Biz Booster Hot Tip!

It is time to Save Our Stages. We all would love to get back to performing live in the venues we love. As an audience member, we would love to see our favorite artists performing live in our favorite local venues.  BUT, we need to have those venues remain viable. Right now they are struggling to survive this shut-down. Here is a piece of legislation: RESTART Act When it's safe to resume normal life again, we're going to need live music and comedy more than ever. Please help @NIVAssoc with federal funding by supporting & cosponsoring S. 3814/H.R. 7481, the RESTART Act #SaveOurStages More info: saveourstages.com Please go to saveourstages.com…

Let’s consider the presenters and live gigs during COVID. Last week, I looked at some of the considerations performers needed to think about as you plan to do live performances. This week, I want to offer some of the concerns that presenters are dealing with as they think about how to open their venues safely. Presenting organizations around the world are having in-depth conversations among presenter networks, arts councils, funding sources, presenter conference organizations, small and large venue owners and managers and their staff and with the artists that perform in their facilities. There is no question that everyone involved in the performing arts wants to get back to the…

Here we are, it is summer, and most musicians would be hot and heavy into their summer tours and festival season. Instead we are scheduling streaming events, working on new creative projects, learning new tech platforms, and thinking about how to do live shows again. Well before you gather the band in the basement or garage for rehearsal, why not think about all that is involved in the logistics for the health and safety of your group, the venue staff, and for any audience members. Here are a few things to consider: From your side: If you are getting together with group, have you asked each one about their personal…

Our new project is helping musician's in need one T Shirt at a time. My work with so many artists has made me acutely aware of just how much income has been lost due to COVID-19 cancellations. After a few weeks into the stay-at-home period, an idea began to blossom that would grow into a creative project to help musicians in need. On one of my first outings for supplies, it struck me how much I missed seeing people’s facial expressions, now covered with masks. So, I said to the cashier, “I just want you to know that I’m smiling at you behind my mask.” And her eyes lit up…

Delegating versus dumping is a delicate matter. There is always some part of your business that you would like just to have someone else do for you. How often do you say, "If only I had…" you fill in the blank, an agent, a manager, a publicist, an assistant. No matter who works with you on your behalf, you still need to be in charge. After all, it is your career. When or if you ever have that person working for you, you need to make a choice as to how you will manage the relationship and the flow of work. You may delegate specific aspects of your business over…

Many artists are negotiating online gig opportunities with their contacts during these COVID times. Venues who previously contracted and cancelled gigs, are coming back to the artists to explore hosting a live streaming program or a recorded program to be shared with their audiences. This is great for the artists. As I mentioned in my Biz Booster, Practical Planning in Our New Reality, returning to venues where you already had contracts, is a great place to start negotiating online gig opportunities. Many artists have been getting calls from their contacts to either reschedule the live gig or schedule an online gig. What many artists are also experiencing is the venue…

Here’s a new take on audience swaps during COVID-19 to gain new fans while staying home. You want to open new markets, and expand your fan base, but right now streaming to your fans is mostly what you got going. Why not try swapping streaming audiences with an act you know to introduce each act to each other’s fans. First, find an artist you might know, whose work you like and with whom you think you would be compatible. Second, make sure the artist selected has a strong following on the social media platforms where you are trying to expand. Suggest to the artist that you both promote at least…

First, here’s to those who have served this country as we honor them on this Memorial Day. I remember the stories my dad told to me about his time serving during WWII. And I think of the values our country stood for and the standing America had in world. I’m taking time today to think about our service men and women who gave their lives defending the principals the founders fought so hard to win. Today I’ll keep it short and simply pass along some valuable resources. As businesses, counties, states and countries rush to reopen, the arts community is taking time to think through their options and protocols. I’m…

Here are some resources for live streaming that have come my way. Since so many artists are trying to figure this all out, many helpful organizations are coming to the aide of performers , authors, venues and organizations large and small.  I'm keeping it short and full of info this week with lots of resources in the links below. This new world is presenting new opportunities. New opportunities mean figuring out how to best make use of them or begin to use them. That means learning new technology. So here are a few organizations that have gathered some resource information and shared them. Bandzoogle: Resources for Live Streaming Bandzoogle blog…