Focus on the Spanish market Presentation by Mike Ribalta Head of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

“How to sell your work in Europe”

Focus on the Spanish market

Presentation by Mike Ribalta

Head of the department of Professionals [FiraTàrrega] Coordinator [Meridians network]

FiraTàrrega

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FiraTàrrega in a few words

• Founded in 1981
• Second weekend of September – 5th to 8th 2013
• International market for the performing arts
• Showcase for current performing arts
• Special focus on outdoor and theatrical performances as well as unusual visual

formats

• Professional meeting point and an international forum for discussion
• It draws 80,000 visitors and 1,300 professionals (750 promoters and

programmers, 450 artists, 50 journalists, 50 guests)

• www.firatarrega.com

Meridians Network

• FiraTàrrega is founder and coordinador of Meridians, European network for

the performing arts in non-conventional venues, established in 2006

• The network exists to promote the creation and co-production of works based on

exchanges between artists and partners from various European Union countries, in

• rder to spread intercultural and European creations in the field of the performing
• arts. These should inhabit and use the city as a stage to link its citizens to non-

conventional theatre languages.

• For 2010-2013 the Meridians network comprises the following festivals: Ana

Desetnica (Slovenia), Mala performerska scena / Festival Novog Cirkusa (Croatia), FiraTàrrega (Spain), Inteatro Festival (Italy), MiramirO, Ghent (Belgium), Scènes de Rue, Mulhouse (France), Stockton International Riverside Festival (UK), Stockholm Culture Festival (Sweden), St. Patricks Festival (Ireland).

• The current project of Meridians is TransAC Transnational Co-production In

Action, funded by the EU Culture programme (2011-2013)

• www.meridiansnet.org

Some facts about Spain

• Spain is not one, it is 17 different Autonomous Communities

The political power in Spain is organized as a central government with

devolved power for 17 autonomous communities. These regional governments are responsible for the administration of schools, universities, health, social services, culture, urban and rural development and, in some cases, policing. There are also 2 autonomous cities.

• The policies in culture are mainly a mandate of the governments
• f the Autonomous Communities.
• Each autonomy has institutions in charge of promoting culture

Catalan Arts, Institut Ramon Llull, Basque network SAREA, Institut

Estudis Balearics, Consejerías de Cultura…

• The policies in culture are mainly a mandate of the governments
• f the Autonomous Communities.

Therefore, as culture is decentralized, companies interested to perform need to know where they are playing and what are the institutions and the legal basis of the territory.

Culture in Spain

The public institutions (mainly, city councils) are the great promoters of the cultural development stated by the 1978 Spanish Constitution

“The public powers shall promote and guide culture, to which everyone has a right.”

Most of the cultural managers are civil servants with weak

• specialization. Only main venues, fairs and festivals have professionalized

artistic directors Fairs and festivals are the current main gateway for international companies to Spain. A distinctiveness of the Spanish performing arts: The difference between festivals and fairs (an unsolved debate) A FAIR: It’s a professional meeting point. It draws professionals. It has to

• ffer services to companies and promoters. It’s a meeting point. It’s useful

to the promoters to attract them. It’s an interesting matchmaking place. A FESTIVAL: It’s mainly a big theatre celebration for as much audience as possible. The basic aim is to present performances, not to promote companies among professionals.

Crisis in Spain

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/interactive/2012/aug/03/europe-arts-cuts-culture-austerity

Culture cuts where austerity measures are curtailing the arts

Map with the results of the Guardian's collaboration with Le Monde, El País, La Stampa, Gazeta Wyborcza and Süddeutsche Zeitung to crowdsource information about European arts in the age of austerity

Impact of the crisis

2012 - First major cutbacks in public funding Result: decrease of the public theatre programmes

Madrid and Barcelona maintained public consumption of culture

Labour force adjustment plans affect public and private cultural enterprises

Madrid Art and Culture (MACSA), the public company that manages all the cultural activities of the City of Madrid, dismissed 24% of the company’s workforce (75 people)

March 2012: First overall reduction of spectators in all Spain

September 2012: VAT on cultural goods and services increased from 8% to 21%

September-October 2012: -32% demand in culture The budget of the Spanish Government for 2013 increases the cuts to the main cultural institutions with another 30% to 50%

Mercat de Les Flors -50%; Liceu theatre opera in Barcelona -33% Teatro Real Madrid -30%

2011 to 2014: It’s expected an structural reduction of demand of 30% to 40% Sponsorship has dropped

The Law of Patronage that would promote the participation of private sponsors in culture is postponed sine-die by the spanish government

Touring in Spain

Who programmes? The main programmers are big venues, city council culture departments, festivals and fairs. The main way to be programmed to small venues and cities are through agencies They are a good gateway to the country as they know the promoters The company working with an agent has to sign a clear agreement, have regular relations with the agent, be proactive to propose actions and keep tight control of the contracting process. Places to be seen The fairs and festivals as Spanish promoters don’t travel internationally Performing at a Fair is the beginning of the tour for your creation. Festivals, venues, city festivities are the next steps In 4 days the company is seen by many people and can make many contacts Spanish fairs work together under the brand of COFAE www.cofae.net

Touring in Spain

What are Spanish festivals looking for? Excellence and a wealth of formats and scripts in outdoor arts and unconventional spaces Also, small and medium size acts to fill in the public space Festivals are proactive co-producers Apply for residencies and laboratories. They are training and mentoring

• platforms. Ej: the Creation Support programme

New creation centres - Art Factories In the last 2 years Spain has seen the creation of art factories to develop R&D in culture to reduce the impact of the crisis

– El Matadero y Medialab (Madrid), Ca l’Estruch (Sabadell), Centro Pàrraga (Múrcia), La FuNdicIOn (Bilbao), Tabacalera (Donostia)

The Art Factories programme of Barcelona:

http://www.bcn.cat/fabriquesdecreacio/en/

Touring in Spain

Be aware

• The best way in to Spain is to perform in a fair or a festival.
• There are no connections between festivals and fairs. Going to an event does not

guarantee a tour.

• The market for international proposals is small. The main venues or events with

budget to afford production are less that 20 in the whole country.

• Work with non textual creations. Audiences don’t speak languages.
• Spain has only a few networks and are mainly regional or national, to promote

touring of Spanish companies for indoor programmes.

Taxation

• Taxation of performing arts is unclear and changeable.
• Important to be aware of the rules before signing contracts.
• Have clear talks with the event manager that contracts you to avoid surprises

regarding taxes of 24.75% on fees and cost of VAT (21%)

Touring in Spain

The main fairs and festivals with international programme Catalonia

FiraTàrrega (performing arts, outdoor arts and site specific) www.firatarrega.com Mercat de Música Viva de Vic (music) www.mmvv.cat Fira de Titelles de Lleida (puppets) www.titelleslleida.com Trapezi (circus) www.caer.cat Mediterrania (traditional and folk) www.firamediterrania.cat Al Carrer (outdoor arts) www.atriumviladecans.com Festival Grec (summer festival of Barcelona) http://grec.bcn.cat/ Festes de la Mercè (outdoor arts and music) www.bcn.cat/cultura Temporada Alta (new formats, indoor) www.temporada-alta.net

Valencia

Festival de Vila-real (outdoor arts) www.ajvila-real.es

Touring in Spain

The main fairs and festivals with international programme Basque Country

Umore Azoka (performing arts, outdoor arts) www.umoreazoka.org Festival Kalealdia (performing arts, street theatre, circus) www.bilbokokalealdia.com KALDeARTE, Vitoria (outdoor arts) www.vitoria-gasteiz.org Dantzaldia (dance) La Fundición www.lafundicion.org

• Int. street arts festival of Lekeitio (Outdoor) http://lekeitiokale.net/

Castilla y León

• Fest. De teatro y artes de calle de Valladolid (oudoor)

www.tacva.org Festival Enclave de Calle, Burgos (outdoor) www.aytoburgos.es

Touring in Spain

The main fairs and festivals with international programme Aragón

Feria Int. de teatro y danza (performing arts, dance) www.feriadeteatroydanza.com Trayectos (dance) www.danzatrayectos.com Fiestas del Pilar (city festival of Zaragoza) www.zaragoza.es/ciudad/fiestaspilar/

Madrid

Teatralia (young audiences) www.madrid.org/teatralia Fringe (all genres) www.fringemadrid.com Escena contemporanea (p.arts, dance, cinema, visual arts…) www.escenacontemporanea.com Festival de Otoño en primavera (thetre, dance, music) www.madrid.org/fo

Touring in Spain

Venues and creation centres Madrid

Centro de arte Reina Sofia www.museoreinasofia.es Matadero www.mataderomadrid.org Teatro Circo-Price www.teatrocircoprice.es

Murcia

Centro Parraga www.centroparraga.com Teatro Circo Murcia www.teatrocircomurcia.es

Catalonia

• Fàbriques de Creació

Ateneu Popular 9 Barris, Fabra I Coats, Hangar, Graner, La Central del

Circ, La escocesa, La Seca, Nau Ivanow, Almazen, Antic Teatre, Conservas, El Polvorí, Experimentem amb l’art, La Caldera, La Poderosa, Niu, Obrador Sala Beckett.

Tips

The goal to be programmed:

• Propose new, unique and excellent proposals. The main key: artistic quality
• There is much more offer than demand of international companies to perform.
• In the fierce competition just the best are programmed

Know where you go:

• Ask yourselves if the festival you want to apply is the target of your company.

Don’t send proposals randomly.

• Don’t make the mistake to misplace your spectacle

If you go to a fair check the programme before applying Find an event that has your target of professionals (outdoor, music, young

audience…)

Never go to a big fair if you are not ready to face big crowds. Never go to a fair with a spectacle that is not ready.

• Get as much information as possible of the event you are interested to be

programmed in.

• Ask to companies that have already performed in it. Programmers will ask their

colleagues about your show.

• Seek quality of promoters over quantity

Tips

Invest to promote your proposal:

• Fairs are events to promote your spectacle and company.
• Fairs will only pay a percentage of the fee. You have to see them as a

promotion tool.

• Use all the tools that the organisations give you to do a good pre-production

before attending

• Be selective when contacting professionals. Find the ones that suit your target
• When going to a perform in an arts market the artists perform and agents sell.

The artist should focus of deliver the best performance and go with a tour manager that has a good marketing ready.

• Invest in European projects

At European level is very useful to work in EU funded projects. Follow calls of networks, check EU website and other European associations on a regular basis – www.circostrada.org / www.on-the-move.org / www.ietm.org European projects put together companies from different countries, support mobility and dissemination and are an opportunity to meet people and ideas

Tips

Dossier

• All general rules apply

Send a clear dossier, with specific information of your creation, your company. The main claim of your creation is the artistic concept. Never forget the contact details. Do not invest in expensive wrap-up. A simple elegant dossier is better that a baroque

• presentation. Promoters in Spain prefer facts to literature.
• Language

If possible send your dossier in Spanish. No need to send it in Catalan, Basque or Galician in the different communities with own language Some fairs and festivals allow dossiers in English or French. In case of doubt contact the organisation To avoid “lost in translation” make sure that all your talks with the organisation are backed-up with clear emails summarising the deals

• Send video

All artistic directors want to see the show that you offer. Send a video of high quality that clearly shows the spectacle. Don’t expect them to travel to see it live.

• Technical rider

When it comes to select a project the cost of the technical requirements is very

• important. Be realistic with your demands.
• List of performances done if applying to a fair

If you apply to a fair remember that shows that have toured a lot have less chances than new creations in their first steps of touring

Tips

Negotiations

• Spanish programmers negotiate. Be ready to deal your performance conditions.
• Be honest. Don’t ask for a high fee and be careful not to accept a too low final

payment (professionals talk to each other and your reputation is at stake).

• Be aware of the services that you receive from the organisation when

negotiating fees.

• You will invest time and money, so learn to say no to events that are not offering

you a good deal.

• Although you have agent making the deals keep contacts with the festival to

guarantee that your conditions are respected.

Thank you

Mike Ribalta FiraTàrrega pro@firatarrega.com