Facebook Contests for Artists–Course October 2, 2010

I got this email from Maryann Devine the other day, and I thought I’d share it with you, because it was very intriguing!

Hi Rebecca – hope you’re having an excellent fall thus far.

I want to let you know about some things my friend Jacquelyn Kittredge, of e-bakery social media, and I are doing this fall.

If you would pass on this info to people you know who might benefit — especially info about the free class — I would really appreciate it.

We just taught a short, free teleclass called “Engage Your People with Facebook,” and the response was so big that we’re doing it again, on October 14.

On October 19, we’re teaching a 90-minute webinar called “Make the Most of Your Facebook Page,” for the Technology in the Arts Program.

And we have a new, do-at-your-own-pace online course called “Facebook Contests for Arts Organizations.”

The details are below, if you’d like to take a look yourself.

Thanks so much,

Maryann

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The details!

Free teleclass:
Engage Your People with Facebook
Thursday, Oct. 14, 1 PM Eastern Time
1 hour including Q&A
Maryann Devine (smArts & Culture) and Jacquelyn Kittredge (e-bakery)
Find out more here: http://bit.ly/bintqo

Webinar:
Make the Most of Your Facebook Page
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2 PM Eastern Time
90 minutes including Q&A
Maryann Devine (smArts & Culture) and Jacquelyn Kittredge (e-bakery)
Sponsored by the Technology in the Arts Program
$25 (participants get a coupon code for $25 off “Facebook Contests for Arts Organizations”)
Find out more here: http://bit.ly/aXkg5E

Online course:
Facebook Contests for Arts Organizations
PDF and video lessons that you do at your own pace
Jacquelyn Kittredge (e-bakery)
$97 (introductory price until October 28)
Find out more here: http://bit.ly/dtfjPl

The answer to “Never Enough Time” September 6, 2010

I’ve been doing a lot of workshops lately. For the most part, I do one-day workshops. The first part starts off with the theory of social media marketing, and then we move into each of the big social media platforms, and how you can use them as a marketing tool for your art practice.

After every single one of these workshops, I always think “I wish I had more time.” Often, in feedback comments, I get “I wish there was more time.”

Well, there’s finally a solution. I am teaching a 7-week course at Emily Carr University of Art and Design (does this make me a professor??). Starting Monday, September 13, I will be teaching a course called Finding Your Social Medium. What this is going to allow me to do is, is to really help people on the level that they need to set up all the details of their social media marketing plan. I’ll be able to walk them through, step-by-step (the class is in a computer lab) how to get a Twitter account, how to get a Facebook page, and how to populate and use these mediums at marketing tools.

The Emily Carr Campus

Needless to say, I’m stoked.

Additionally, the lovely folks at ECUAD are offering my followers a 10% discount when the mention the phrase “get connected” when you register.

Hope to see some of you there.

The First Workshop August 26, 2010

Talk about hitting the ground running. I mean, I knew I would, but I think I was maybe not quite prepared for the pace of the last couple of days.

What I love about it, though, is that I feel like I’m really immersing myself in the Melbourne theatre scene, and I’m getting an intsense and quick schooling in how its done here.

Most of Wednesday was workshop prep at the Incubator with John Paul. Planning, creating PowerPoint, handouts, dealing with the tech stuff–did we have internet access, did the video projector talk to the computer, etc. My interview in Arts Hub also came out, so that was pretty exiting.

We took a break to attend a marketing event at The Malthouse Theatre. I was in love with this venue. I hope I get a chance to go back and take pictures and share them with you, because it was the kind of space that we dream of having in Vancouver. Brand-spanking new, gorgeous, industrial-feeling type lobby with a coffee/lunch bar (where there were tons of theatre people doing deals and having meetings) and a really great black box theatre which seats about 500, depending on configuration.

Thursday was the workshop. Our venue was the South Melbourne Town Hall, just across the street from where the new home of the Incubator will be. There were 40 people there, primarily from the theatre scene, but a few visual artists, some musicians, and one woman and her partner who had a children’s show. (The photo I took didn’t turn out because my camera’s batteries died)

What in inspirational day. I can’t tell you how amazing it is to watch people switch on to social media and how it can help them to connect with shier audience.

After, we went round to a local pub for a cider with a couple of the participants and enjoyed the same conversation that I have had with theatre artists everywhere: Why are we doing this? Why is there never enough money? How do we encourage people who don’t come to the theatre to come to our shows? Seems like, no matter where we are, we all seem to struggle with the same things.

JP and I had a “Starving Artists Pre-Theatre Supper” and then went to see [Title of Show] at a lovely space called TheatreWorks.

Last story of the day: when I got home, I tweeted about what fun I’d had at [TOS] and how much I loved the song “Die, Vampire, Die.” This morning, I got this reply:

These guys were not at my workshop, but they clearly didn’t need it. Melbourne gets it.

Off to the Land of Oz August 22, 2010

I’m writing this as I sit at my gate in YVR, waiting for my flight to LA. I have a fairly long layover at LAX, and then I’m on to a 15-hour plane ride to Melbourne.

I’m not certain what the next 10 days will bring. I know I have three workshops booked in three different cities, and I’m really excited to meet new people and learn more about the indie theatre scene in Australia. My hope it to have enough time and brain cells left at the end of the day to blog, but I can’t promise anything.

All I can say is… watch this space.

Why I love the Aussies July 16, 2010

From an article called Geeks, Tweets, Bums in Seats from The Sydney Herald:

In a Nielsen poll, Australian social media use was deemed to be the highest in the world, ahead of the US, Britain and mainland Europe. Almost a third of arts consumers in Australia now use the internet to research a show or event, buy tickets, view art, listen to music or write blogs and share thoughts on social media, according to a recent report from the Australia Council for the Arts.

And it’s not just young consumers. Worldwide, the average Twitter user is middle-aged. Those aged 45-54 are 36 per cent more likely to visit the Twitter site than the rest of the population, according to a 2009 poll. These are figures the arts industry can’t afford to ignore, although most admit they are still feeling their way.

This really great article goes on to give examples of how artists are using social media (specifically Twitter) to create a buzz about their shows, address concerns and answer questions, and even to create art and plays.

The other reason I really love the Aussies is because they invited me to come to Melbourne and do a couple of Social Media Workshops. As you can imagine, I’m pretty stoked.

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Northern Voice May 5, 2010

I’ll bet you didn’t know that Vancouver has its very own blogging conference? Okay, well, maybe you did, but I only found out about Northern Voice in the last couple of years.

Here’s the official blurb:

Northern Voice is a two-day, non-profit personal blogging and social media conference held at the UBC main campus, Vancouver, Canada on May 7-8, 2010. This is the 6th annual incarnation of this event.

I had just bought my ticket for Friday, when I was asked to be on a panel on Saturday. So, I look forward to hanging out with a bunch of like-minded nerds all day Friday, and then coming back on Saturday to lead a panel discussion on Art and Social Media.

The Internet, and social media, specifically, is turning the arts world upside-down. Traditional methods of “making it” are being abandoned as artists create their own galleries, record companies, and movies, with the fan base to go with them. Welcome to the world of Justin Beiber. In this panel, a theatre artist, a musician and a visual artist will discuss what social media tips and tricks they are using to garner success in the art world.

The panel will consist of me, Deb Pickman, theatre creator, professional actor, producer and arts marketing specialist, (you should come to see her shoes at the very least–she always wears excellent shoes), Rachel Chatoor, a singer, and Sara Genn, a Vancouver-born painter who now makes her home NYC.

Seriously, you should check this out. Click here for more information, or to register.

UPDATE: since I wrote this post, I saw a tweet saying that Northern Voice is now sold out.

Summer Courses for Youth April 19, 2010

A popular debate topic around these here parts is how do we build an audience for the future. One way of doing that is to encourage the next generation of theatre-makers. If you have a teenager in your house (thankfully, I’ve got a few more years before I have to worry about this!), here are some courses that you can put them in this summer to help them along.

Announcing The Cultch’s Summer Youth Performing Arts Intensive
A summer camp experience unlike any other!
On August 16th-27th, The Cultch’s Youth Program will welcome 40 high-school aged artists from across the Lower Mainland into their theatres to work in direct collaboration with the artistic-directors of four of Vancouver’s leading performing arts companies:

• Kendra Fanconi- The Only Animal
• Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg- Tara Cheyenne Performance
• James Long- Theatre Replacement
• Marcus Youssef- Neworld Theatre

This unprecedented opportunity recreates first-hand what a professional performing arts company has to tackle to bring a new work to the stage, all condensed into two weeks! The camp culminates with the students premiering the work they have
created with their mentors in the Cultch’s Historic Theatre.

Young artists who are entering high-school, currently in high school, or who have just graduated are all welcome. Musicians, dancers, and theatre-artists are all encouraged to register. “Our mentors are experts in working across the disciplines,”
explains Corbin Murdoch, The Cultch’s Youth Program Manager. “It is going to be a truly multidisciplinary experience. Participants will get to experiment with all kinds of art forms and learn how to collaborate with all types of artists.”

In addition to the 60 hours of collaborative creation time with the mentors, participants will take part in six skill building workshops led by The Cultch’s expert staff and staff members of the city’s leading arts and culture organizations. Workshop topics will include media relations, grant writing, and marketing– invaluable information for budding young artists.

“The Cultch is in a unique position to offer youth programming because we work so closely with Vancouver’s premiere independent performing arts producers,” explains Murdoch. “We are able to connect young people to artists in the city who are out there doing what they want to be doing in the future. It is all about learning first hand what it takes to succeed.”

“With 40 young artists using our facilities to create new work all at once, The Cultch is going to be alive in a way that it never has before,” Murdoch adds. “The energy and excitement is going to be through the roof. It will be the most exciting and inspiring two weeks of the summer, guaranteed.”

TO REGISTER:

Online: visit www.thecultch.com

Over the phone: call The Cultch’s box
office at 604-251-1363

Tarlington Training Creates the Young Actor’s Theatre Company, and remounts Canadian Stories

Tarlington Training Inc., Canada’s most respected acting Studio for young people, is pleased to announce the creation of the Young Actor’s Theatre Company, and a remount of Canadian Stories. During an intensive four-month course, young committed actors (16-19) will spend over 180 hours learning techniques for both stage and camera, culminating in a performance of the wildly successful Canadian Stories, an award-winning, original musical play, crafted from the stories of young immigrants to Canada.

Over 120,000 people saw the original production of the play across Canada, the U.S. and in the U.K. where it toured to schools and colleges and played in theatres and at festivals.

There has been great demand for a remount of the production, so the YATC and Tarlington Training are updating it to be presented publicly at the Firehall Arts Centre at the end of August. The play has also been booked to open the British Columbia English as a Second Language (ESL) Teachers’ Conference in Vancouver in October 2010.

Apart from acting, the group will learn singing technique, meet with guest directors and gain important business information about the entertainment industry. They will also gain experience in touring, facilitating groups, acting for camera and valuable information regarding the entertainment industry.

Tarlington Training is Vancouver’s longest running acting studio for children, youth and teens. The play will be directed by the award-winning Carole Tarlington, a veteran director, casting director and acting teacher in Vancouver who helped launch the careers of many Canadian actors, including Kristin Kreuk, Ryan Reynolds and Sarah Chalke.

Two FULL scholarships will be awarded to talented, committed, deserving young actors.

The course runs weekdays from August 5 to 31 (10:00 am to 4:00 pm), then Saturdays from September 11 to November 27. Auditions are on Saturday, April 24 in Vancouver.

To book an audition time, or for more information, call Carole at 604 254 6316
or Brad at 604 664 0315. Young actors can also book audition times online at www.yatc.ca

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April Workshops April 2, 2010

For some, April showers bring May flowers. For me, it brings four (yipes!) workshops:

Social media for Visual Artists (with Kris Krug)
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
4:00pm – 5:00pm
Diane Farris Gallery
1590 W 7th Street

Attention: This event is free of charge and limited to 35 people.
Please RSVP by email to facebook@dianefarrisgallery.com or by phone (604)737-2629 with Stacey.
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Social Media and Web 2.0 is the newest and most exciting way to market your art work. But the choices are dazzling: Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr–what’s best for you, and where do you start?

Kris Krug and Rebecca Coleman will introduce you to the new and exciting world of Social Media Marketing. This one-hour workshop will include:

* The theory behind social media and how it works
* A brief introduction to each of the main social media platforms, with examples of how you can use them for marketing your work
* A Q & A period, where Kris and Rebecca will address specific concerns from the audience.

Social Media for Artists
April 17, 1:30-4:30 pm
Richmond Cultural Centre
Art at Work is Richmond’s second annual arts symposium, a full day of professional development workshops and talks for members of the local arts and culture community.

More information

Demystifying Social Media (with Simon Ogden)
April 27
9:30-12:30 (Part 1)
1:30-4:30 (Part 2)
Alliance For Arts and Culture, 938 Howe St
$50 each for members, $75 for non-members

The marketing game has changed. The internet’s offer of instant global communication has given us a new tool kit to reach our customers. To succeed in this new arena you first have to understand its language.

There’s no point in learning how to pull the levers until you know why   you’re standing at the controls. In this morning session (to be followed by an advanced afternoon workshop with separate registration) the facilitators will discuss the paradigm shift in marketing from its traditional forms to the social internet. They will talk about what it means to join a social network, the etiquette required and how to choose the platforms that are right for you.

The facilitators have been using social media platforms such as Blogs, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube with measurable success for several years now, and will pass on the lessons they’ve learned. And they’ll examine the art of communicating and building relationships within this compelling new world.

More information

Teleclass: Can Artists Be Friends With Money? (with Shell Tain)
Tuesday, May 4th (yes, I know, it’s technically in May–but its very close to April 🙂 )
10:15am to 11:15 p.m. Pacific (1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Eastern)
Registration: at www.sensiblecoaching.com
Fee: FREE…your only cost for this teleclass is your regular long distance call charges.

As creatives, you just want to be creative!  You are passionate about your art, and you want to spend all of your time doing that.  You do not want to spend time thinking about how to pay the rent, how to market yourself, and how to create more income.  If you want to survive, thrive, and even prosper as an artist, you need to get clear about your relationship with money.
§        Does it feel like money is some mysterious thing that no one ever really explained to you?
§        Do you sometimes wish that you never had to think about money again?
§        Does crunching numbers sound about as fun as a root canal?
Money coach, Shell Tain will be with us to point out the money related road blocks that keep us stuck in the mindset of being starving artists.  Shell has a no-number-crunching approach to money that helps us see it in new ways.  You’ll leave this call with some new perspectives and ideas about you, money and about your relationship with it.
Together, these two will lead you towards untangling some of the money thinking that keeps road blocking you on your way to being both a creative and a prosperous artist.

The teleclass format is interactive.   When you register, you will receive a phone number and a PIN.  All you need to do is call the phone number at the time of the call.  When directed, punch in the PIN number and you will be on a conference type call with the other participants.  It’s that easy.

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New Social Media Workshop Dates March 17, 2010

Simon and I are back by popular demand (I’ve always wanted to say that)!

Rebecca Coleman and Simon Ogden are pleased to present their
immensely popular workshop:

Demystifying Social Media

Welcome To The New Marketing

Tuesday, April 27, 2010
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.   (Part 1)

Marketing our work has changed. We can no longer rely upon
purchasing advertising or looking for editorial coverage in traditional
forms of media like newspapers, radio, or TV. Using social media to
reach our audiences is becoming more and more important. But when
it comes to reaching your audience through social media, you can’t
use traditional methods of marketing. The game is entirely changed.

This workshop will cover the basics of social media marketing, how it
differs from traditional forms of marketing, how to join a social media
network, and the etiquette of the community.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010
1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.    (Part 2)

Building on the morning’s session, the session will move from theory to practice
and share clear, concrete methods and tips for creating your marketing plan
using Facebook, E-mail newsletters, Twitter, Blogs, YouTube and Flickr.

“The facilitators were really keen to help us understand and offered good examples.”

“High energy, awesome visuals. It was exactly what I needed”

Facilitators:

Simon Ogden is a produced playwright and the managing director of Lyric Stage Project (LSP), an outgrowth of Lyric School of Acting. He is also thenmarketer and publicist for LSP, and actively promotes the industry of theatre
through his online theatre magazine The Next Stage.

Rebecca Coleman has been a freelance theatre publicist since 2001. An actor, writer and producer, since 2007, she has become increasingly interested in using social media to market the arts, and writes about the subject frequently on her blog, The Art of the Business. She is the author of The Guide to Getting Started With Social Media for Artists and Arts Organizations, which will be available for purchase for $19.95 at the workshop.

Cost: $50 (+GST) for Alliance members, $75 (+GST) for non-members

Registration: Advance registration and pre-payment are required for all Alliance workshops. We accept cash, VISA, MC, or cheque. Call our office at 604.681.3535 with a credit card number or drop by our office to register and make payment in person.

http://www.allianceforarts.com/workshops

Vancouver 2050: A Creative City February 26, 2010

Ah, I love social media. The networking opportunities are endless.

I was recently introduced to Sean Bickerton via Susan Weiss, neither of whom I have met in person, but am friends with through Facebook and Twitter.

Sean Bickerton is planning a very cool and interesting forum called Vancouver 2050: A Creative City. It takes place from 8:30 am to 1 pm on Saturday, April 24. As we move forward, post-Olympics and in the face of devastating arts cuts, we may well be asking, what’s next??

From Sean’s blog:

I’m pleased to announce Vancouver 2050: A Creative City! – a public Arts & Culture Forum moderated by Max Wyman and featuring addresses by Maestro Bramwell Tovey, Music Director of the Vancouver Symphony, and Norman Armour, Artistic Director of the PUSH Festival, with one additional speaker remaining to be confirmed.

Our three distinguished arts leaders will each present their vision of what Vancouver as a Creative Capital would look like in 2050, with a view to infrastructure, sustainability and the kind of innovation and enrichment of activities that could energize broader community engagement.

After those presentations, a high-level panel drawn from the arts, business and social profit sectors will discuss with the speakers the concepts they’ve presented, and then open the discussion up to include invited arts, business & community leaders and members of the public.

Our goal with this discussion is to bring leaders from the arts and business communities together in order to fully imagine Vancouver as a 21st-century Creative City with a correspondingly vibrant creative economy.

Click here to read the full post, and to contact Sean.

The forum is free. I hope to see you there!

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