File puptcrit/puptcrit.0709, message 132


Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 07:06:04 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael Richardson <zenchops59-AT-yahoo.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Getting Gigs


Lisa,
   
       Let me add my two cents on this one.....
       Puppetry, like other creative endeavors, offers more than one strategy to obtain $$$$.
  For example,  you can produce a show that you feel is a good choice ( for your own reasons ) put it out there in the marketplace, and see what happens. I know this is what I did for the first part of my career in the field. However,  there is another approach, and that is to examine first what the needs/goals of your client(s) might be, and develop a show to specifically address them.  Personally, if MONEY is the primary goal you are seeking, then I would be more inclined to consider the latter at this point in my life.
   
       Here in Mississippi and Alabama, budgets are much tighter than I had when I lived in Maryland. Schools remain the best market here... but one needs to be aware that the decision in more and more cases as to picking how money gets spent on the arts ( who gets hired ) is increasingly based on being able to justify a program in terms of connections to the school /grade level curriculum content areas.  Art for art's sake ( sadly ) is not enough 
  in many cases.  If you are not aware of trends in education these days (  state standards, integrated curriculum, etc., )  and you want to get gigs in schools, you may well be at a distinct disadvantage over those artists who have learned how to connect to the mindset of school administrators.... who are holding the purse strings. Libraries also are increasingly looking for similar kinds of justification in some cases.  Contact your state arts council.... and tell them what you are up to. There will likely be a person there in the Arts Education program who can save you a lot of time understanding this world.
   
        In the first phase of my career ( 1976-93 )  I had one set of conditions. Now, in this second phase ( 2001-present )  I am seeing an entirely different mindset than what we had before. I myself have had to get days and days of training in things related to No Child Left Behind  ( free, from our arts council... )   before I could "talk the talk " with school people about all this stuff.  No, its not my favorite. Yes, I liked it better before.  But its simply the way it is, at least for productions that aren't about doing what I personally most enjoy doing...
  a strong believer in art for art's sake !   But one does have to pay for those boxes of macaroni and cheese with something !
   
  Michael
  Red String Puppet Theatre
   
        

Lady Raven <ldyraven-AT-cox.net> wrote:
  Being an extremely new participant in this wonderful world of 
puppets, I would like to ask you veterans how you started out getting 
gigs.

What types of venues/schools/festivals/etc. did/do you try to get in to?

Thanks so much! I'm REALLY learning a lot from everyone.
Lisa

Looking Glass Players
Wichita, Ks. USA
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