How to Maximize Your Day at the Colorado Performing Arts Jamboree
Spending a day at the Colorado Performing Arts Jamboree (January 21, 2011 at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds) is an efficient, fun, and highly effective way to discover new acts for your performance series or events. Where else can you talk one-on-one with more than 100 performers and groups, gather promotional material, and watch nine live performance Showcases—all for a modest $27 per buyer ($65 for a group)?
Register to Attend
But to really take advantage of this opportunity, it’s best to put a little thought into your approach. The following tips are based on our own experience and that of talent buyers who come to the Jamboree year after year.
But to really take advantage of this opportunity, it’s best to put a little thought into your approach. The following tips are based on our own experience and that of talent buyers who come to the Jamboree year after year.
Before You Go
- A few days before the Jamboree, go online to and look at the list of Exhibitors, the Showcase Schedule, and the profiles of the Showcasers on our website. Get an idea of exhibitors you want to talk to and Showcase performances you specifically want to see, and plan to be there for those performances. With only nine showcase slots of 15 minutes each, they go quickly. (TIP: The Showcase area is in a corner of the exhibit hall, not in a separate room.)
- Have a general idea of the kinds of acts that work well for you, but be available for delightful surprises that could shake it up a bit and tickle your audiences.
- Make sure you have plenty of business cards. Many artists won’t give you their promotional material unless you give them a card in return, showing them who you are and what performing series / presenting entity you are affiliated with. (Be prepared to let artists know how you would like to be contacted. If you prefer not to receive promotional emails, just cross out your email address or ask them not to add you to their list.)
- Get plenty of sleep the night before, pack a water bottle to stay well hydrated throughout the day, and dress for comfort. Wear comfy shoes and carry a purse or backpack that leaves your hands free. Although the Jamboree is fun, it can be exhausting; you’ll probably be on your feet most of the day and talk a great deal. TIP: There is an on-site café offering breakfast items, snacks and a full lunch for purchase. There are tables and chairs in the café as well as seating in the Showcase area.
At the Jamboree
- The Jamboree is a six-hour event. Even if you don’t need that much time, we recommend arriving on the early end so that you can see all the Showcase performances that you want to see. Also, it’s nice to catch exhibitors while they’re relatively fresh, before they’ve explained themselves to 50 other buyers.
- Check in and get your copy of the Guide to Colorado Performers and the Exhibitor Locator Map/Showcase Schedule, along with your badge and goodie bag.
- Best way to walk the hall? Here’s where our experts differ. Some recommend simply walking the hall. Other say you should take a preliminary walk through the exhibit hall, making note of any acts you particularly want to go back and talk to. Other buyers prefer to grab a cup of coffee or tea, sit down, see who’s at the event, and make notes on the exhibitor map to remind you of performers you want to talk to.
- If you come with a group of buyers, you can “divide and conquer,” assigning one section of the exhibit hall to each person, knowing that Kathy, the children’s performance buyer, will also keep an eye out and pick up literature that would be of interest for Henry, the cultural events guy. Some buyer groups do a preliminary foray before lunch, then convene at lunch, share notes, and then take their colleagues back to talk to particularly promising acts.
- Whichever approach you choose, when you walk the exhibit hall (or your assigned portion of it), simply choose one end and walk straight through to the other end, speaking briefly with each exhibitor unless they are clearly not a match to what you’re looking for. Don’t be shy about talking to the artists (or helping yourself to their candy or treats, even if you’re not a potential buyer for them!). Our artists are a casual and friendly group and they appreciate talent buyers—even those who don’t individually benefit them.
- Collect literature, promotional demos, ask questions, take notes. As mentioned above, be prepared to let the artists know how you like to be contacted.
- And make sure to be in the Showcase area to see the performers you particularly want to see. (The Showcase area is also a great place to sit down anytime you just need a rest.)
After the Jamboree
Back at the office, it’s easy to get swept into the other demands of your job and to let that pile of promo you collected sit and gather dust. Instead, carve out a little time a day or two after the Jamboree to:
- Make notes of any performers you would like to contact, and for which events; put this information in your calendar, task list, tickler file, or whatever system you use to get things done
- Pull out any CDs or DVDs that you are eager to review and put them in your stack of material to review
- Pass on to your colleagues any material you gathered for them or would like them to review
- File the information you don’t need now but will need later
- Discard the information you don’t need
Finally, put your Guide to Colorado Performers up on your shelf for easy reference over the next two years.
Sit back, put your feet up, and congratulate yourself on a well-thought-out, well-executed day at the Jamboree that will pay dividends through great future performances for your audience.
Presented by Jim Schwartzkopff • Venture West (venturewest.biz) • 303-329-6242
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