Burlesque student Jane and producer and performer Grace Cherry at Moonah Arts Centre
Photo: Mr Cherry

I’ve been putting together burlesque and cabaret style events for a long time (some more successful than others!).

And maybe putting a show together is something you want to achieve. Or you want some ideas on improving how you bring an event together.

This isn’t the sexiest part of showbiz, but I have some great tips on how to budget and plan smartly for your next event.

You need to actually do a budget as part of your plan.

I am constantly amazed to hear that some people don’t do this. And look, sometimes it’s just part of being an artist - you spend a lot of time on your craft and not much on the event management and budget side of life.

You really need to start out simply and think about:

Income sources: (aka where is the money coming from?)

Ticket sales
Bar income (maybe from a promotion or offer)
Merchandise
Raffles or Door prizes
Sponsorship

You could also plot out any opportunities for in kindsupport. This is like the stuff where cash might not change hands, but it might a cost avoided or an opportunitiy:

Marketing support
In kind sponsorship or cross promotions
Partnership from venue

And of course you need to think about costs:

Venue hire
Technician and staff costs
Artist wages (see the Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance, but you are looking broadly at a $230 minimum per person fee for a 2 hour call)
Marketing (online and print)
Photography or videography
Amenities
Licensing or Insurances

2. Be really conservative in estimating your income

When you budget, it’s also best to be conservative with seating.

For many of us, ticket sales make up the bulk of your income.

So if I am trying to budget for an event and consider things like artist involvement, marketing expenditure. Or just even if the event is viable! I will usually do my budget based on a venue capacity of 50%

Never budget on a full house. It’s just not realistic to set ticket prices and packages on 100% capacity.

Again this seems obvious, but it’s something I just didn’t know when I started. I used to just charge a ticket price and hope for the best!

And if possible, you can try and include a contingency.

I also try and work out what costs might be upfront (deposits, promotional needs) so that I know how much I personally might need to invest before the tickets even go on sale. If you are new this is important, because you might need to plan your cash flow.

3. It’s a tongue in cheek statement - - but don’t book more performers than you can afford.

You probably can’t afford 500 performers. And you generally don’t need a cast of thousands (unless you are doing a Vegas style extravaganza!) .

Have your key performers booked and paid at the award rates they deserve.

A quality event doesn’t always need to be a long night out.

Budgeting might not be the most glamorous thing in the world. But it’s the foundation of a sustainable event, and making sure you aren’t sending yourself broke to put on events.

A smart budget will make sure that you are paying everyone fairly and that your event is more likely to be successful as part of a broader marketing and event management strategy.

Grace Cherry x

Owner, Miss Kitty’s Meow

Tips for anyone producing a burlesque show!