Public Relations & The Arts

This semester I am interning at a boutique Public Relations agency, Muse Bureau. The firm previously specialised in the arts and entertainment industry, working on campaigns including Fringe Festival, Stylaid, Alienation, and Open House Perth, to name a few! 

Working within a niche industry has allowed to company to excel in the field and gain recognition for the fabulous campaigns they have executed. As the team is significantly small, I have been asked to monitor two campaigns with the approval of my supervisor: Rottofest 2013 and Future Landings.

For those of you who do not know, Rottofest is a weekend of comedy, film and music on Rottnest Island. This year, the campaign will attract internationally recognised Australian comedians including Heath Franklin, Greg Fleet and Tahir (Fat Pizza). Working on the campaign has been great, I have pitched to a variety of different outlets, allowing for further coverage on the festival. The highlight of my week was seeing a full page editorial on Heath Franklin in the Sunday Times Entertainment sector, after I organised an interview for the journalist.

My second campaign, Future landings, is a unique initiative designed to bring contemporary dance experiences to regional communities. Having never heard of the project I am intrigued as to what outlets would be interested in covering the project. I have broadened my knowledge of regional media outlets through this campaign as the project originates from outback Australia. 

All in all, I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience so far and hope to continue gaining coverage on both campaigns. My confidence has been boosted seeing sectors of my campaign published and I am extremely delighted to be increasing my knowledge of media outlets throughout the country.

                                                     

                                                     The Rottofest 2013 Campaign

It all started with A Number

It all started with A Number...

The room was pitch black, not a murmur could be heard when the lights flashed and actors Kym Gyngell and Brent Hill stepped on stage for their debut performance that delved deeply into a witty, comedic, sci-fi experience. Genetic mishaps, dysfunctional relationships and the nature of the unknown. It is safe to say that the arts world is far from ordinary.

VIP tickets to the State Theatre of Western Australia on opening night, if that wasn't enough to get me in the door then the magically presented and fascinating performance from Perth Theatre Company on Saturday evening certainly was. I walked into the theatre and was overwhelmed by the atmosphere and buzz. Rachael (an intern at Muse Bureau) accompanied me to the event along with the Muse Bureau team and we watched in awe as everyone piled into the open warehouse.

There is something wonderful about a trip to the theatre, aside from the perks of champagne, good company and endless discussion. My first experience was eye opening and exciting, I thoroughly enjoyed becoming captivated in the complex scenario of stolen identities, secrets and mysteries that 'A Number' embarks on. There is no denying the intensity of concentration that I felt focused on the actors during that play.

Networking was soon to follow, after feeling a little star-struck I worked up the confidence to talk to Kim (actor) it was fantastic having an inside view into the performance and his thoughts about his first performance. I was introduced formally by Lauren and Grant to every high profile person within the arts industry. I found that my past knowledge from PR Techniques and PR Media was incredibly useful and I remembered learning a great deal about appropriate behaviour for networking and the importance of making contacts.

I was so greatful to be given the opportunity to have these experiences and I hope it is not my last!

Georgia

The 2011 Beaufort Street Festival

Hi all,

So, I guess my situation with professional practice is slightly different from most as I have now been working, on a volunteer basis, for the 2011 Beaufort Street Festival since March. After working with the festival team in 2010 as an arts committee member, I was invited back in 2011 to take on a more prominent role at Arts Director. This has been such a huge learning curve for me as I am now working with a team of 12 local creatives and arts industry representatives in curating a large scale community arts program.

This year I am working under Festival Director, Dave Cutbush and Festival Chair, John Carey. Both John and David have been an amazing inspiration to me and I have been so lucky in the way they brought be under their wings and given me the opportunity to work along side them in the project.

The biggest thing I have learnt to date from my experiences on the festival is the immense planning process associated with developing a community event of this size. With a projected 75,000 set to attend this year, we have been working with a myriad of different operational elements to get the festival off the ground. As the event is completely funded by grants and private sponsorship, there has been a significant amount of time placed in "selling" the concept and sharing our vision with potential sponsors. This is then intertwined with local business involvement and the ways in which we can encourage businesses to participate whether through financial support or through a festival "happening" on the day. On top of this, local authority and main roads issues have meant for the continual liaising between businesses, sponsors and council to ensure all appropriate guidelines are met and all community parties are satisfied.

The other elements of the festival are then slotted into place (art/food/music/media plans/community engagement/public liability/risk management) taking into consideration each stakeholders' requirements and opinions and systematically monitored over a period of months to ensure all issues that do arise are dealt with quickly and effectively.

This is probably one of the most organic structures I have ever worked in with both positive and negative implications. In some ways, the evolution of the festival is flexible and can be adapted when necessary to meet changing requirements of each stakeholder group, however in other ways, this does leave a certain air of uncertainty (and many sleepless nights!) when dealing with various problems and issues. In the last month alone, the arts program has chopped and changed numerous times in line with various issues that have seeped through the cracks! If there is one thing I am learning it is not to stress and to continually re-assess plans and operations accordingly...

The festival's website will be up and running soon...we are all so excited about what the guys at Bouncing Orange are up to with it...in collaboration with a local graphic designer, there is going to be some amazing effects and add-ons on the site! You'll all have to keep your eye out for it!

http://www.beaufortstreetfestival.com.au

Well that is one post down, three to go. Will be heaps to chat about over the next few weeks when we launch the official program!

Over and out.

-Brody 13956743