C21 News January 2007 Issue 4 |
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Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2007 and to the January edition of C21 News, bringing you the latest news, views, training courses and job opportunities from across the world of Front of House, Box Office and Marketing in arts venues and organisations throughout Glasgow and beyond - not forgetting more exclusive offers for ArtsPass card holders.  At this time of year it can be a challenge for front of house and box office staff working in the customer-facing front line to stay healthy and avoid the dreaded lurgy! What with customers and colleagues falling victim to the winter bugs (did you know that the number of Scots hit by winter flu in 2007 has soared to an eight year high with nearly 8,000 telling their doctors they have fallen ill?!), it's important you do what you can to fend off the germs. Here are some top tips:
- build up your immune system by eating nutrient rich foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables with wholegrains and lean protein. exercise - take a daily walk in the fresh air and better still in sunshine (somewhat of a challenge to find so far this year in Glasgow!) wash your hands - colds and flu can be passed through coughing, sneezing, and touching surfaces such as doorknobs and telephones. drink plenty fluids - you can't top a good old hot toddy to beat the winter bugs!
- get a flu jab!
This month's C21 News features...
ArtsPass - do you have yours?
It is said that the general public are at their lowest ebb in the month of January. With the Christmas festivities over for another year and the wind and rain reminding us we are deep into winter's domain, people can feel there's not much to look forward to. Luckily for you, with your ArtsPass in hand, there is a host of entertainment to enjoy in the weeks ahead.
Don't miss out on the latest ticket offers featured in C21 News and available exclusively to ArtsPass cardholders. No one working in front of house, box office or marketing should be without one! Ask your supervisor how you can sign up or contact Kirsty at GGA. Read on to see what's up for grabs this month. Remember ticket offers are exclusive to ArtsPass card holders and sometimes limited - so don't be last, act fast!
Staff News
Who's on the move this month...?
All aboardScottish Ballet welcomes Alan Anderson to the team. Alan joins as Marketing Officer.
Moving on up!Anne McCluskey has been appointed General Manager of the Tron. Formerly of Festival City Theatres in Edinburgh, Anne has been with the Tron in a freelance capacity for the past year and they are delighted that she has become a permanent addition to team Tron. Also on the move at the Tron is Kirsty Miller. Previously Press Officer, Kirsty has taken up the position of Acting Press & Marketing Manager.
Not only is Erik Geddes Duty Manager and Service Charge Hand at the CCA, but he also runs his micro-business, Glasgow Music Solutions (GMS). GMS is looking to expand in 2007 and could be of benefit to arts venues in Glasgow. Whatever the occasion, a gallery opening or preview performance party, GMS can find (and has found) an eclectic array of musicians, DJs and performers. Currently GMS is promoting music in the CCA Scott Street Bar. Where does Erik find the time?! To find out more, check out www.glasgowmusicsolutions.co.uk website which will be up and running in the very near future or, for a less formal look at Erik's venture, see www.myspace.com/glasgow_music_solutions.
Venue News
A right Royal revampRestoration work is almost finished at one of Scotland's best loved theatres. Bosses say the £250,000 facelift at the Theatre Royal will restore it to its full Victorian splendour. Work began in October 2006 to bring the ageing exterior back to life thanks to a £105,000 cash injection from Glasgow City Council. The rest of the funding was provided by managing company the Ambassadors Theatre Group. The A-listed building is home to both Scottish Ballet and Scottish Opera. Councillor John Lynch, executive member for the cultural and leisure services committee, said: "The Theatre Royal is a vital part of Glasgow's cultural life, and it welcomes some of the greatest performers to the city. This refurbishment will enhance the experience of visitors to the theatre, which is undoubtedly a Glasgow landmark."
Did you know:
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The first theatre on the Hope Street site was a music hall in the 1860s but it was destroyed by fire. It reopened as the Theatre Royal in 1869.
Twice the theatre had to be rebuilt after being ravaged by fire in 1879 and 1895.
180,000 people visited the Theatre Royal between 2005 and last year, more than a 100% increase over 2004-5.
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The number of visitors to the Theatre Royal and the King's combined puts them on a par with Scotland's top five paid tourist attractions.
(Evening Times-16.01.07) Accolades galore!
Towards the end of 2006 The Bridge won the Design Award at the Glasgow Institute of Architects Awards. The Easterhouse based venue was also highly commended in the Partnership Category at the SURF Awards (Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum).
Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre - a new chapter beckons
Opened in 1985, the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) has quickly become one of the fastest growing cultural and conference venues in Europe. The venue was given much needed extra room in 1997 with the opening of the Clyde Auditorium - better known as the Armadillo. Now it's time for a new chapter in this success story. Approval has been given for the new SECC Entertainment Arena on the SECC site. It is anticipated the 12,500 seat arena has the potential to inject £54m into the local economy and create 1,500 jobs, adding to the £127.5m and 3,720 jobs generated by the SECC at present. The SECC campus is a major part of Glasgow's 2014 Commonwealth Games bid.
Jobs Board
Front of House Stewards (casual pool)Greater Easterhouse Arts Company is looking for Front of House Stewards to work at The Bridge, a thriving multi-arts centre staging theatre, dance, music, visual arts and development activity. To apply please complete all the forms in the application pack and return to: Jackie Shearer, Greater Easterhouse Arts Company, Platform, The Bridge,
1000 Westerhouse Road, Glasgow G34 9JW
Download the application pack at platform-online
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Sound & Lighting TechnicianThe Tron Theatre is currently seeking a Sound & Lighting Technician. Applicants should have good all round knowledge of rigging/operating sound and lights. For a job description and application form, contact Susie Armitage, Tron Theatre Ltd, 63 Trongate, Glasgow G1 5HB/Tel: 0141 552 3748. Deadline for applications: 30 January 2007
................................ Volunteer Show ManagersDo you love laughing? Do you love making people laugh? Ha Ha Comedy has opportunities for Volunteer Show Managers to help look after performers and stage manage performances during the Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival. The successful candidates should be outgoing, career driven individuals with high levels of enthusiasm and energy, along with excellent interpersonal and multi-tasking skills. For further details, log on to www.bumpervaluecomedy.co.uk. To apply, send CV with covering letter to info@hahacomedy.co.uk. Working hours are flexible, however you must be available from 5 - 28 March.
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To keep up-to-date with current job opportunities in the arts visit job vacancies at www.gga4arts.co.uk
Training Events/Opportunities
Essentials of Marketing: Druidstone Scotland (June 2007)
Druidstone Scotland offers those arts marketers in the early stages of their careers a comprehensive grounding in all aspects of marketing for both the performing and visual arts. Areas covered include advertising, copywriting, graphic design & print, marketing planning, press & PR and touring. The aim of the course is to give participants the confidence, based on the latest knowledge about existing and potential arts attendees, to develop their work to its maximum potential on returning to their own organisations. Frontline II: Front of House Conference 2007Birmingham Hippodrome - 13 June 2007A one day conference on changing aspects and legislation within House Managers' responsibilities. Every business needs to ensure it develops and retains a competitive advantage. Service has a key role to play. Is there a difference between customer care and customer service? How do you measure service standards and who should lead in setting these? What is the relationship between marketing and house management? How do you deal with abusive and violent members of the public? Find out all this and more. For further details about these events and to book a place, visit the TMA website or contact the TMA on 020 7557 6706.
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Arts Venue Training ToolkitAim: To equip all staff with the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to: - Enhance the reputation of your venue as a customer focused organisation
- Work as a focused motivated team whose members communicate well
- Confidently address the needs of customers with disabilities This is done in three modules, The Customer Toolkit, The Leadership and Team Toolkit and The Disability Toolkit. It is a training programme specially designed for people who work in the arts at all levels, and can be tailored to meet your needs exactly. Contact Big Difference Consulting for further details and costs.Tel: 01865 201802 or email info@thebigdifference.co.uk
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Selling Your Venue - Achieving More Successful Bookings Where: Glasgow (city)
Date: 28 February 2007 (9.30am - 4.30pm)
Event Theme: Growth
Event Description: Workshop to help tourism businesses turn enquiries into confirmed bookings.
Aimed at anyone who co-ordinates and sells venues (of any size) and is involved in the negotiation of event sales. This workshop will help you turn enquiries into confirmed bookings. It will focus on helping you to differentiate your business from competitors, and ensure you handle enquiries consistently and professionally throughout your organisation. Practical hints and tips for successful event management will be shared on this participative day. Cost £90 plus VAT Log on for further information, or alternatively call Katharine at Stark Events on 0141 357 2235 or email: katharine@starkeventsuk.com
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"Learning how to learn is life's most important skill."
Tony Buzan Have you been on any training courses recently? Did you find it useful? Do you know of any courses coming up which your colleagues in Front of House, Box Office or Marketing might be interested in? Why not share your views with colleagues across the city - send your training feedback to Kirsty and we will feature your comments in forthcoming editions of C21 News.
Reviews
Have you been to anything interesting and inspiring recently? What did you think of the performance you saw with your exclusive ArtsPass ticket offer? Share your thoughts in C21 News by sending your reviews to Kirsty at GGA.
Industry News
A Great Neighbourhood - Glasgow's Merchant CityHome to the City Halls and Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow's Merchant City has been announced as winners of the UK Great Neighbourhood Award. Awarded in November 06 at the glittering Academy of Urbanism awards ceremony in London, this is testimony to all the hard work that has been put into regenerating the Merchant City over the last decade - from businesses, artists, residents, statutory agencies and funders. This month, a Civic reception was held at the Old Fruitmarket in recognition of the award. The programme of regeneration, co-ordinated under the umbrella of the Merchant City Initiative, will this year see the start on site of both the Briggait, as a centre for WASPS Artists' Studios and Glasgow Sculpture Studios, and Trongate 103, as a massive new gallery and artist studio complex for a number of national and city-wide arts organisations. Really Useful venues to roll out home-printed tickets
Britain’s second largest ticketing company is to introduce print-at-home and mobile phone ticket sales for the theatre sector, in a move it claims will ease box office queues and help stamp out ticket fraud. SeeTickets has already trialled print-at-home ticketing with major events such as the Ideal Homes Exhibition but is now set to roll it out to venues in the Really Useful Group, with the Adelphi Theatre (London) likely to offer the service within the next couple of months. Customers will be able to buy tickets online and print off confirmation from their home computer which includes a barcode that can be read by ushers at the theatre using a handheld scanner. The system, which is already common on Broadway, cuts out the need to visit the box office on arrival and makes it harder for tickets to be forged. A similar system is already in operation at certain venues served by SeeTickets’ rival Ticketmaster, including the Lyceum and the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London. A new service will also allow customers with internet access on their mobile phones to browse events and buy tickets on the move. Unlike previous mobile phone purchase systems that have been trialled in theatres, the service can be used via any phone network. Meanwhile, technology solutions company the Telsecure Group is to launch a new ticketing system in February that offers the option to do away with paper tickets altogether and send a barcode to customers’ mobile phones by text message that can be scanned at the venue. Although text message tickets are already used for events such as rock concerts, Secureticket claims to be the first ticketing system to have the service fully-integrated rather than as an add-on. Ticketmaster has also trialled a new mobile ticket wireless delivery service in 2006, which it plans to offer to venues this year. Tickets.com multiple sign-upsConfidence in Tickets.com is holding strong with new purchasers. Five signed up in one week alone at the beginning of December 06, and CEO Simon Crane has announced the ProVenueOne development timetable, which potentially makes year end 2007 the date for possible migration to ProVenueOne for existing sophisticated users of both Databox and ProVenueMax. Read more... Sales contact: Fergus O'Keefe - uksales@tickets.com Website: www.tickets.com/provenue/UK_home.html Digital divides - new technology confusionWhile about half of Britons say online and digital technology makes life easier, half say they cannot keep up with it all according to Nielsen NetRatings autumn UK Digital Consumer Survey. The i-Pod is the most recognised of the new technologies, understood by 85% and never heard of by 14% - however podcasting is only recognised by 42% and 23% have never heard of it. Key technologies increasingly used by arts organisations such as blogs only get 53% recognition and 13% have never heard of it. Interestingly, although web access is increasingly available through wi-fi, TV, mobile phones and PDAs, 96% of Britons still access the web primarily from their PC or laptop. Full house: turning data into audiencesThe Australia Council and Creative New Zealand have each published localised editions of an expanded and updated Boxing Clever. Originally published in 1993 by Arts Council England, Roger Tomlinson has re-written the manual for the 21st Century, with co-authors Tim Roberts (Australia) and Vicki Allpress (New Zealand) providing country specific case histories. Each has also written in-depth chapters on 'permission marketing' in the context of the privacy and data protection laws in each country. For further details on how to obtain a copy, log on to www.artsoz.com.au/FULLHOUSE.htm or www.Fuel4Arts.com. RSNO receives GRAMMY nomination for best orchestral performance
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) has been nominated for a GRAMMY Award in the category of Best Orchestral Performance for its recording of Alexander Glazunov’s Symphonies Nos. 4 & 7, conducted by José Serebrier and recorded on the Warner Classics label. This is the sixth GRAMMY nomination for the RSNO in the past 5 years. RSNO Chief Executive Simon Woods, delighted with the nomination, commented: “It is wonderful that artistic excellence in Scotland is being recognised on the world stage. The GRAMMY Award nominees are at the pinnacle of recording achievement and the RSNO is honoured to be among them.”
Good luck to RSNO at the 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards ceremony which will be held at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday 11 February.
Tourism boost as numbers of foreign visitors rises by 14%An explosion in the number of cheap and direct flights to and from Scotland has been credited for a 14% rise in the number of overseas visitors in the first nine months of 2006. Another 250,000 more foreign visitors came to Scotland between January and September last year than in the previous year, according to the latest official figures. Some 2.25m tourists from abroad landed on Scottish shores over the period. This is almost double the rate of growth than in England, where visitor numbers rose by 7.25% from 19.3m to 20.7m over the nine month period.
Boom time as hotels book new recordHotel chiefs in Glasgow are celebrating after a record year for bookings. Occupancy rates for rooms in city centre hotels soared to a new high in 2006 - an average of 74%. This is the highest since records began seven years ago and a 2.5% rise on 2005. A series of major high profile events such as the Glasgow River Festival and the Glasgow: Scotland with Style campaign have been resulted in an "exceptional" year in 2006. Included in the Glasgow: Scotland with Style campaign was the promotion for the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum re-opening, an invitation to travel journalists to visit the city and an on-line promotion with airline easyJet. There were 455,120 'delegate days' of conferences in the city, resulting in a £100m boost to the local economy. During the first weekend in September a number of major events were held in the city resulting in no vacant hotel rooms. The data was gathered from 23 Glasgow hotels, representing 4,069 rooms.
One day in the booking office...
A new member of the booking staff at Caledonian MacBrayne took down a reservation from a woman whose name on the booking form she wrote as "Karen Driver". It was only afterwards that a colleague pointed out that the woman had, in fact, been trying to book herself and a car on the ferry!
Latest ticket offers available to ArtsPass card holders...
What's on: Death DiscoWhere: The Arches
When: 17 Feb 2007 @ 10.30pm - 3.00am
ArtsPass Offer: half price tickets Death Disco is an alternative, open-minded environment for the straight, gay and not-sure-yets to drink, dance, flirt and look HOT in... alright?
Featuring Rory Phillips (Our Disco/Trash), Headman, Tommie Sunshine and Lo Fi Fnk (live). Find out more...
Bookings in person @ Arches Box Office, Argyle Street - call 0870 2407528. Quote ArtsPass Offer when booking in person. Tickets must be booked in advance. Over 18s only!
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 What's on: The UnconqueredWhere: Cumbernauld Theatre
When: Sat 10 March 2007 @ 7.45pmArtsPass Offer: 2 for 1 tickets Tickets cost £10.00/£8.00 Powerful poetic language, dark humour and provocative ideas build a fast moving story around a fiercely intelligent young girl and her relentless refusal of the establishment. When suddenly a people's revolution breaks out and a mercenary soldier intrudes the family home, the conflict between the regime and the unconquered girl is revealed. Both frighteningly dark and brutally funny, The Unconquered follows Tom Betts' most recent successes in London with The Lunatic Queen and The Biggleswades . Find out more...
To book, call 01236 732887 and quote ArtsPass Offer. Tickets must be booked in advance and offer is limited to 4 tickets per ArtsPass holder. Age restriction: 15 years +
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What's on: Commemorative Glass - Nick CroweWhere: CCA
When: Wed 15 Feb 2007 @ 7.00pmArtsPass Offer: Access to Press Preview
CCA is pleased to present a major exhibition of work from Nick Crowe. Commemorative Glass features a selection of new and recent works, many of which have never been shown before in the UK. The exhibition includes two new large sculptures, The Beheaded and The Campaign for Rural England. Crowe's practice encompasses a wide range of media, including film & video, sculpture and the internet. This exhibition focuses on Crowe's specific interest in glass as a contemporary artistic material.
To book, call 0141 352 4900 and quote ArtsPass Offer. Over 18s only!
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What's on: Hafdis HuldWhere: The Arches
When: 6 Feb 2007 @ 7.00pmArtsPass Offer: Pair of free tickets to the first 5 ArtsPass holders to ask! Originally the singer with iconic Icelandic collective Gus Gus, Hafdis Huld toured the world at fifteen, before collaborating with producers FC Kahuna, Ewan Pearson and Tom Middleton; co-writing their singles Hayling and Machine Say Yes. Her current single, a re-work of The Velvet Underground’s Who Loves The Sun, is produced by Boo Hewerdine of Eddi Reader/KD Lang fame with a B-side co-written by The Sneaker Pimps. Seems everyone wants to work with the girl The Guardian are calling “Bjork crossed with Cerys Matthews on a diet of candyfloss”. Find out more...
Bookings in person @ Arches Box Office, Argyle Street - call 0870 2407528. Quote ArtsPass Offer when booking in person. Tickets must be booked in advance. ................................
What's on: RISK
Where: Tron
When: 10 Feb 2007 @ 7.30pm
ArtsPass Offer: 2 for 1 (20 available - max 2 tickets per purchase & subject to availability). Tickets Normally: £10/£6 (Previews - £6)
A macrobert production in association with Company of Angels, YDance and The Tron. Writer: John Retallack; Choreographer: Andy Howitt.
Created through interviews and workshops with young people, RISK is a striking fusion of street dance and theatre from the team who created the acclaimed Club Asylum. RISK draws five stories from the voices and actions of a generation of these young people. Personal safety is not at the top of their list. They are looking for excitement, even danger - ways to feel more alive. Their stories burn with the intensity of risk-taking, captured on stage in an adrenalin rush of hip-hop, break-dance and street-dance. RISK is about the decisions young people make as they walk the line between feeling alive and staying alive. Find out more...
Quote ArtsPass Offer when booking by phone 0141 552 4267 or in person at 63 Trongate. Age restriction: 14 years +
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What's on: Vivienne Grout's Adventure in Another Metropolis
Where: The Arches
When: 2 & 3 Feb 2007 @ 7.00pm
ArtsPass Offer: Free tickets!
Tickets Normally: £6/£4
Vivienne Grout dreams of being adored. Now that Father has been taken by the foxes, she must run away from everything she knows and seek out her future in the Metropolis. Inspired by Tim Burton’s jet-black poem Voodoo Girl, this adult fairytale sees Vivienne stripped of her beauty and robbed of her happiness. Her eyes are replaced with hypnotic disks, her skin with dirty cloth and her heart with a pin cushion; and she is confronted with a choice between numbing loneliness or masochistic love. Is she destined to live unhappily ever after? Find out more...
Bookings in person @ Arches Box Office, Argyle Street - call 0870 2407528. Quote ArtsPass Offer when booking in person. Tickets must be booked in advance.
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What's on: The Wonderful World of Dissocia
Where: Tron
When: 2 - 10 March 2007 @ 7.30pm (Previews 28 Feb & 1 March 2007)
ArtsPass Offer: 2 for 1 (20 available for each performance - max 2 tickets per purchase & subject to availability). £1 discount for Preview performances.
Tickets Normally: £6 Tue - Thur; £7 Fri + Sat (Previews £6)
"If you like Alice in Wonderland but there’s not enough sex and violence in it, then Dissocia is the show for you". (Neilson)
Lisa Jones is on a journey. It’s a colourful and exciting off-kilter trip in search of one lost hour that has tipped the balance of her life. The inhabitants of the wonderful world she finds herself in – Dissocia – are a curious blend of the funny, the friendly and the brutal. Produced originally for the 2004 Edinburgh International Festival, The Wonderful World of Dissocia wowed critics and audiences alike. This is a hugely original play, both fantastical and moving, that confirmed Anthony Neilson as one of the major voices in contemporary British theatre. Find out more...
Quote ArtsPass Offer when booking by phone 0141 552 4267 or in person at 63 Trongate. Age restriction: 14 years +
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What's on: Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival
Where: Blackfriars Bumper Value Comedy Cavern
When: 8 - 24 March 2007
ArtsPass Offer: 25% discount on selected shows
Ha Ha Comedy is offering ArtsPass card holders a 25% discount at seven of the hottest shows in this year's Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival:
The offer is limited to 20 tickets per show and is available until 1 March 2007. Book online at bumpervaluecomedy.co.uk - select the show, follow the online booking link and enter ArtsPass Offer in the promotional code box. Alternatively, call the festival box office on 0870 013 5464 quoting ArtsPass Offer.
Don't forget, C21 News is for you, about you and written by you!
So don't be shy and don't delay. Grab your pen or reach for the key board - we want to hear what you've got to say about what's going on with you and your colleagues at your venue, reviews of any performances you have seen recently (particularly having taken advantage of the exciting new ArtsPass offers!) and feedback/recommendations on any training courses you have attended or are up-coming in the near future.
Please send contributions by Monday 19 February 2007 to Kirsty at GGA.
Looking ahead to Glasgow's bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Ruth Wishart gives an extraordinary insight into all things Glasgow!
"When Glasgow was accorded the accolade of European Capital of Culture in 1990, there was a certain amount of stage sniggering. What did big, brash Glasgow know about culture? What it knew was that the term surely embraced everything from the high classics to the empowering value of community arts. What it knows now is that culture and sport have been the cement which secured new foundations for Glasgow's modern economy. It's no accident that Glasgow is the base for our foremost symphony orchestras, national opera and ballet companies and our fledgling national theatre company. But this same city is movie mad and a production line for top flight pop bands. This same city queued round the block when its beloved and sumptuously refurbished Kelvingrove Art Gallery re-opened. The enduring and endearing thing about Glasgow is that you'll find just as many locals as visitors at its top tourist attractions."
Until next time - best wishes
Kirsty
Kirsty Macleod
Office Manager
Glasgow Grows Audiences (GGA)
Suite 1/1
6 Dixon Street
Glasgow G1 4AX
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