This information is located in our software for artists. Some references within the text will be software related.

Introduction to Public Relations
Press Releases, Fact Sheets & Press Packets
Press Time Line
Sample Press Release
Sample Event Fact Sheet

INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC RELATIONS

Introduction to PR

So you’ve worked hard creating your art, developing a project, and now you want to let the world know about it. This might mean you have secured a venue to show your work, or you simply want to let people know about a new project you’re ready to show. In order to let the most people know about your work and attract the appropriate crowd of visitors, collectors, press, and curators, you’ll need to develop a PR campaign.

Great PR generates a buzz by notifying the right people and the right media outlets about events they are likely to want to attend or write about. A good PR campaign is targeted at these individuals and focuses on getting people interested in your work.

The first thing you will want to do is figure out your target audience. These are the people you ABSOLUTELY want to reach. Everyone else outside of this target audience is an added bonus for your event. The key to developing your PR strategy is to cast as wide a net possible to attract your target audience without overreaching and going over budget or expending too much effort.

Figure out your target audience by thinking about who you want to see your work. Do you want to attract a certain kind of crowd? How old is your target audience? What is their background, community, culture, income, education? What language(s) do they speak? Where do they live? Where do they work? All of these will factor into where you publicize your project and how you let people know about what you are doing.

The language you use to describe your project or event should be both understandable and interesting. Use descriptive language and short, concise sentences. Always include images when possible.

There are lots of techniques you can use to get people to attend and/or participate in your project, including:

• Sending out press releases and event info to local press outlets like newspapers, magazines, radio stations and television networks.

• Using email and websites like Facebook and Myspace to let anyone and everyone know about your event.

• Mailing postcard invitations to your mailing list and the host venue’s mailing list.

• Putting up flyers in places where your target audience is likely to be, like coffee shops, places of worship, theaters, businesses, gyms, clubs, libraries, etc.

• You can put flyers in grocery bags, or ads on the bags themselves.

• You can insert your flyer as a “stuffer” in the Sunday newspaper.

There are thousands of ways artists have publicized their projects, from simple word of mouth to skywriting. The trick is figuring out what method will reach your target audience. Be sure to create a PR budget before you begin publicizing your project as costs can quickly get out of hand. When creating your budget you might also want to create a “time budget” that will help you decide how much time you are willing to spend publicizing your event. Sending out emails can take a few minutes, but putting up flyers can take hours, even days.

Press Mailing Lists
One of the best ways to let people know about your project is to send out press releases to local newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and other publications. For more information on how to write a press release see the Press release section of this software.

Putting together a press mailing list, in addition to and separate from your personal mailing list, is a good idea. If you haven’t already begun compiling your own press list begin immediately by imputing these contacts into the GYST software. Many artists rely on gallery press lists, but if you are working independently, or showing your work in a non-art space, a comprehensive press list may be unavailable.

If you are starting your press release from scratch consider doing the following:

• Visit your local library and ask for a local and national media directory. This will list up-to-date information on news editors, writers, and reviewers working for major US and international publications.

• Visit the websites of every publication you would like to notify about your project. Get names and contact info for reviewers, critics, and editors. A great resource for doing this research is http://www.newsdirectory.com/

• Collect contact info for local non-profits.

• Make sure to include University Newspapers, small neighborhood newspapers and newsletter services. A great resource for finding alternative press outlets is http://www.altpress.org/

• Get the contact info for all your local radio and TV news outlets. For radio station contacts visit http://www.radio-locator.com/

• Go online and download advertising specs from print publications. These usually include information about the demographics these publications cater to. Knowing this can help you craft a better, more targeted, press release.

You can also ask around for press contacts. Ask a local non-profit if you can borrow their press list. Ask other artists, schools, or even galleries you have exhibited work in for their press list. If they don’t want to give you the list in digital form (on a CD) ask if you can provide mailing labels and pay for printing so that you wont actually have access to the computer files.

You really shouldn’t ever have to pay for a mailing list, but some cities have arts organizations that keep track of mailing lists that are for sale. A frequently used resource in the Los Angeles area is the CARS list, which rents out names and addresses of people who voluntarily sign up to receive information about arts and culture.

What to send out:
Press Release
Event Fact Sheet
Press Packet (scroll a little further)
Public Service Announcement
Email Save The Date
Email Event Announcement

Personal Mailing Lists
Your personal mailing list is probably your most important marketing tool. You want to keep your personal list up to date and private. It is never too soon to start your own mailing list. Start with your friends and family, then do some research for other venues that might be interested in your work.

Word of mouth publicity is priceless and hard to generate but here are some tips for ensuring that your personal contacts help you in creating a buzz about your project:

Send individualized emails to your friends, family and colleagues. Start with a short note asking them to personally attend your opening. You absolutely don’t want them to think you just cut and pasted an introduction. After this you can paste a standard invite to your show, which states basic information as well as the body of a press release.

Don’t send press releases to your friends and family.

Write short personal notes to friends and family on postcard invitations.

Send a Save the date up to one month before your event.

Let your personal contacts know that they can forward event details to their own contacts. Thank them for doing this.

Press Releases, Fact Sheets & Press Packets

About Press Releases
A press release is the most important part of an effective PR campaign. Like everything else it takes time and practice to write a good press release. If a news outlet doesn’t cover your event don’t get discouraged. There’s a lot of news out there. The important thing is to be persistent. The more times your name/organization comes across the editor’s desk, the more recognizable you will be and the more likely you are to get coverage in the future.

A press release gives reporters a one-page summary of your event or exhibition. It should be “scannable,” which means it should use key descriptive words and short, concise sentences. It should clearly state the basic features of the event:

Who: the artist, the organization, or performers
What: The event or exhibition and what it will present
Where: The venue
When: The duration of the exhibition, hours of operation, and opening dates.
Why: Why is the exhibition or event important, why is it occurring now, in the space where it occurs?
Contact info: Who will answer questions from the press?

The press release should convey the audience the work is geared to. Most importantly, it should set your project apart from the rest by relaying clearly and succinctly WHY YOUR EVENT IS WORTH COVERING.
The more your press release reads like a ready to publish article the better, as this makes for less work for the media outlet’s writer.

Press Release Contents Checklist
• Date for release of information. (i.e. for immediate release)
• Contact name, phone number and E-mail.
• Title of show or event.
• Dates of show or event.
• Hours the show or event will be open to the public.
• Date and time of an opening reception.
• Directions if needed.
• Parking info if needed.
• Acknowledgments.
• If the space is wheelchair accessible, note this on the press release.
• State the availability of photos or transparencies.
Have any images you are including ready for the release date.

Rules for a Press release:
• Use 8.5” x 11” white paper.
• Use a minimum of 11pt. Font.
• Type your press release (no handwritten text)
• Only print on one side of the paper.
• If the press release can be listed immediately in a calendar or a review write FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE at the top.
• Keep releases one page long if possible.
• Use a standard font like Times, Helvetica, or Arial.
• Make sure the margins are one-inch on all sides
• Make sure you have an eye-catching headline at the top of the release.
• All body text should be, at minimum, 1.5 spaced.
• Make sure the opening line gives a brief synopsis of the show or event.
• Make sure you use descriptive language so the reader can “see” the work.
• Don’t use overly verbose language and don’t be overblown or dramatic, eg. “The best artist in the universe”.
• Don’t try and be artsy or poetic – cut to the chase.
• If your press release is more than one page long put the word “MORE” at the bottom of the first page.
• End your press release with a boilerplate, which can be a one-sentence description of your artistic vision or practice.
• Put three number symbols (###) at the bottom of the last page of a press release to indicate the end.

Press Release Structure:
See the Sample Press release

Event Fact Sheet
An event fact sheet provides the minimal information needed about the exhibition or event. It can be sent along with a press release, or in place of it when only basic info is needed. It answers the important 5 W’s, Who, What, Where, When, Why and provides contact info. You can send an event fact sheet to a Calendar/Events editor instead of a press release. Send event fact sheets to newspapers at least three weeks before your event. Send event fact sheets to magazines three months ahead of time.
Event Fact Sheet Structure
See sample event fact sheet

Press Packets:
Press packets provide all the necessary and relevant information different press outlets might need when reporting on your event. They can be quite expensive to produce, so choose who you give them to wisely. If you are sending valuable materials and you want them back, consider sending a self-addressed stamped envelop (SASE) along with the packet. The news outlet might not mail it back but it’s worth trying, especially if you are sending books or DVDs.

A Press Packet can include:
An introduction or cover letter
A Table of Contents page listing what is in the packet
Letters from donor organizations or a list of sponsors
Press release(s)
Artist bio(s)
Past reviews of the artist(s)
Artist Resume(s)
Information about the venue
Images of the work on a CD and an Image inventory list
-Images should be both “print ready” at 300dpi and “web ready” at 72dpi.
Business cards for the artist and venue
A catalog or pamphlet from the show

Containers for press packets can be as simple as a plain folder in a standard manila envelope and as complicated as a custom-made shoulder bag with multiple programs and press releases included. While professional presentation is important, remember that it is what is inside the press packet that really matters.

How to organize your Press Packet:
From The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA):
A press kit should be organized in a folder and should include all of your promotional material including:

Organization Info (in left side of folder)
Event Info (in right side of folder)
organization’s brief history
board of trustee list
misc. marketing materials
any relevant or recent press coverage
press release for current event
program for event
bios for artists, if applicable
images from event

In general, press kits are made available for attending press at the opening night of an event or at a press preview. Press kits do not need to be sent to press ahead of time unless there is a particular media contact that you are expecting or hoping will review your event.

PRESS TIMELINE

Be sure your information is correct and gathered together a week before you need to send out the press information. Have someone else look over all your press materials to make sure your project description and venue information is clear.

3 months before the show or event
Most magazines have a three-month publishing deadline. Make sure you call publications for their requirements. Make sure the venue has all your information about the project way ahead of time.

3 weeks before the show or event
Most newspapers and weekly publications require a three-week event deadline.

1 week before the show or event
Send out an invitation to your e-mailing list. Remind any reviewers via E-mail.

After the event
If a reviewer writes a favorable review about your show send a follow-up thank you email. This shows that you are reading their writings and will establish contact for the future.

Sample Press Release

Sample Event Fact Sheet