Showcases – Marketplace for the arts

The concept of performance showcases was born out of the necessity for programmers to see shows before booking and for artists to find a platform for their work. Maggie Clarke explains.

x.trax is one of a number of structured showcases that take place in the UK. Many British festivals have an informal showcase function – the scale and quality of certain festivals will always attract programmers keen to keep abreast of work on the performance circuit – and there are plenty of examples of this across the UK. The biggest of these is Edinburgh, which attracts programmers from all over the world. However, what makes a showcase different to a festival is the deliberate aim of buying and selling work.

Secrets of success

The foundation stone for a successful showcase is the programme. Whether it is intended as both a public festival and a showcase or a ‘behind closed doors’ event for an audience of programmers only, it must be of a scale and quality to attract a significant number of potential buyers. The aim of x.trax has always been to attract international programmers. Consequently, the programme must be of international significance and include some high profile work that has not been seen widely across Europe. At the same time, as promoters we have a responsibility to the artists to ensure that their work is ready for such a specialist audience. The stakes can be high and showing a piece of work that isn’t quite ready to an audience of potential buyers can be damaging for a company for years to come. It is our responsibility to ensure that the artists understand this and are able to make an informed judgement about whether their work is ready for our event.

Another factor is the creation of a balanced programme which ensures that artists are seen to their best advantage within the constraints of the schedule. The density of the programme can mean it is not possible for all companies to present their work at an early evening slot in their first choice of venue or location. Sometimes the programme will run from early in the day until late at night. Sensitivity to the work, the audience and the potential saturation point for the promoter is important in avoiding an unworkable schedule for the promoter or unstrategic time clashes between companies. As showcase programmers, we have a responsibility to both artists and delegates, compounded by the weight of expectation on both sides. We have to work hard to ensure that there are lots of programmers at the event, that they get to see the shows they wish to see, that the shows run to a tight schedule and that the artists are seen to their best advantage. We have to help the right buyers to find the right sellers.

Flow of information

Both artists and delegates need to provide information about their work and their interests. We ask delegates for information about their programme interest, venue size, festival dates and any other relevant details about their work so that we can pass this on to artists or their representatives. If we have good information about the delegates we can guide them gently in the direction of the kind of work they are most likely to find of interest, whilst still giving them the opportunity to make their own discoveries. And, critically, the artists can target their efforts at the people who are most likely to be able to book them.

In recent years, we have started giving artists a briefing session about the delegates who are registered for the showcase in advance of the event, to help artists to target their work. Our website has helped to facilitate communication by providing online information about the delegates who are booked to attend the event and the details about the company and the show. This advance research helps both parties to get the most from the showcase.

Networking

Opportunities for promoters and artists to meet over a drink or some food are critical, and drinks receptions, parties and morning breakfast meetings are an important part of any showcase. This is often where the really important business is done. At x.trax we have a festival centre as a focal point for people to meet with a team of staff to facilitate introductions and help with providing information. We provide notice boards for artists to put up displays about their work, mailboxes for delegates and artists to make contact with one another and photographs of both to make it easier for people who have not met to find one another in a crowded room.

Expanding touring potential

We know that showcases such as x.trax help artists to expand their touring potential nationally and internationally – approximately 80% of the artists that we have worked with over the last three years have received bookings as a result of working with us. It is important that we continue to develop the showcase in order to build on that potential. We are re-assessing our programme for 2004 to ensure that x.trax contributes to the development of the street arts sector, and will be exploring some new areas of work – outdoor installations and visual work as well as street theatre and large spectacles. And we are currently putting together a venue-based programme that will build on the work with decibel (see p10) and our work with local artists.

Sensitive selling

Showcases can be rather crude events, a buying and selling market place environment that can seem somehow not in keeping with the subtleties of how art is made and experienced. However if they are handled sensitively, if artists and programmers are looked after well, and the infrastructure around the event is well managed, they can be valuable and enjoyable events that contribute to the international profile of the British performance scene.

Maggie Clarke is Director of x.trax.
t: 0161 288 7273; e: [email protected]; w: http://www.xtrax.org.uk