I have been part of the organizing committee of a good number of events since I was fifteen and I am just now realizing that event planning is one of the many things I am really good at. My short stint as an artist also exposed me to some of the problems that are common between artists and show organizers. In general, I find that show organizers usually have little empathy for artists while the artists also show little empathy for show organizers. Having played both roles and facing the challenged on both ends, I wanted to do something that will help artists understand what goes into organizing a show. I believe if they are more aware, they will form better relationships with show organizers and promoters.
One main issue that keeps coming up is that of poor pay packages for artists. On the side of show organizers, direct concert ticket sales are always low so they have to rely heavily on sponsors who are sometimes also very tight handed with cash payments. Usually sponsors will help with logistics and other support but hardly do sponsors actually give out cash. I won’t even go deep into the tradition of people inside companies taking their own share of the budget before it finally gets to those who really have to go on the ground and execute. Then we have artists that mostly leave all the marketing of the show to the show organizers forgetting that for success, they must be equally hands on.
The discovery show is a platform that brings artists into the organizing committee, pushes them to mind their business by evaluating their true financial value and profitability of their fanbase. It is easy for an artist to demand to be paid 100K for a show but can that artist really pull a crowd that will buy tickets worth 100k? Which got me thinking - If artists complain about their pay, and organizers complain about artists market value and participation in event marketing and promotion, why not create a system where each his responsible for generating their own income and making the show a success?
That is how THE DISCOVERY SHOW was birth -a joint venture between the artists, arTchitect and Or’elien Entertainment. That the idea was put out and the artists who signed up for the first edition picked the name which many love so much is testament to the benefits of artists being actively involved in the organization process.
arTchitect and Or’relien Entertainment will provide the platform (stage, sound, lighting, etc), logistics, and branding services while the artists will be in charge of marketing and ticket sales. The show will operate under two formats.
1. CLASSIC DISCOVERY SHOW
The classic format of the show is just like how the first edition went down. - Artists sell tickets and keep 100% of the profits. Artists can sell as many tickets as they wish but all artist ticket sales have to be presales i.e Artists will not be allowed to sell tickets at the venue. - Artists will take care of ticket printing fees (5000 FCFA/50 Tickets) - Artists contribute to pay DJ ( 2500 FCFA per artist) - Artists contribute to pay Graphic Designer ( 2500 FCFA per artist) - Venue: STADE CICAM, DOUALA.
2. SPECIAL EDITION DISCOVERY SHOW
We are going to have special editions of the show with no particular format. Special edition shows are those that will be organized at any venue other than STADE CICAM in Douala or at the special request of an artist or group of artists. The details of this special editions will vary based on the artists concerned.
Any-Ha!
People have said things in a bid to cast doubt on my intentions and those things have reached me. I can understand that we live in society of skeptics where people don’t believe someone can sacrifice even a dime just to give others an opportunity. I believe those who want to knock this idea are just trying to blanket us with their own insecurities. My partners and I, obviously, do not run a charity organization so we will also like to make profits from our services but for now, our main goal is to encourage artists to venture more into independent shows and take responsibility for their careers. We are sure through this venture, we will change the culture around concert going and build a platform that will be ripe for cash sponsors and cash benefits for everyone in the future.
The second edition of the show is currently being planned and the deadline for registration was originally planned for today. All artists and talents interested in participating in the next edition of the show must send an e-mail to discoveryshow@artchitect.xyz expressing their desire to be part of the show. The e-mail should include:- 1. Professional Photo of the artist 2. Press Kit 3. Songs (mp3 format) / Artwork 4. Links to songs and other work
I will be extending the deadline for artist registration to Friday, August 23, 2019.
All inquiries about The Discovery Show should also be sent to: discoveryshow@artchitect.xyz
Now, help us answer the question.
Is The Discovery Show a real game changer?
Regards,
- Tino Foy