To Our Not-For-Profit Friends
Oh, how we love and admire the work you do. Over a lifetime, both Lin and Ann have either worked in a not-for-profit environment or have supported the myriad causes with donations and hard work. If you're reading this, we probably agree with your mission and respect your commitment.
And there's a "but": After years of allocating 25 percent of all of Ann's touring schedule in support of groups that affect women and children, we must tell you that everyday it's a struggle to stay below that percentage. We know that times are tough. However, we can only continue to devote 25 percent of our gigs to not-for-profit causes. We, too, have a small business to run and can't always give away the store.
For you courageous souls, the following is a checklist that demonstrates the effort required when planning a concert. If you can complete this checklist and the idea is still appealing, fill out the form below.
What are you trying to accomplish? Are you raising funds, boosting awareness, rewarding or awarding members or supporters of your organization or perhaps celebrating a milestone?
What is your total budget?
Artists have expenses, too. They need to receive at least receive an honorarium. For Ann, that amount is somewhat flexible but starts at a minimum of $300 to $500 plus expenses. And if the event is open to the public, we will take a percent of all tickets sold after expenses. Due to a number of events that ended up not happening, we have had to put in place a mandatory $250.00 non-refundable deposit due at the time we sign a letter of agreement or contract.
Do you have an appropriate venue with a stage, riser, musical sound equipment and an area where Ann can sell her products? Are you aware of your cost for the venue and sound equipment? If you need to rent sound from us, the cost is $50.00 assuming we are not flying to your event.
If your event is a fundraising concert, is it just for membership or is it open to the public?
If the event is open to the public, what is your ad budget?
How many members are on your board? Will they take responsibility for selling at least 10 to 20 tickets each? And will those people actually show up for the event? How much are the tickets for members? How much for the public?
How do you envision the staging of your event? Ideally, folks are seated auditorium style and Ann appears in the body of a mandatory event: keynote, before a breakaway, at the closing of the production, etc.
If your event is a celebration or award ceremony, remember you'll still have the same expenses as for a concert. Our big problem with this kind of event involves food and drink. Since Ann is a storyteller and a songwriter, she makes terrible background entertainment, and we won't even consider this type of role. Her music needs an audience that is not rattling silverware and ice cubes. So after the dishes are cleared and folks at round tables have turned their chairs toward the stage, and the waitstaff and guests are no longer chatting among themselves, that is the time for Ann to perform.