a starting point for youth theatre fundraisers. In particular, many of the websites mentioned have links which will repay further exploration.
Introduction Fundraising can seem daunting and something which only other people know how In practice there is no great mystery as long as you understand something about the planning systems of funders, follow some simple rules and are confident that you have a good product’ (your youth theatre or your latest project) which offers clear community and public benefits.
Successful fundraising relies on research, targeting, ‘cultivation’ and the suitable presentation of your work.
This formula applies whether you are approaching the arts funding system, local authorities, trusts and foundations, the corporate sector or other funders. Success also relies upon persistence in the face of rejections. Plus it requires a strong commitment to take care of funders and supporters once they are firmly on board.
Human resources are essential to successful fundraising. One person should take responsibility for this area of work, either a paid member of staff or a volunteer, and be prepared to follow it through. All involved in your youth theatre and the delivery of the specific project should be involved at the planning stage and so understand the strategy.
The arts funding system For more help, ideas and information about support for youth theatre try Arts Council England itself. It has a role to develop, sustain and promote the arts in England. The Arts Council aims to increase both access to, and participation in the arts. It also has a Social and Economic Contexts Team which is charged with leading with strategic developments on the whole area of social inclusion.
Sources of arts funding worth exploring now Currently there is some serious money available to support exactly the kind of work being done every week by youth theatre organisations. Some of the major schemes that are worth exploring include the following:
‘Grants for the Arts’ - for individuals, organisations and national touring. This scheme from Arts council England applies specifically to organisations “who use the arts as part of their work.” The grants phone line is 0845 300 6100.
The National Foundation for Youth Music was set up in 1999 with £30 million of Lottery funding, through the Arts Council of England (as it was then known). The work of Youth Music was endorsed in 2001 by a further £30 million, enabling them to continue up to 2005. Youth Music provides music-making opportunities for children and young people, up to the age of 18, who mainly live in areas of social and economic need. They are keen to support music-making activities in all kinds of settings including youth theatres, and funding is principally targeted towards activities in out of school hours. They are particularly keen to help isolated communities as well as children with special educational needs. Visit Youth Music to find out more about the wide range of funding programmes.
Creative Partnerships is an Arts Council England initiative, supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), which is designed to create new ways of including young people of school age in the cultural life of their communities. £40 million (a figure that looks likely to double very soon) has been awarded for a two-year pilot programme to run from April 2002 to March 2004 in 1 6 locations across the country, linked to deprivation indices. Each Creative Partnership will link 1 5-25 schools (and the related informal providers of youth arts activities such as youth theatres) with arts and cultural organisations and artists. The programme aims to ensure that all young people in each partnership have ongoing opportunities to enhance their arts and cultural education both inside and outside schools. There is current work with local education authorities designed to identify schools and other education partners, including youth theatres. For more information visit the relevant pages on the Arts Council website.
Local authorities The workings of local authority administration is not an easy subject to grasp. There are metropolitan authorities (covering city and other built-up areas) established from change in 1974 and given additional powers in the 1980s when the Greater London Council and Metropolitan Counties were abolished. There are now new unitary authorities established after local government reorganisation in 1997. In many parts of England (although not Wales where, of course, there is now the Welsh Assembly) the two-tier system of county and district governance remains. Larger councils also act as the local education authority (LEA) (eg within the two-tier system it is the county council that is the LEA). To add to the complication there is a vast network of parish and town councils. For more information visit the Local Government Association at www.lga.gov.uk.
Every youth theatre fund-raiser should bear in mind that the subject of local government is important. Eg, ownership of the local theatre often rests with the council, or is heavily subsidised by them through an independent trust. It is local Arts Development Officers (ADOs) who administer certain funding and strategic arts programmes. Many youth theatres receive grant aid and/or subsidised use of theatre spaces from their council through its arts, leisure or culture department. Some get project work or grants from their LEA. A few even get supported at parish or town council level.
Like all fundraising activity your approach to local councils should be based upon good research. For the beginner it is important to know that councils are made up of two categories of people:
Lobbying for support is a matter of getting to know names, learning about committee structures and seeking advice from the officers (ADOs) responsible for arts and culture in the area. Broadly speaking it is within an Arts Officers’ job brief to support and encourage your activities. He or she should also make you actively aware of all the grant aid schemes that are available and open for application.
Trusts and foundations Charitable trusts and foundations, some of which have existed since the 19th century or earlier, exist to apply resources which they hold in trust to designated charitable objectives. They are registered with the Charity Commission.
They donate several hundred million pounds each year to voluntary organisations and are good sources of funding for specific projects. Some trusts restrict their areas of benefit to particular areas of the country, and these are often the ones you should focus upon. However many national trusts will also consider smaller applications from locally based initiatives and some (such as LloydsTSB Foundation) now operate through regional offices, devolving decision-making powers for smaller grants to regionally based officers.
The key to trust and foundation success is to research well to maximise success and to utilise your time effectively. Approaches should always be targeted (scatter gun approaches are not recommended nor welcomed by trustees) and address any particular criteria which the trust is aiming to fulfil. Some trusts produce guidelines and application forms whilst others request letters of application or proposals containing specific pieces of information. In general they will want to see:
Some trusts will want project proposals whilst others may consider applications for core costs and/or capital. Some will consider funding for more than one year. Wherever possible you should try to specify what their support will actually pay for. There are certain key pieces of information you should research before putting pen to paper:
Trusts and foundations can take up to six months to make decisions. You need to consider this before applying for funds.
The corporate sector Companies give money in the form of charitable donations through sponsorship and/or corporate philanthropy. They can also offer support in kind such as equipment and staff secondments. The sponsorship relationship often involves a return for the company on the use of its money and will usually be managed by the marketing or PR departments where these exist or via the Managing Director or equivalent if it is a smaller or more local company. Sponsors will look for opportunities to raise their profile through a presence on publicity material, websites and media releases and via public events such as a launch or photocall. They will often be keen to involve employees and to provide hospitality opportunities to their key customers and decision-makers at higher profile events. This involves time, planning and willingness to be flexible to their needs.
Community or corporate affairs departments will also often donate money with no strings attached. These tend to be larger national companies where donations are often agreed at regional or local level whilst reporting to Head Office. Classic examples include Marks & Spencer, Sainsburys, Tesco and other key national chains. Again research is vital. Telephone to find the right contact for sponsorship or community affairs matters. Research their audiences and market and tailor your approach accordingly. Ensure that in your initial letter you can be clear about who your audience is and how many people will be involved. Provide clear financial information and a deliverable list of benefits if they decide to sponsor. Again planning ahead is vital as some companies may not be able to offer support for at least one year from the date you approach them. Understanding how their financial year works is important in this respect.
You may be able to add real value to any sponsorship by applying for match-funding from Arts & Business, a national initiative established to encourage business involvement with and support for the arts, which has regional offices and exists to advise arts groups.
Marketing and public relations
This is a guide to marketing and public relations (PR) for youth theatres prepared for NAYT by Julie Tait. It aims to be direct and helpful but does not go into the detail of marketing theory or cover related topics such as sponsorship, promotional campaigns or ticket sales. Those interested in the subject should consider specific training and endeavour to read some of the specialist books that have been written about arts marketing.
Introduction Marketing and publicising your work is an essential way of developing good relations with the community, building up a base of supporters, finding potential new members and creating an audience for your work. Marketing and PR are topics that cover the ways you keep in contact with people and improve your youth theatres public image.
Planning You are urged to write a plan. Developing a flexible marketing and PR plan each year is useful. It enables your group to maximise its potential by identifying opportunities and creating new ideas in advance of implementing the work programme, events or performances. If not in place already, you may like to think about setting up a ‘marketing task group’ to plan for the promotion of your youth theatre and its events productions activities. If you are fortunate to have the guidance of a professional in marketing then you will pick up useful tips and shortcuts to assist you. There is no great mystery to marketing and PR. In essence, marketing should be seen as an extension of the creativity of your group. It can be fun and reap huge rewards.
What do you want to achieve? It is useful to decide what it is you want to achieve from a marketing or PR plan:
Presenting your group You will need to decide what kind of image you want to project to represent your group consistently and effectively. This will determine what kind of publicity material you want to produce. If you are developing this for the first time it may be worth collecting examples of other leaflets and posters which you all like and admire. This will help you to decide which approaches you favour and what you feel will work best for your target audiences. There are many tools that you can choose to use in marketing your youth theatre such as publicity flyers and posters, newsletters, email, a website and media opportunities.
Who are you trying to reach? Before writing a plan you will need to decide who you are trying to reach. Then develop ways of collecting information such as names and contact details of individuals and places where you may like to distribute material. These might include:
A database When devising a database it is a good idea for interested staff members and volunteers to each provide a list which can be pooled and refined into one group list. It is then important to store this list in a useable format and to keep it up-to-date. A simple database is useful, and recording who has received what and when can prove invaluable for future planning. You may also want to discuss with other arts groups and venues the sharing of mailing lists, inserting your publicity material into their mailings and vice versa.
Data Protection Act 1998 This is all a good use of resources, but you need to be mindful of the Data Protection Act. When you first contact people through a mailing you should send a letter which asks them to inform you if they would like to be on your mailing list and/or would be happy to receive material from other groups and organisations. A ‘reply paid’ envelope reaps the best results here. It is good practice in any case to send an introductory letter with the first piece of communication introducing your youth theatre.
Performing at a venue If your group is performing at a venue such as an arts centre or theatre you will want to talk to their marketing department about ways in which you can become part of their marketing plan, including featuring in their brochures, newsletters, websites and media releases. Ensure you are clear about their needs and deadlines for copy.
Writing copy - the golden rules
Working with graphic designers and printers Building a relationship with a designer and a printer is the best way of developing a consistent style of presentation. It will also ease the production process each time. They will learn what you like and expect, saving you the trouble of covering the same ground for each job.
It is a good idea to produce a brief for a designer including guidance on style, format, content, and target audience. You should always ask to see roughs or proofs and check them carefully for typing errors. Always check titles and headlines plus dates and times very carefully as they can get overlooked. Ensure all images carry the necessary credits and copyright.
For printers your brief should state how many copies you need to have and by when. You can ask a printer to show and explain to you the different kinds of paper available. Also ask them to be clear about the colour/s which will be printed. This is so that what you see at proof stage is an accurate reflection of the final printed product.
It is worth the research effort to find good printers and designers and you can obtain advice and contacts from local authority arts officers, the arts funding system, or from local arts and leisure venues.
The sky is the limit in terms of cost for producing printed material. However it is possible to achieve good results on a budget by shopping around. Many local organisations (colleges, libraries, etc.) have desktop publishing facilities to which you can get access. Some high street print shops offer competitive deals and you can vary the quantity you require from them.
Distribution When distributing publicity about a production, performance or workshop you should aim to start the process six weeks before the date of the event and no later than four weeks. This is the accepted timescale which will maximise interest by being neither too early nor too late. If you send a letter with the material then keep it short and do not repeat what is in the publicity, just pick out the key detail.
Local media Local media are constantly looking for opportunities to fill their column inches and airtime. They have to attract people to buy their publications or tune in to their station. In this context an optimistic and suitably assertive approach from your youth theatre is appropriate. Stories about local people are what they are after. Photographs of groups of young people are very popular with newspapers and magazines - they sell multiple copies to the families and friends of those featured.
Identify and know your target It is surprising how many press releases are sent to newspapers, radio and TV stations each year addressed to people who left years ago. The turnover of staff in the media is high and communications will not always be passed on to someone else if the name is incorrect. You need to compile your own list of contacts and check that they are up-to-date every six months. The effort will pay off.
This is what you need to find out:
Press releases One of the best ways of getting you stories in the paper and on local radio and TV is through a press release. But remember that newsdesks get hundreds of these every day and only use a few. The key to succeed, is to make it as easy as possible for the journalist. Useful guidelines include:
Photocalls Photocalls are a good way of getting into a newspaper or even on TV. Try this approach if you have a fun, quirky or colourful photo to offer and you can cope with the possibility that no-one from the media will come. Success will depend on what else happens that day. Photocall notices are similar in structure to press releases but should be even shorter. They should state when, where and why the photocall is taking place. Stunts or an unusual location, strange costumes or zany characters can grab the attention of media people. Always ensure you have someone to take a good photograph regardless of who turns up. This will be good for the album and you can always try sending it to the newspaper after the event. Often the paper will use the shot if it is a good clear one.
Interviews Interviews on radio and TV can be daunting but can help reach large audiences. Always try to choose the best person for the job, someone who is willing to be interviewed live and who projects the right kind of image for your group. Do take notes into a live radio interview and be clear beforehand about the key information you would like to get across. Ensure that the producer has all the information they might need before the interview takes place. Always arrive at the studios in plenty of time unless, of course, you are being interviewed over the telephone.
Deadlines Send your press release or photocall notice approximately ten days before your event or photo call. Timing it to arrive on a Monday morning is a good idea. Most newspapers hold conferences for editors and journalists around lunchtime on Mondays. TV stations hold their advance planning meetings usually in mid-week. Radio stations tend to plan further in advance and programme producers like to secure live interviews in plenty of time. Try calling them three weeks beforehand to discuss your idea.
Follow and cultivating relationships It is essential to chase your releases and notices with a telephone call to check they have arrived. A follow-up is also good to show your appreciation after someone has already given your group good coverage. Check that the photo call is in the picture desk diary at newspapers and the advance planning desk diary at TV studios. Call on the day to see if they still plan to come. Do not be too pushy - it’s a fine line! If you know you are getting coverage make sure you buy a copy of the publication. If you have a radio interview take your own cassette tape and ask the producer to tape it for you. It is difficult to get a copy after it has been aired.
Other opportunities You might be able to get a piece about your group or event in publications produced by other organisations and companies. This will help you generate additional publicity and reach new and broader audiences. The main ones to consider are:
Check deadlines, how much copy they want and whether they can use images or logos and in what format. Do they want something in return such as credits or tickets? Request a copy when it’s ready.
Research There are many ways to evaluate what impression your marketing is making on people, from a simple postal survey to elaborate and expensive market research. You should ask regularly whether you have the information you need to judge how well your marketing and publicity plans are working.
Time and energy Marketing and PR requires time and energy. One person should oversee the implementation of the plan and ensure that things happen on time. It is also productive to involve further members of the group who could all have their own areas of responsibility. Newspapers and radio stations are often amenable to volunteers working in their offices or studios for a short time. This can be a good opportunity to give an insider view to members of your group and the best form of free training available!
Annual report
This is an important public relations and fundraising tool and can be used to raise your profile and enhance your credibility. A good annual report should contain the following:
It should:
It should not:
Networking
A network is ‘a system of connections designed to fit its purpose’. People talk about using the grapevine or communicating via word of mouth’. It is widely known that the use of a telephone tree can be invaluable for fast group communication. For instance it is something often used by youth theatre leaders on nights when the weather leads to a cancellation of plans.
Network communication The advent of mobile phones, email and the internet has served to illustrate the excitement and effectiveness of networking communication. For youth theatres it is important to stay in touch, spread news, circulate information, offer support to others, advance learning and promote a visionary perspective about the future.
Networking Networking is about the contacts that keep youth theatre members and youth theatres in touch with each other. It is also about good communications that, in turn, relates back to effective marketing and public relations. Is your youth theatre committed to making new contacts and to keeping all the people who should know about your activities well informed? If so you should be able to answer “yes” to at least some of these statements:
Example of a network event Sarah Brigham, one of NAYT’s Regional Development Workers, recently ran a successful regional sharing event for youth theatres from across the Yorkshire and Humber region. She staged a day of devising and performance. In advance she wrote to everyone to say: Each youth theatre will bring up to five young people and two workers. These 100 young people will then be mixed into ten groups. Each group will be assigned two workers. The group then has five hours to devise a ten-minute piece on a given theme. These pieces will then be shown during the evening at a high profile event.’
A network regional showcase and sharing event like this one helps to:
|
