Smart Artist Advancing for Music Festivals.

The artist’s advance sheet is a fundamental aspect of organising any music festival as it confirms the mutual agreements made between organisers and artists. Finalising the artist’s advance can be one of the most time-consuming elements for staff organising a festival, but technology is helping to streamline the advancing process.

The artist's advance sheet has traditionally been completed with a series of phone calls, verbal agreements and handwritten notes, at best a spreadsheet may be used. This process is prone to errors and misunderstandings that can lead to disagreements and the possibility of a completely chaotic festival.

What's in an Artists Advance. 
The advance contains everything that organisers need to plan and schedule performances and logistically support booked artists. The artist uses the advance to confirm where they need to be at what time and that their own requirements have been documented. The typical advance may include:   

•  Date, time and location (venue and stage) of their performance.
• Times allocated for sounds checks.
• Dressing room schedules and rider information.
• Artist’s fees agreed.
• Meal allowances.
• Number of artist and guest tickets allocated.
• Artist and crew member names and details.
• Organiser's on-site contact details.
• Artist and crew’s vehicle details and parking arrangements.
• Travel and accommodation details including flights, hotels and transfers.
• Technical, backline, audio and lighting specifications.
• Stage layout specifications.
• Artist’s official press photo and bio. 

Smart Advancing. 
Using software that has built in functionality for producing and managing artist's advances can be a game changer for festival organisers. Staff spend so much time chasing and confirming details that delays are common resulting in errors. Having all artist’s advances in a common format and held in a single electronic location can simplify the process. Analysis of the data can quickly help to identify missing data and enables staff to generate targeted reminder emails for example. 

User Friendly Software. 
Keeping all artist’s advances in a single electronic location (online Software as a Service) means that secure access can be given to users as appropriate. Artists and their management teams can upload key information and requirements whilst checking their schedules and confirmed details. Festival staff can also access the advancing data to enable stage scheduling, set times and other technical requirements. The data can also be linked in real time to dynamic calendars and scheduling so that producers can create shows and that work efficiently and seamlessly.

A good event management software platform provides fast and secure access for relevant parties to artist’s advancing information. Changes can be made quickly, and the data linked to other key functionality that may include accreditation and show calendars for example. Smart artist's advancing is already here and festival organisers no longer need to rely on scraps of paper and inaccurate information to plan their events.

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics including a dedicated artist management module with comprehensive advancing functionality The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

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