Have you ever wondered how we decide what shows, events, and activities to bring to The Civic?
It’s a complex process involving several key factors, each of which plays a vital role in shaping our programming – in today’s blog we take a Deeper Dive into our Events
.
While it might seem simple, checking if the venue can accommodate an event is crucial.
Sometimes, a show that looks perfect on paper requires a larger stage, specialized equipment, or other facilities we can’t provide.
This often happens with family-friendly shows featuring popular characters or elaborate sets.
Or they want something else that we just simply can’t manage – like granting the ability to fly!
Our venue has a busy schedule of activities, so fitting in a particular show can be a challenge.
Sometimes it’s just impractical to take a particular show or set up around other events at the venue.
Whilst we can, at times, turn the venue around quick enough its dependent on the availability of the volunteers to help us make it work.
Not everyone wants to come in at 11pm to put the raked seating away, which takes a minimum of an hour with five people so that we can hold another event the following day (this has happened several times including after Jive Talkin).
Moreover, we strive to offer a diverse range of events to cater to different interests and preferences.
This means balancing the demands of artists and promoters who may have specific scheduling preferences with our own desire to provide a well-rounded program for our audience.
.
We could write a blog post just on this one element, (perhaps event finances deserves a deep dive in itself )
It’s a subject that has many moving parts.
A Summary would be: This one is probably the most obvious but events cost money
Events come at a cost, including the show itself, promotion, and venue expenses.
We must carefully weigh these costs against expected attendance, ticket prices, and potential bar revenue.
Believe us when we say that we are very aware that Ticket Price is by far the biggest barrier to attendance of any event – not just ours.
We also know that bar prices and “hidden costs” are also an issue – which is why we ask that question in our surveys (as we pointed out in a previous blog here).
We do try and counter some of the higher ticket prices with events and activities that are at a more accessible ticket price – but it’s not always possible.
.
Sometimes, we simply see something we love and just have to bring it to The Civic.
These unique events can introduce new programming ideas, offer something different for our audience, and contribute to the overall vibrancy of our venue.
It might look amazing, feature a subject that is awesome, or is funny, able to educate, or just be bonkers enough to be worth asking about.
Sometimes it really is that simple!
There are a number of events over the years that have come to The Civic simply because we think it might be just different.
These events have often led us to develop new types of programming.
Remember when we brought John Challis for ‘Only Fools and Boycie’ and Simon Yates for ‘My Mountain Life’? Those shows helped us see that there’s a demand for talks and presentations.
That’s how we ended up booking Francis Rossi and the upcoming event with Fred Dinenage, ‘Ronnie, Reggie, and Me.
These shows are usually a bit riskier for us (because we might get it very wrong) but we often dive deeper in because we want to make sure we offer the most varied programme we can for you, our visitors.
.
And finally, but importantly, we often book events based on your recommendations, and your feedback plays a crucial role in shaping our programming.
A number of the artists who have become annual/bi-annual visitors to The Civic are here because of recommendations from YOU, our community, our visitors.
By filling out our post event surveys, we are actively engaging with our audience, and we can ensure that our programming remains relevant, diverse, and responsive to your needs and preferences. That is part of why your responses are so important.
We used to send out an annual survey asking you want you wanted to see at the venue – and we will be reviving that most wonderful of annual traditions at some point in the near future!
It will be your chance to help direct the programming of the venue to include events and activities that you want to see.
Your input will be invaluable so please keep an eye out for it.
Putting together our events is like juggling a lot of balls at once!
We want to bring you a mix of shows and activities that you’ll love or might surprise you and by listening to your ideas, we try to mix things up so there’s something for everyone – because there is Always Something Going On At The Civic.
.
23/10/24