y

  look for other avenues of income such as sponsorship or funding (remembering that these

ROUND

require a lot of lead in time)?

FIGURES

  reconsider your timing and postpone the event?

trateg

Deciding what to charge for an exhibition is similar to deciding on the price to attend a

Offering ticket prices to an

ng s

exhibition at a few different

performing arts event: i.e. what's the income required to offset some of the costs in your

levels is important.

budget? Also ask yourself what a salary earning adult or a family of four would pay to see

keti

Discounts for groups,

a movie, play or concert, or have a cafe meal?  

cheaper weekday visits and

Pre booking isn't an issue for exhibitions as people tend to buy their tickets at the venue

multi visit tickets are all

on the day. For blockbuster exhibitions, airlines and other transport providers are often

popular. Also try and keep

keen to work out packages that include transport, accommodation and a ticket to the

the price to a round figure:

exhibition. But most visitors will be local people, who will decide on the day, or a few

$10 looks, sounds and feels

ing a mar

days in advance, to see the exhibition.

better than $12, for example.

You can get the extra $2

from catalogue or other

Place

Plann

merchandising sales. Give

visitors a basic printed guide

Your event should be staged at a time, date and place to suit your audience. Take, for

with their ticket, if possible,

instance, a show aimed at school children. You may choose to perform your show by

as part of their purchase. It

touring to individual schools. Or you may decide to use an established theatre and attract

1

doesn't have to be a mini 

school audiences to your venue if the show is large and not easy to tour.

catalogue but it can be

another marketing tool,

Is your audience likely to come as part of a school group or are parents more likely to

containing information

bring them? This will help you decide whether to run your season during the school term

about any events

or the holidays. It will also influence your choice of venue.

surrounding the exhibition

When you're choosing a venue consider these issues:

that visitors might make a

return visit for.

  How familiar are your target markets with the venue?

  Are there any physical impediments? For example, an event targeted to senior citizens

will need to be in a venue with easy access, including wheelchair access.

  What expectations does your venue engender about aspects such as show content, quality

or innovation? Staging a show at the SiLO or BATS Theatres creates different

expectations to The Court or Downstage Theatres. 

TIMING

  What facilities are there for your public? This includes seating, refreshments, toilets,

IT

heating, front of house staff. A youthful audience may be happy sitting on the floor of a

RIGHT

draughty warehouse but an older audience isn't likely to be attracted to this venue.

  Have you informed your audience about the protocol particular to that venue? For

The timing of your show

example: no smoking/eating/drinking, cell phones turned off, no photography or videos,

may also be crucial to your

use of smoking/strobe light/offensive content on stage, admittance of latecomers' policy,

audience. A teenage

length of interval, reserved seating.

audience may enjoy a

  Is the venue easy to find or will people need a map to find it? Are there buses nearby?

midnight performance but

Where is the closest parking? Where can people get a drink?

it's unlikely to attract an

  Where do people book? Can they pay by eftpos, credit card or cheque?

older audience, especially

  Is it Occupational Safety and Health Services (OSH) compliant? What are the safety

during the week. Also

procedures of your venue in case of fire/earthquake? Will you be able to deal with any

consider how people will

health emergency? Visit www.osh.dol.govt.nz for more information.

get home after the show.

  Other legal compliances to be aware of include toilets, access for the disabled, and food to

Are buses still running?

Another consideration is

be served with alcohol.

the length of your show.

  How many people does the venue seat and how does it impact on your budget?

What's the stamina of your

  What facilities are there for your production's requirements? For example: lights, sound,

audience in terms of the

size and height of stage, backstage facilities, what staff it comes with (technical support,

venue's comfort factor?

box office and ushers).

13

Smart arts

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