1) Write out your mission/vision/plan.
Include images, logo, background, history, statistics....make it a sales tool, you’re gonna use it to approach sponsors AND in the future for press/media. You can use this site, ladyfest.org and .co.uk for inspiration or if you want Manuela can send you the Amsterdam one and you can change it as necessary. 2) Have a brainstorming meeting for budget/fundraising.
At the meeting: Come up with a list of ALL (and any!) ideas for any organization, company, project, charity or fund that may want to be associated with Ladyfest. Circle ones you or someone in the team or that you know has already a relationship with, and immediately call them!
[Important!!! Some (whether you know them or not) need 2-3 months in advance! Especially governments/organizations and funds.]
–> Approach the ones you have left, find out how you can apply, or who the contact person is, basically, make sure you have the right person/application form and know what you are doing. Send them the info pack if necessary.
Ideas: - the city hall: because it’s a cultural/artistic event - gay organizations: because it’s an event organized by women about female talents. Some of the bands are notoriously linked with the queer scene. - women’s organizations: same as above - charity/initiative funds: there’s some set up especially to help out projects like this. Most governments will have some kind of program that helps bands play/tour, or helps individuals with starting up a (valid) idea....
3) Organize some benefit nights! There’s enuff bands that would play for nothing or simply expense coverage, and this is a good pre-promotion for the fest as people will have started to hear about Ladyfest already.
4) Make individual efforts: Get some independent merchandise girl/project to offer a good price for T-shirts, etc. or organize a car boot sale, or find a university that prints posters and flyers for free. -Get volunteers to help out on the day, instead of hiring out venue people (ask the venue if you can).
5) Strike deals: For instance, Glasgow rented out rooms in a hostel for a special price. Or you can ask a shop/brand or label to put an ad on your website, at the festival, or on the promotion (the program, the posters...) of the fest. Or, like some U.S. fests did, get Bacardi Breezer or a clothes line label or record labels to come to the day and pay to rent out a stand (depends on the size of the venue).
6) Stay cheap/d.i.y.: Try to organize it in a squat, in a youth association, in a social or charity projects’ headquarters.... It all depends on who/what you wanna be associated with!