Special Events

From: Mark Schaffer <mark.schaffer@folkproject.org>

Sent: Monday, May 4, 2020 1:52 PM

To: fullboard@folkproject.org

Subject: Special Events Report to Folk Project Board for May 2020

Special Events Committee Report May 2020

The Acoustic Stayaway has been a huge effort with assorted bumps and challenges, but the temporary transformation from the Folk Project’s live operations to an all-new virtual calendar has been largely successful at its mission:

(1) Income for our performers

(2) Easing isolation for our community

(3) Keeping the Folk Project relevant during a shutdown of indeterminate length

Strategy: Start Fast

Unlike live events, on the internet The Project competes with the largest venues and biggest-name acts in the universe. Anticipating this, our virtual operations went online rapidly to grab a foothold before the big players entered the virtual arena. One reason for the 7:00 start time was to avoid big-name competition when if finally appeared. The competition arrived en masse the last week in April.

e-Concerts:

Two e-concerts a week is a very dense calendar, but made sense under isolation circumstances. As expected, booking home broadcasters was almost impossible when we started and is much easier today. We are booked through June. Michael Agranoff indicates Friday evening Troubadour live acts are postponed at least through July, so we expect to add e-concert programming through July.

Gary Pratt is hosting the Tuesday concerts. I’m still hosting Fridays.

Our first 10 e-concerts averaged about $1,000 with 100 to 200 viewers. Unfortunately, the next three shows all had issues: one cancelled by the performer minutes before the concert started, one highly attended and excellent show was terminated by Facebook after 45 minutes, and a booking error resulted in a last-minute schedule change and tiny attendance.

Thanks to David Rimelis for filling in with three days notice. He was very grateful for the size of his earnings, $270, despite a very small viewership, 20 viewers, but this was very small by our previous standards.

e-Gatherings:

Our three workshops maintain 10 to 20 attendees per e-meeting. Thanks to Jay Wilensky for the Monday song circle, Bob McNally for the Wednesday guitar workshop, and Dave Kleiner for the songwriters workshop. Tech issues have encumbered some presentations, but the bottomline results have been worthy and overall effective.

Future e-Programming:

Two programs are in the planning stages.

• Joe Guzzo, our YouTube Channel Chief, is developing The Stayaway Sunday Show for Sunday afternoons. It mixes commentary and interviews with music videos by Project-connected performers. Ralph Litwin has permitted Joe to use edited selections from Horses Sing None of It on the new show. This should add great content to Joe’s show and more exposure to Ralph’s - a great synergy.

• Gary Pratt will be hosting an e-concert series based on the Getaway workshop Songwriters Show & Tell - three songwriters taking turns performing a song and then explaining a key element of the song’s creative process - but initiating this series will depend the sustained success of our e-concerts. It is an attractive way to recycle performers through our system after they have performed a Tuesday or Friday e-concert. If there is a consistent downturn in our e-audience, this series will not be productive and not be presented.

Stayaway Publicity:

REQUEST:

As we enter the new phase of competing for eyeballs, the Special Events Committee is requesting volunteers for additional publicity manpower with brain power.

Kathi Caccavale is a huge and creative contributor to Stayaway publicity. She works within a Facebook advertising budget of $30 per concert, plus distributes links to Stony Point Center, The Folk Alliance International’s Livestream Concerts e-bulletin board, and more.

Olga Alvarez created multiple distribution lists and professional guidance for a Stayaway press release. Peg Karr distributed the release per Olga’s work. The Project publicity team contributed with their monthly distributions.

John Lamb has put in a major effort last month redesigning the temporary Folk Project home page and the continuing effort to download.

The program has been covered with a segment on Jersey Arts internet radio show, and posts on NJ.com, and MorristownGreen.com.

Future Live Events:

Preliminary discussion and brainstorming was held as to how responsible live events should be designed when New Jersey State law allows.

Outdoor socially-distanced daytime events will be possible this summer. Any live event affiliated with this committee would have to exceed the most stringent safety standards possible and would consider any foreseeable risk of transmission as unacceptable.

Stay safe,

Mark

Mark Schaffer, Special Events Chair

From: Mark Schaffer <mark.schaffer@folkproject.org>

Sent: Monday, May 4, 2020 2:01 PM

To: Board FP <fullboard@folkproject.org>

Subject: Addendum to May 2020 Special Events Report

Addendum From Mike Agranoff to Special Concerts Report:

Please add to your Special Concerts report that the Deeper than the Skin concert (produced by me) is now rescheduled for January 29.

Mike Agranoff

Program Chair

The Troubadour Acoustic Concert Series

(Formerly the Minstrel Acoustic Concert Series)

Morristown, NJ. USA

From: Mark Schaffer <mark.schaffer@folkproject.org>

Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2020 1:45 PM

To: president@folkproject.org

Cc: fullboard@folkproject.org

Subject: Re: Special Events May 2020 Report Addendum - Thanks, Liz

Paul, Board,

Here’s the full article on line.