How to Get Assistance in Promoting an Event/Production
Submit your event information directly HERE.
INFORMATION BELOW OUTLINES TIMELINES AND AVAILABLE MARKETING SUPPORT FOR BOTH LARGE-SCALE AND SMALLER EVENTS IN THE F. LOREN WINSHIP DRAMA BUILDING. PLEASE EMAIL ALL QUESTIONS TO MEGAN.BOMMARITO@AUSTIN.UTEXAS.EDU
Department Resources
- Wiki: Contains information on many department resources i.e. room reservations
- Flat Screens (CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE DUE TO TECHNICAL ISSUES - FALL 2022): Run ads on screens in the Payne Lobby and atrium
- Submit through “Event Submission Form” online
- Social Media: Share your event info on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
- Amount of support on social media will depend on factors including: whether or not your event is open to the general public, capacity of the space you’re utilizing and advance notice prior to performances.
- Poster/Flyer Display: Display poster on board outside main office. Drop off your poster at front desk in the main office for approval.
- Other opportunities exist for postering elsewhere in Winship. Please contact marketing representative for details.
- Distribution to internal listserves: We can share your announcement with our internal community. Copy must be generated by the team.
- Promotion on Department Website
- The ability of your project to be listed on the department website will depend on factors including: whether or not your event is open to the general public, capacity of the space you’re utilizing and advance notice prior to performances.
- Front of House/Box Office Support (Department Policy)
- If your event anticipates audiences larger than 50 people and is located in the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre, the Lab Theatre or the B. Iden Payne Theatre, front of house services are required per department policy. This can be done by hiring student staff members (request required 4 weeks in advance) or by training volunteers associated with your team with the Audience Services Coordinator. Please reach out to dana.mclaughlin@austin.utexas.edu for all front of house requests.
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Promoting Your Event | Information and Timelines for Full and Partial Marketing Support
In order to make use of the maximum level of marketing support, we encourage teams to reach out as early as possible (at least one month in advance). However, marketing support may still be available for your event. Please contact megan.bommarito@austin.utexas.edu (Communications Specialist) with information about your event; the marketing team can then provide a list of available resources depending on the timeline for your project.
Full Support Example Event Timeline (ex. Symposia, Grant-funded performances in main theatre spaces, large events)
- 2-3 months before event:
- Marketing strategy (determine what you will do to market your show - do you have a budget for materials? Is this a print or digital campaign?)
- Define your audience (How much space do you have? Are you hoping to engage a specific audience? Devise strategies to reach that audience)
- Event description (and/or press release)
- Event images- web images, press images, posters/flyer, slides
- If your project has a bigger budget, order any needed posters or print materials. (We suggest Document Solutions or Print Place).
- Create marketing materials
- 1 month before:
- Create Facebook event (share with local arts community and personal community) Be sure to keep this information update as you get closer to your production.
- Submit slides to campus flat screens (see list below)
- For external audiences- submit to local calendar listings (see list below)
- FOR EVENTS HAPPENING IN WINSHIP OR DIRECTLY AFFILIATED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND DANCE: Submit web-ready files (500x500 pixels and 1450x550 pixels) to be added to the Department calendar on the website. Email megan.bommarito@austin.utexas.edu with additional questions or issues.
- IMPORTANT DEPARTMENT FRONT OF HOUSE POLICY: If your event anticipates audiences larger than 50 people and is located in the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre, the Lab Theatre or the B. Iden Payne Theatre, front of house services are required per department policy. This can be done by hiring student staff members (request required 4 weeks in advance) or by training volunteers associated with your team with the Audience Services Coordinator. Please reach out to dana.mclaughlin@austin.utexas.edu for all front of house requests.
- Within that month:
- Student groups, professors, external groups
- Other arts organizations in the Austin area
- Local schools and theatre programs
- Groups that may have a special interest in the subject mater of your piece (ex. If the focus of your work is on sustainability, reach out to local authorities and organizations who also support this mission)
- Reach out to interested parties
- Post regular, engaging content on social media platforms. Be sure to tag relevant organizations and engage your audience.
- Post flyers and posters at local theatre venues, coffee shops, book stores, etc.
- 2-3 weeks before:
- Submit info/slide to Event Submission Form
- Send your press release to the Daily Texan
- Distribute any collateral (around campus and in building)
- 1 week before
- Ramp up creative content on digital platforms. Be sure to share any important information with your audience (box office opening times, parking information, etc).
- Send request to Marketing/Communications to email event details/information to Winship community. Unless you are a member of the listserve, you will not be able to send content to it without administrator approval.
Partial Support Example Event Timeline (for smaller events, studio projects, devised work or projects not open to the public)
Please note that available marketing resources are limited for a condensed timeline. In order to ensure maximum support for your project, please reach out to the marketing team as far in advance as possible.
- 2-3 weeks before event:
- Project leads (who can we contact with questions?)
- Performance/project dates, times and location (if these are not set, please let us know the general timeframe you are working with. All room reservations in Winship should be confirmed with the Building Manager)
- Is your project open to the public? Invitation only? Only Winship audiences?
- Description of event and/or press release if available.
- Imagery associated with an event (poster, photography, digital graphic, etc)
- Reach out to department marketing team with information about your project including but not limited to: dates, location, capacity and whether or not it is open to public audiences.
- In this outreach, please also include:
- Create Facebook event (share with local arts community and personal community) Be sure to keep this information update as you get closer to your production.
- If your event anticipates audiences larger than 50 people and is located in the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre, the Lab Theatre or the B. Iden Payne Theatre, front of house services are required per department policy. This can be done by hiring student staff members (request required 4 weeks in advance) or by training volunteers associated with your team with the Audience Services Coordinator. Please reach out to dana.mclaughlin@austin.utexas.edu for all front of house requests.
- 1 week before:
- For external audiences- submit to local calendar listings (see list below)
- In order to include your event on the department website: Submit web-ready files (500x500 pixels and 1450x550 pixels) to be added to the Department calendar on the website. Email bommarito@austin.utexas.eduwith additional questions or issues.
- Post information in Winship (see above for permitted locations) if relevant.
- Ramp up creative content on digital platforms. Be sure to share any important information with your audience (box office opening times, parking information, etc).
- Send request to Marketing/Communications to email event details/information to Winship community. Unless you are a member of the listserve, you will not be able to send content to it without administrator approval.
**Please contact the communications team if you are interested in retrospectively sharing information about an event that was not open to the public.
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Tips
- Facebook
- Posters/flyers/slides: Have simple/strong image with vital content only
- Flickr creative commons
- Know your audience.
Referenced Links
Campus Flat Screen Online Submission Forms:
- Housing and Food Services
- DigiKnow (Unions)
- Student Services Building (SSB)
- RecSports
Top Online Event Calendars
What the Department Does not support:
- Graphic Design: While we will review your design if use of the logo has been requested, the department cannot support graphic design. If you are interested in resources for graphic design, the marketing team can advise on possible resources available to you – design work is the responsibility of the team/project. If you are an affiliated departmental unit, additional resources may be available. Please contact megan.bommarito@austin.utexas.edu for additional details.
- Paid promotional advertising: The department can provide a list of resources to assist if you have budget allocated to your project for paid advertising, but funding must come from the project budget and does not come from the marketing area.
- Printing: The department can provide resources should you be interested in printing posters, playbills or other promotional materials for your event. However, similar to paid advertising, this must come from the project budget and is not funded by the marketing area.
- Photography: The department has a list of suggested photographers who have either worked previously with the department or within the College of Fine Arts. However, budget for photography and submission of any guest artist paperwork must come from the team and is not supported by the marketing area.