Owning an artist community theatre means you’ll be able to continuously work with the public and provide an opportunity for amateur performers to shine. Artist community theatres are often understated and don’t get the recognition they deserve. The truth is, they were the stepping stones of many famous people’s beginnings in their acting and art performance careers. Today we’re discussing some pointers you’ll need to keep in mind before you decide to open an artist community theatre.
Treat Your Community Theatre Like a Business
Your artist community theatre is still a business, even though you’re opening the doors to raw talent and less fortunate folks out there who cannot afford professional theatre school. You must also do effective research to ensure you have all the information you need, such as how the market is coping and how many people are interested, the audience size, and the money needed to get the business off the ground and working.
Business costs may include daily running expenses, monthly utilities, employee salaries, payment for script writing, costume preparation and design, building maintenance, props, and lots more. According to the National Endowment for Arts, the funds for community arts vary from one company to the next. During the late 1990s and early 2004, $200k – $400k were one of the highest sums of money that came in towards art theatre organizations.
Know the Regulations of Local State
Know all there is to know about the artist community theatre industry within your state. You may need to fill out paperwork and register your theatre in the town state. Since you’re a small business owner, tax is inevitable, and you must fill out your tax when the time comes consistently. Abiding by all the protocols and regulations will ensure that your artist community theatre has all the ducks in a row and is ready to operate successfully for years to come.
Find Your Location
It might not seem difficult, but the truth is finding your ideal theatre location can be challenging if there isn’t a big audience for it. National Endowment for the Arts also noted that Nevada and Texas has grown more than 6% between 1990-1995, followed by Utah at 4%, Colorado at 3%, and Mississippi at 2%.
It’s also good that when you’re just starting out and perhaps cannot afford a permanent space, you tap into local resources for help. Sourcing for accommodation to host, for instance, an art gallery or music show in your local surroundings would almost always guarantee that you’ll pay less than what you would if you went to more premium venues further away. From a logistics point of view, being further away from the gallery will make it harder to transport paintings or, in the case of a live play, to get all the props and décor ready.
Repair the Parking Pavement
Making certain your audience has a place to park their vehicle is crucial, almost equally as important as having a venue to host the play or art showcase. The artist community theatre should have adequate parking for guests, and you may want to consider the help of a commercial paving company to help get some work done. Whether it’s asphalt paving that needs repairs or you’re looking to renew the paving completely at the new premises you’ve just acquired, working with paving contractors is worthwhile.
Have Proper Insulation
Insulation for your theatre is a crucial part of preparing the building for stage performances, art exhibitions, and the lot. Insulation helps regulate the temperature in the building and adds the benefit of soundproofing. For your artist community theatre, you could consider spraying foam insulation.
There are two main types of spray foam insulation namely closed-cell and open-cell foam. Closed cells are the more expensive type but are known for their robustness and reliability. While open-cell foam spray is more affordable and gets the job done effectively. You could also expect to pay around $1,300 and $4,000 for this type of insulation.
Moving Process
Relocating your artist community theatre is one thing, but the stress of moving is another. It’s stressful to move from one place to the next, but sometimes and oftentimes, it’s necessary. So, maybe you need to move to larger premises to help accommodate your company’s work. Or you’re moving to be in a better location with more art and live performance appreciation. Either way, you will need the help of commercial moving companies to ensure all your corporate moving needs are met. Again, because there are so many of these companies, it would be a good idea to get some quotations and take them from there.
Place For Trash
Designated areas of trash cans are vital to have in the vicinity and inside the premises because you want to ensure that trash is thrown away or recycled according to state laws. If you’re having an exhibition or art show of some sort, you should have trash cans available to dispose of rubbish. You can also try additional dumpster rentals to help accommodate for the bulk of trash during that influx of audience.
IT Service
To tie everything together and guarantee that everything is synchronized and working well, getting the IT team on board is important. They can help you set up the software to manage the business and transactions for ticket sales. Setting up all the computers using small business IT services is affordable.
You’ll Need Hot Water
Because there is so much happening, like makeup and backstage stress, and an ever-changing set, you need running warm water to help your team when needed. The artists doing fine art could also use warm running water to clean brushes and other equipment. Your local plumber can install a hot water heater, and you can also get quotations for the job you need to be completed. Speaking of plumbing, you want to check that all the plumbing is in good condition. Your guests and team will need the lavatory, running water, and water in the kitchen
Sort the Building’s Plumbing
As mentioned about getting a plumber. Your local plumbing company will charge more affordable rates to complete rather than having to source help from further away. You will also eliminate shipping costs and just be able to pick up the parts locally. The plumbing must all be 100 percent reliable for bathroom use, kitchen duties, and general upkeep and cleaning of the theatre.
Hire a Reputable and Reliable Manager
Hire a property manager if you need someone to look after the building while you’re away doing other business. Perhaps you’re expanding and looking for other premises but would like to rent your existing property for commercial use; entrusting it to a property manager will reduce all the stress related to finding tenants and ensuring that the rental payments are made.
Adorn the Outdoors With Gorgeous Hardscaping
Take the liberty of refining the garden or outdoor spaces of the theatre. When an artist community theatre is set up, it can include many things like a beautiful showstopping exterior and opulent interiors. You may need to get hardscape designs from a local landscaping expert because, if anything, they know how to turn nothing into something amazing. Landscapers use the grounds as an artist’s blank canvas, and with time and work, they create something magnificent that wows the crowds and all who pass by or step into the theatre space.
For hardscaping ideas, why not try some stone detail and pebbles since they always add such a zen-like appeal to the outdoors? Add a statuette or two and a water feature to usher in serenity. Hardscape gardens are often paired with softscape features like flower beds, pot plants, or succulents.
Hire an Interior Designer
Your interior designer is undoubtedly able to design a most suitable and wonderful interior that you, as the owner of the artist community theatre, will be excited and proud of. Interiors can feature select colors, tall ceilings, ceiling beams, fixtures, props, and more.
There are a few main elements when designing a theatre, including the stages where all the grand plays will commence, plus a seating area for the viewers watching the play. Lighting ensures that everyone can see on-stage music because you can’t have any show without good music. Did you know that music helps to set the tone of a play? For instance, a thriller would feature ominous music to hype up the scare, while if you pictured a thriller with no scary music, it wouldn’t have the same build-up to it. The same applies to comedies and romances; the music sets the environment and helps sell the flick
There’s also the sound and costumes that are highly important to the theatre for its success. Imagine if the sound was of poor quality, nobody there would enjoy the play because half the time, they never understood what was happening. Hiring a good sound engineer and costume designer can add to the success of your future investment. There is no show without theatrics and costumes.
Repair or Replace the Roof
The roof of your building is important and can alter various aspects. For instance, drafts coming through the roof due to a lack of insulation can cause the theatre to become cold and uncomfortable. The drafts will also render even the best HVAC system powerless because it’s only going to work harder to get the place at a warmer or cooler temperature. Fixing the roof via roofing service companies can help you eliminate many possible issues associated.
The building might need the roof replaced to save on the expenses of having to keep repairing a failing roof. Repairs can be done for minor issues, and you could also invest in smart energy use and install a new roof that has solar shingles. If you can find ways to save, it could greatly help keep your business afloat and running well.
According to Forbes Home, minor repairs can cost between $150-$1,500, major repairs $1,500-$1,700, and a roof replacement can easily cost from $8,000. Major roof repairs include fixing roof sagging, electrical issues, environmental problems like mold, and chimney repair. While minor fixes may include draining pooled water, replacing cracked or missing roof shingles, repairing small holes, and fixing minor leaks.
How To Find Reliable Contractors
There are a few signs to look out for in a reliable contractor company that you might want to use to help set your property for the artist community theatre. Their work and ethics say a lot about whether or not you can trust them to work with you in creating the idea of community theatre.
Do they have a portfolio?
A portfolio of the work they have completed is crucial to any professional and tradesman. If the companies or individuals you intend to use cannot show the work they’ve previously done, then they might be brand new in the industry or not work well enough to show the results. It’s best to avoid these ones.
People refer them
If you hear of other people referring to contractors they’ve used and their views on these companies are stellar, then you should be dialing to contact these stellar companies. People recommending certain companies and contractors mean their reputation precedes them and that they won’t disappoint.
Conclusion
Between getting everything set up and ready to officially become the owner and CEO of a local artist community theatre, things can become stressful. You need to focus and persevere to survive in any business. As you continue to grow your enterprise, your brand, and your leadership, you are continuously growing your reputation. Before long, people will associate you with one of the best theatres for the community in the area. If all goes well, you may be looking into finding larger premises to host your art functions and theatre performances. If you ask us, that’s a major well done!