Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

Monday, May 21, 2012, 7 to 9 pm
Kelly-Strayhorn Theatre, 5941 Penn Avenue, East Liberty
Free/pay what you can

Monday Night Rounds, a program of Center Stage and Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, brings professional artists and arts managers together with individual artists and smaller companies for discussions about successes—and challenges—of presenting art to the public. Seasoned and emerging artists and producers explore topics in depth from their individual experiences. These will be monthly sessions, beginning October 17, from 7-9 pm, facilitated by Susan Blackman, Artist Resources Associate. If you are interested in attending any of these sessions, please help us by submitting a participant profile via the website.

Each evening, we will—

• Gather and meet new friends over light refreshments.
• Get an overview of the evening's topic, including best practices and resources for further exploration.
• Participate in guided exercises to bring theory into your creative practice.
• Hear practical, real-life solutions from other members of the creative community.
• And—always—follow your own curiosity to ask the questions that will help YOU.

Attendance at 7 Monday Night Rounds entitles a participant to a reduced rental fee at KST.

Monday Night Rounds: 2011-12 Schedule

Open House: October 17, 2011

Keep Your Focus: November 21, 2011
At some point, you must stop brainstorming to keep your project from snowballing out of control. Learn how to decide when you've done enough thinking and need to just start doing.

Name Your Success: December 12, 2011
Beyond creating your art, how do you define success: how many people see your work, what is the media response and impact on the community? Some things can be measured more easily than others.

Create The Plan: January 23, 2012
Build an action plan with a budget that tells the same story. Bottlenecks won't bring you to your knees if you can anticipate them. And audiences are easier to count while they are still in their seats.

Be a Money Magnet: February 20, 2012
Money comes from many sources—foundation grants, individual donations, ticket sales, touring income, fees for services, and... your pocket. Learn how to grow your funding without shrinking your pocket.

Build Your Team: March 19, 2012
Whether you are an independent artist or part of an organization, you can't do it alone. What makes a good team? And how do you keep a bad one from sinking your project? Learn how to build a valuable team.

Fill Your House: April 16, 2012
If you build it, will they come? Define your target market and figure out the best way to reach them. Create a marketing plan to effectively communicate to your audience—whatever your budget.

Your Plan in Action: May 21, 2012
Implement your production plan in real time, whether you have total control of the venue or not. Don't take anything for granted; don't assume. Learn in-the-trenches problem-solving.

Wrap-up: June 18, 2012
You've created and presented your art. You've accounted for the money, evaluated the outcome, communicated with partners. And that's what launches you into your next project. Next steps!

CenterStage is funded in part by The Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh Fund at The Pittsburgh Foundation. CenterStage is organized by the Kelly Strayhorn Theater and facilitated by Susan Blackman.