Go back GRASSROOT NETWORK: WORKSHOP IN TALLINN DURING EPICIRQ
14.10.2021.
A group of Baltic circus artists from circus and related art fields gathered in Tallinn in the first weekend of October to participate in the Showcase of Baltic professional circus “Epicirq” and also for an intensive one day workshop dedicated to art marketing and self promotion. The workshop was hosted by “Epicirq” and included in the “Grassroot – Baltic circus artists network” programme that is coordinated by Rīgas cirks and supported by Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Culture.
The intensive day of October 5th, 2021 included two workshops led by well known Baltic professionals Gildas Aleksa and Jürgen Visnapuu on Tuesday, -Tallinn, Sakala 3, Rehearsal Space.
#SELF-PROMOTION
The day started with a workshop on artists’ self-promotion. Workshop was held by Gildas Aleksa – a theatre director and a cultural operator from Lithuania. Artistic director of Teatronas – a performing arts organization working in the field of theatre and circus. Among other activities, Teatronas is organizing the international contemporary circus festival “Cirkuliacija” and opened the first and only contemporary circus center in Lithuania – Cirko Sapiens.
The main theme was a sharp reminder that nowadays, arts are not only a tool of self-expression or catalyzer of cultural processes. Artists inevitably participate in a market full of wonderful people with a similar agenda. The workshop covered the topics of self-promotion and needed processes in the contemporary cultural field. Participants learned the basics of pitching – to define their artistic ideas, personalities and present them in context with existing and upcoming performances, shows and other artistic endeavours. After theory some of the artists were brave enough to pitch publicly themselves and their actual projects, using the possibility to receive feedback and practical upgrades from the lecturer and participants.
#BASIC MARKETING FOR ARTISTS
The day continued with another lecturer Jürgen Visnapuu, who is an entrepreneur from Estonia with an extensive business development, team leadership and marketing background. Throughout all the projects in his career he has been (among other things) directly managing the marketing side, starting from strategic planning, budgeting etc. to actual contact making, deal negotiation and execution.
The workshop gave an overview of the holistic approach to marketing that he considers to be – the minimum effort with maximum efficiency. Lecturer not only theoreticized but also discussed real cases thus reminding participants the main topics about artists branding, paid and organic marketing, target audience, added-value, tracking etc. The workshop touched many spheres for artists to think about and the lecturer even prepared a follow up presentation for artists to be able to apply the knowledge in their everyday professional life .
Rīgas cirks coordinates the GRASSROOT – BALTIC CIRCUS ARTISTS’ NETWORK, which is supported by Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Culture.
