Programming: Choosing your Content and Understanding Audiences

Introduction

In this topic we’ll be looking at how to select a program and implement it, including what you need to consider before you get started, and potential issues which may arise. We’ll also be looking at a case study of a festival which didn’t quite go to plan.

Firstly, let’s look at some terminology, and at what artform or artforms you might be working with. When we talk about “artforms”, we are discussing different collective types of arts practice.  It’s important to note that these are considered Western artforms, and that if you were (for example) to work within the arts in the Middle East or in China, you might commonly find “hybrids” of these artforms and / or subsets of them (like music with acrobatics).

So when we use these terms, we’re not just talking about “music” or “dance” as a singular specific artform. Music can be contemporary, popular or classical. Dance can be contemporary or classical. Beyond traditional text based theatre, we might also consider physical theatre or circus – and so forth.

Or, we might prefer to combine a couple or multiple artforms to create cross artform, inter-artform or multi media works or festivals.Although it’s unfortunate to have to categorise the arts into different forms, it is essential to understand how to describe a work when making funding applications.  Funding applications are usually grouped by artform. However, more and more arts companies are producing “hybrid” work.

What role do you play?

Essentially producers are project managers with extended duties and responsibilities.  The broad term “producer” stems from commercial theatre whereas “programmers” like “curators” are more commonly found in government-subsidised arts organisations. Festivals or events require producers to deliver the projects that make up the entity. Programmers of the visual arts are always called “curators”.

This module will not teach you to become a specialist artform programmer.  This requires tremendous knowledge, research and experience.  For example, music programmers may dedicate their professional lives to building the body of knowledge essential to programming a symphony orchestra.  The career path of a music programmer may begin with studying music, knowing the symphonic repertoire for orchestras, knowing the market of artists available (soloists, conductors) etc.  Similarly a visual arts curator needs to have the extensive knowledge of the artform matched by knowledge of the current market to curate (or program) an exhibition.

What this module teaches is how to use specialist knowledge (which can exist in isolation from the marketplace) to program an event or festival which achieves its objectives be they artistic, financial, community or otherwise.

A good programmer will understand the role and intent of their company or event or festival.

• What is the purpose of your company/centre/festival/event?
• What is the strategic plan?
• What are the brand qualities of your company/centre/festival/event?
• Who’s your audience?

Program Design

Programming is the creation and conceptual development of an activity to maximise the positive and meaningful impact for both audience and participants (Brown in Getz, 2009, p, 208). The design of the event, or series of activities needs to be done in a way that the key points of this are met. That is:

1. It should have a positive and meaningful impact
2. It is about both audiences and participants

So how do we go about designing a series of events or performances/activities? Firstly there is the creative process and this is followed by the technical process. The creative process is the idea generation part of programming. What are we celebrating? What messages are wanting to convey? How does our set of activities fit in the local cultural context? Answering these questions is the start of the programming process. Once you have an overall idea of the strategic goals you are setting, then you can work through the different types of performances, activities and link them to your goals.

In this process you may wish to define an overarching theme. So what is a “theme”? It is a unifying concept which gives meaning to the event. This can be an:

• Emotional concept
• Social concept
• Cultural concept
• Celebration or commemoration
• Artistic, social, environmental or cultural idea

When audiences engage in an arts or cultural activity, they in some way embrace the theme and engage in a stylised form of celebration. This celebration can manifest itself in the activities people engage in; the scripted program people observe; the interpretation they put on the arts activity; and the emotional stimulation they receive from engaging in the activity.

Having defined the theme and begum the process of conceptualising a program of acts or events, at this point you will need to bring in other key stakeholders as part of the technical process. Are we able to stage such a performance? Is there a market for the product? Will we be able to sell enough tickets to cover the costs? What else is on around the same time, both in the same venue but also other venues? How much lead time and resources do we need to make the idea a reality?

Remember to always think about the perspectives of both participants and audiences as you work through these questions.

In regard to audiences as you plan your activities we must always think about what audiences need. They need:

• An experience
  • Entertainment
  • Emotional experience
  • Relational experience
  • Information about the activities
  • Easy access to ticket sales
  • Transport
  • Ease of access to venue etc
  • Time

If your activities are to be successful and reach as large an audience as possible then you need to address each of these points and make sure you convey this to the potential audiences.

Models of Programming

There are essentially three basic models of programming:

1. Select and present existing works – otherwise known as the “shopping trolley” approach
2. Commission new work on your own or with other commissioning partners
3. Re-mount existing work

The following outlines some of the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.

Presenting existing works:

What are the advantages?

• Easiest method, you know what you’re getting.
• Less financially risky.

 What are the disadvantages?

• Not very innovative, particularly for festival brands that are regarded as innovative.
• Doesn’t support local arts development.

Commissioning new works:

A newly commissioned work is something that it created from scratch. It can have partners or funders or a combination of both. One disadvantage of commissioning new work is that partnering with other companies can be complicated and fraught, particularly when your objectives don’t align.

What are the advantages?

• Innovative
• Supports local arts development

What are the disadvantages?

• Risky financially
• Risky artistically
• Partnering can be tricky

Remounting existing works:

Sometimes an existing show no longer exists (set, props and costumes are in storage or have been dumped) and artists are no longer engaged under contract to this production. To re-mount a “moth-balled” production requires a combination of re-commissioning the work and buying in an existing production.

What are the advantages?

• Know what you’re getting
• Could be less financially risky (or not)

What are the disadvantages?

• Could be more trouble than it’s worth
• Could be out of date artistically

Additional Resources:

Included with this topic are the following additional resources:

1. A video interview with Liz Hawkins, Director of Programming and Development at the Adelaide Festival Centre, discussing programming approaches.
2. An article on programming and planning
3. An article discussing evaluation techniques
4. An article on the changing role of the curator