Tuesday, September 4, 2007

what to do when your artists have nowhere to stay and decide to not come........

This was today's major debacle. It seems the whole (budget/cheap) accommodation in Newcastle is booked out over the TINA weekend and consequently, we don't have anywhere to put some of our performers. This is a bit of a problem because if they don't have anywhere to stay, then basically they won't come. If they don't come, there goes events at the festival. It's one toxic circle that stems from the fact that there are only 600 accommodation beds within Newcastle!

So it was a case of think hard - what I came up with is the chance for Novocastrians to 'adopt an artist' sort of thing - like billeting. I basically had to figure out how the hell we were going to run it, and after going through many options (such as already established billeting sites, using blogger and using stikipad - thanks to the uni lecturers who have made us get in touch with technology) Marni and I came up with a system whereby we can run it from the TINA website. So it was then just a case of making up register sheets - and tonight I'm doing up a press release so we can actually get it out there in the public and get the whole process working! I need to do it tonight because for a paper that is to come out next week, deadline is tomorrow. The inner workings of the media is so essential I'm learning. How exciting :) If anyone wants to open their homes to some artists during the festival just visit www.thisisnotart.org.au.

Then it was just a case of getting the bike corral happening. This is underway well and truly and fully under control. Summarising the list of things I have been doing goes as such:


This is Not Art: The Bike Corral

Task

Done by

When Done By?

How

Done

Source star pickets and Hessian

Allyson

Monday 24th September

Call out over email list – NBEC list, NUSA lists

Sourcing star pickets, hessian in art corner at the pod

Risk Assessment

Allyson – to do with Marni

ASAP!!!

Marni and Allyson to do together

Banner Making

Allyson and volunteers

Monday 24th September

Need to call out for equipment and volunteers. Banner = DIY Bike Repair Workshops. Banner = Bike Library

Banners will be made on Saturday 8th and 15th September at the pod – volunteers have already been recruited and material provided at the pod by TINA

Signage

Allyson

Thursday 27th September

Outlining borrowing fees, contact details for NBEC, when library will run. Allyson to source board to make signs on: to make at the pod in the coming weeks.

Survey Form

Allyson

Tuesday 25th September

Allyson to make up a sheet so we can collect peoples details for further use. To include name, address and contact – phone and email.

Spareparts Drive

Allyson

11-15 September and again 25, 26, 27th September

Contacting media outlets as outlined in media lists and contacts – sheet 2

Callout for volunteers

Allyson and Dan

From now until TINA

Using mailing lists as outlined in Media List and Contacts – sheet 2


Basically all the big things I have done and it's the above list that I have to organise. Dan Endicott from the Newcastle Bike Ecology Centre (NBEC) is doing an amazing job restoring bikes and the NBEC will be the drop off for all of the spare parts. Now I just have to get it out in the media and public - which is much easier than it seems.

I have to get to it now.

Allyson.

Media for the Hunter

The other day I met with Claire Hargreave and Jess Singleton - the two lovely ladies who have been doing promotion all around Australia. They have been doing a fantastic job getting adverts around the place and securing sponsorship from all of Australia - which is really exciting to see come together. But now for the Hunter.

Because the Hunter is the area where I really know my stuff (or think I do :p) it was decided that I would take the lead with this one. So, I did up a media plan for us to use between now and the actual festival, and a different one for media to be covered during the festival. The media plan basically outlined all the different media outlets (and their contacts), what message we would be sending to them and when we would target them.

The thing with Newcastle is that we are so locally focused - so I did a general release about TINA 2007 and some of the exciting and new things that are happening, I am going to actually try and make some releases personal and target actual events which have local performers in them. This has the added benefit of pic opportunities. One of the things I've learnt through my time at The Maitland Mercury and The Sun Herald: Hunter Extra is that local people want to read about local people and local issues. So hopefully this will work.

I have a million and one releases to write up so I have to get to it.

Allyson.