PACTcon2018 Learning Breakout Sessions
- See the full conference schedule for more learning and networking opportunities.
Thursday, May 10, 11:30am to 1:00pm
- Relaxed Performance Training
British Council Canada
Are you interested in learning how to make your space more inclusive and accessible to all audiences? A Relaxed Performance provides the opportunity to attend live performance for those who may struggle with the traditional theatre environment. Its principles also provide a structure to adapt existing show or can be incorporated from the beginning of their development. With the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, British Council Canada, in collaboration with PACT, is bringing a 3-part Relaxed Performance Training to PACTcon2018. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend all three 90-minute sessions. The training is divided into three sessions: Foundation; Getting the Word Out (inclusive marketing); and Opening the Doors (planning for your audience). - Your Patron’s Data Story, Are You Listening and Acting?
Peter Cathie White (Arts Club Theatre) & Eric Nelson (TRG Arts)
Arts organizations are awash with patron data. Getting these data stories is not hard. What’s difficult is understanding what they’re saying and how to take strategic action. Arts Club Theatre Company has partnered with TRG Arts since 2008. A key component of their work together has been building patron loyalty by “hearing” their patron data. Though a multi-stepped approach, which included data analysis, strategic planning and consistent execution – Arts Club has experienced a 30% increase in single ticket and subscription revenue, an 88% increase in annual fund revenue and a 59% increase in donor households over 5 years. Come learn some “data listening” and engagement strategies you can take home and implement right away on your own. - Dark Nights – Stories Across Disciplines
Luke Reece (Obsidian Theatre), Wayne Burns, & Joss MacNeill
Through ongoing conversations surrounding success, creative philosophy and the deconstruction of commercial hierarchies, Dark Nights is a space for frank discussion, brutal honesty and the excavation of our current socio-political landscape. Dark Nights encourages individuals from all artistic backgrounds and personal identities to stand with us as we continue to establish a container where creative youth are highlighted and empowered, failure is seen as a tool for growth, and life in the arts is spoken about realistically rather than romanticized. Dark Nights brings people together in a conversation dissecting the different ways we tell stories. What are the narratives we are familiar with as Canadian artists, and how do we subvert or reinvent them in our varying artistic disciplines? Can we begin to form new narratives at our points of intersection, and have them garner the same kind of support? - The Future of… Exploring Digital Arts in the Creative Process
Beth Kates
Digital Projection / Video Design is epic and delicate, and it’s not just the “icing on the cake”. The integration of video into a performance allows time, history, memory, the inner world, the real and surreal to come to life, and to form a relationship with the performer and the audience. Join designer Beth Kates in a hands-on and interactive session that delves into the act of creation, best practices, ways to explore story using digital media, and how to build the necessary vocabularies.
Friday, May 11, 2:45 to 4:15pm
- Relaxed Performance Training, Part Two (Getting the Word Out – Inclusive Marketing & Communications)
British Council Canada
- Arts Industry Benchmarking: How Does Your Organization Measure Up?
David Ciano (Spektrix)
Using data from 300+ performing arts organizations this report will provide industry benchmarks for how you compare to your peers in key metrics such as reattendance, proportion of sales online, click-through rates, donation add-ons and many more. In each area we’ll discuss not only the benchmark average but also identify organizations with exceptionally high success rates and break down what contributes to their success. Expect to walk away from this session with highly tangible take-aways that you can immediately implement at your organization.
- Reclaiming the Commons
Kendra Fry
Exploring faith communities work in collaboration with the arts to create a richer and more sustainable experience for communities at large. - Cross Border Hopping – What You Need to Know
Robert Baird (BAM Artist Management)
Presentation from an acknowledged expert in visas, withholding and taxation for artists crossing the border for touring into the USA.
Saturday, May 12, 1:30 to 3:00pm
- Relaxed Performance Training, Part Three (Opening the Doors)
British Council Canada - All In Revisiting Cohorts Gathering
Donna-Michelle St. Bernard & Ashley Bomberry
This session is designed for company members that have already taken the first stage of the All In Cohort training. - Creating Healthy Spaces / Investigating Harassment
Alicia Ludlow (PACT HR Specialist)
This entry level HR session will explore ways in which to implement and maintain a safe, healthy, harassment-free work environment, while also exploring how to conduct investigations if harassment claims do arise. All those who attend will be provided access to an electronic workplace investigation “toolkit” from PACT. - The “Other” Story – Telling Your Company’s Story
Panel Discussion
Aside from the narrative of what’s happening on your stages, what is the future of telling your company’s story. In what ways are companies connecting to a new age of audience or engaging with their communities? How does your budget tell your company’s story to key stakeholders? What is the future of promoting your company’s narrative as well as the stories that you share onstage?
