Pitching

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Pitching: sharing your passion for a performing arts work or project with the sector at the state arts marketing, and discussing possibilities for partnerships and touring

WA Showcase IS BACK – now is the time to start thinking about what performing arts project you WANT to SHARE WITH presenters AND communities.

Do you have an amazing show that speaks to a range of communities across our state?

Does it have something new or important to say about the world we live in?

And what was your driving force behind creating it in the first place?

Apply now for the chance to share your project at a gathering of the most creative people in WA.

  • APPLY FOR A PROFILE SESSION – an overview for you or your company
  • APPLY FOR A PITCH SESSION – for pitching a production that is ready to tour
  • APPLY FOR A PITCH PLUS SESSION – a pitch, but with a live excerpt onstage
  • APPLY FOR A PONDER SESSION – for sharing or discussing a new idea

Deadline

Applications close on Thursday, 11 May, at 5 pm.

Pitch your show, your idea, or yourself.

This is your chance to tell your story to the people who present performing arts across the state.

Pitching is about showing us the heart and soul of your work – why it is something WA audiences must see, and why regional centres should have it in their venues. In the end, we hope to be as excited about your work as you are!

There are also categories that let you ‘pitch’ a new idea, your company, or yourself as an artist.

Check out this year’s categories for more information.

Pitching categories

 

Benefits to pitching

There are amazing benefits to sharing your work or ideas with venues, and with other producers and artists.

You will:

  • Open doors to new opportunities to collaborate and present work.
  • Meet the presenters face to face – it’s the best way to develop new relationships or solidify existing ones. Getting to know the presenters, and understanding them and their communities’ needs and wants, is vital.
  • Get to see other pitches and meet other artists and producers. See how others do it!
  • Learn from the Professional Development sessions on offer at WA Showcase. You will pick up some great learning for yourself and your practice, but you will also learn what challenges regional venues face and perhaps see ways you can support them. You’ll also learn about practical things like audience development, engagement and funding.
  • Receive feedback.
  • Get your show out there! It is your best chance to get heard above all the touring work in play. The connections you make at WA Showcase may ultimately lead to touring or presentation outcomes in the future.

The aim of the game is to see more quality WA work touring more WA venues.

 

Benefits of presenting work in the regions and touring:

  • It is a wonderful, rewarding and exciting experience.
  • It will broaden your audiences and engage with new ones.
  • It will develop your skills in producing, tour coordination and management.
  • You will be contributing to the well-being and liveability of the state!

Who can pitch?

Any WA artist or organisation can apply to be considered for pitching. A curatorial panel of industry experts will consider the applications against a range of criteria and then determine which shows will pitch at WA Showcase.

 

Can I apply for more than one work?

Yes. You might have a tour-ready work best suited for a ‘Pitch’ and a work still in development best suited for a ‘Ponder’. Please complete a separate application form for each show or idea that you want to be assessed by the panel.

(However – if you apply to present a Profile, you will not be able to present a Pitch, Pitch Plus or Ponder session.)

How will my project get chosen to pitch?

Applications to pitch are assessed by a curatorial panel.

The panel will consider the following when assessing your application:

  • The originality of the work
  • Its reach and appeal to audiences
  • The quality and professionalism of the work and the team
  • The inclusiveness of the work and the team
  • The tourability of the work

What happens after my pitch at WA Showcase?

CircuitWest will ask presenters which pitches they want to hear more about. We will share this information with you or your producer, including the contact details you need to get in touch directly and keep those conversations going.

Your WA Showcase listing will remain on our website until next year’s WA Showcase.

As part of your applications to pitch, we recommend you build a pack of information that can be provided as part of this listing. Include things like show information, video, images, reviews, and some commentary about why the show is a good fit for regional communities. Don’t forget tech specs, costs/fees, and any community engagement opportunities.

If your pitch receive a large amount of interest from presenters, and you are genuinely ready to tour, CircuitWest may be able to offer you a tour coordination service. As part of this service, CircuitWest may help liaise with presenters, build a tour itinerary, fine-tune your budget, and work with you or your producer to apply for a Playing WA (regional touring) grant. If our funding application is successful, CircuitWest will contract with you and the presenters. You will deliver the shows (and outstanding community engagement for each community), and we will help you deliver a successful tour.

Resources

 

Still got questions?

If you have any further questions about pitching, which pitch category is right for you, or WA Showcase in general, please reach out to tourcoordinator@circuitwest.com.au and request a time to chat. We’re here to help.