Step-by-step Workshop Production

How to plan and produce a workshop from concept to post-production

You have been discussing a potential workshop idea with an artist or a tutor, and you've been given green light! All the ideas are there, but now comes the difficult part of making it reality, i.e. producing it. Where to even start? No worries, this has been done many times, and we've listed the workshop production flow below. After you've given this a read, get acquainted with all the different programs and scenarios in workshop production, that all have their own knowledge folders.

Creating a concept

  1. During the meeting fill in Quick document together with the workshop tutor. 
  2. If the outcome is positive, Mediamatic will email with
    Tutor Participation document. 
  3. If the outcome from the tutor’s side is positive, Mediamatic will email Workshop description form and request a portrait photo of the tutor and photos that can be used to promote the workshop. 

Planning and communication

  1. Now all the details about the workshop should be pinned down. The next step is to bring the workshop on all the communication channels (Google Drive, Stager, website, Facebook, Google Calendar).
  2. Create a folder for the workshop on the Google drive (Workshop production → WO - Folders → create a new folder). 
    1. In this folder: create workshop overview from the template. Don't edit the template, but create a copy of it, and move it to your workshop folder.
    2. Create subfolders (WO - assistant checklist (and if necessary) WO - presentation, WO - handouts)
    3. Create pre-mail and post-mail templates for the workshop on Stager Mailings. (Read more about how to do it here.)
  3. Create a template for the website. (More info)
  4. Discuss finances and set a price for the workshop. Ticket pricing and honorarium calculation here. 
  5. Plan workshop dates for the next 3-4 months.
  6. Create a template in Stager for the event. (More info)
  7. Plan the dates in Stager. (More info)
  8. Discuss the communication details with the Communication Manager before publishing the workshop. Ask them to check the events template page. If you want to know more about promotion, you can check out the Online Workshop Promotion page. 
  9. Create events on the website (More info)
  10. Add the workshop date to the Events Google calendar. (More info)

Facilitation

  1. When the communication is up and running, we start the facilitation process.
  2. We check what materials and tools are in-house, and what has to be bought. Discuss with the tutor to figure out who buys/brings which materials.
  3. Keep in mind that the first edition should be assisted by a workshop team member, in order to evaluate assistance and other important details.


In the week before the workshop

  1. Check that minimum participation has been reached 3-4 days before the workshop. If it has not been reached, cancel the workshop. More about how to cancel here. 
  2. Send pre-mail to the participants 2 days before the workshop. (More info)
  3. Prepare materials, equipment and/or the workshop space.

On the day of the workshop

  1. Someone from the workshop team should be there during the first workshop to help out and see how it goes.
  2. Ask a photographer/photography intern to join and take photos for the promotion of future workshops.


After the first workshop

  1. Have an evaluation meeting with the workshop tutor about possible feedback. There is an Evaluation document that can be used for this.
  2. Check with the tutor what the material costs were.
  3. Do the finances of the workshop. Here is how to do it.
  4. Create an assistant checklist - check with the tutor where needed. (You can find the assistant checklist template here. Make a copy of it and move it to the workshop folder).
  5. If needed, plan in assistant(s) for the next two workshops.


How to continue

    1. Once the first workshop is done and there has been a feedback meeting, some things might still need adjusting. It is important to check in with the tutor and assistant after the first couple of workshops, and stay open to adjustments. 
    2. The continue with the workshop, check the steps listed below. 

 

Before each following workshop

Few months before

  1. Make sure planning and communication is on all of the programs/platforms we use: overview sheet on Google drive, Stager, website, Facebook, Google calendar.
  2. Here is how to publish new workshop dates! 

Two weeks before

  1. Make sure there is assistance if needed. Remember to plan assistant(s) in Stager. 
  2. Keep in mind whether there is any preparation needed and plan this in your schedule or the assistant’s schedule accordingly. 

Few days before:

  1. Check participation three days before the workshop. If minimum is not reached, cancel the workshop. 
  2. Send pre-mail 2 days before the workshop.
  3. One/two days before check that the space is clean and set up. Bring the corona kit (red box) to the workshop space. 


After each workshop

  1. Double-check that the workshop space is clean and equipment used is back to its place. 
  2. Send post-mail 2 days after the workshop. 
  3. Do the finances.


Roughly every 6 months

  1. Evaluate the workshop. More here. 
  2. Check if you have enough promotional material and photos to use. Do this together with the Communication Manager.