The Producer Lab

Cut through the noise, fill those seats — even in a sea of shows.
Festivals are wild. You’re one of 500+ shows all shouting into the same void. Your audience is distracted, you’re probably performing and producing, and the budget is… what budget?

This workshop is for anyone trying to promote their show at a festival without losing their mind (or money). We’ll show you what’s worth your energy and what you can skip, and how to stand out when it feels like everyone is doing the same thing.

It’s not about fancy strategies—it’s about realistic, creative, scrappy marketing that works when the competition is fierce and time is tight.

We’ll dig into:

• How to plan your festival marketing without overdoing it
• What actually works on the ground
• The kinds of content to post when you’re running between shows
• Smart ways to make friends with the venue, festival, and other artists
• Doing the final push without feeling like you’re begging for sales

For a producers who wants to do their own PR
No publicist? No worries. This workshop is for producers and artists who are DIY-ing their publicity and just want someone to walk them through how to write a decent media release—and what the heck to do with it after.

We’ll demystify the whole process so you’re not stuck staring at a blank page or wondering if you’re annoying that arts editor by emailing twice.

It’s practical, producer-friendly, and made for folks who are juggling a million things and just want to do this part well enough to get the word out.

We’ll cover:

• How to write a media release that gets read
What to say in a subject line, intro, and pitch email
•Where to find the right people to send it to—and how to reach out
•What to include in a press kit (and what you can leave out)
•Following up without being weird

Build the hype before you even hit the stage
You don’t need a massive budget to start turning heads before opening night. This workshop is for anyone gearing up to promote a show and wondering: how do I get people interested before tickets even go on sale?

We’ll take you through how to build a bit of momentum early—even if you’ve only got a few followers, no trailer, and zero dollars in the budget.

You’ll walk away with a plan you can actually stick to (and repeat), so by the time you go on sale, your audience already knows something exciting is coming.

We’ll chat about:

* What to post and when in the 4–6 weeks before you open
*Easy ways to build curiosity without needing polished content
*Simple tools and tricks to keep people interested (and clicking)
*How to use your mailing list or social media—even if it’s small
*What to skip so you don’t burn out before opening night

Did you miss workshops? You need to make sure you sign up to our mailing list. You can do so via the link in the bio that way you won’t miss a thing. Stay tuned for new workshops coming up and a whole host of replay options too!!

Pitch Like a Pro: Selling Your Show to Venues & Festivals 
Online · 12pm – 1pm AEST · Thursday 29 May Only $25
If you’ve ever stared at a blank EOI wondering how to explain your show in 300 words or less, this one’s for you.
We’ll help you refine your pitch (written and verbal), tailor it to different types of opportunities, and highlight the things that matter most to presenters and venues. This one’s practical and refreshingly jargon-free. Link in Bio to book.

Producer Contracts & Deal-Making Basics 
Online · 12pm – 1pm AEST · Wednesday 28 May. Only $35.
You don’t need a law degree to understand a contract – but you do need to know what you’re signing.
We’ll walk through the basics of a fair agreement, how to spot red flags, what’s standard (and what’s not), and how to approach those sometimes-awkward negotiation chats with more confidence. Link in bio to book.

Tour-Ready: Planning a Regional or Festival Tour / Online · 12pm – 1pm AEST · Monday 26 May. Only $35
Touring sounds great – but how do you actually make it happen?
We’ll cover the nuts and bolts: tour planning, budgeting, timelines, how to pitch to venues and festivals, and whether your show is truly tour-ready (or needs a bit more prep). You’ll walk away with a clearer path forward.
Book in link in bio.

We’ve just added three new Producer Lab workshops for May — all built around the stuff that makes producers go, “I should really know how to do this better.”
All workshops are only $35 (incl. GST) and include access to the full recording — so even if you can’t make it live, you can still sign up and catch the session in your own time. Perfect if you’re juggling rehearsals, meetings, or just need to hit pause and rewind.

Free webinar ** you can watch the replay link in bio.