The Alley expands into YouTube.

With a little help form your friends you can achieve anything and this week has been another great week at the Alley, as the Alley marketing department took a masterclass in how to use YouTube and develop a Alley Theatre YouTube channel.

So far we have launched audio visual presentations for the Strabane Drama Festival, Northern Ireland Photographic Association and Strabane Grammar School. Today we launched a new video from BT Sounds Like Summer champions, King Coma and their new single "On My Side". The band are delighted with the final video, with several leading press and radio critics looking to review it over the coming weeks...watch this space! Want to see the Alley Theatre You Tube channel? Click here.

This week we also had some great news from Arts and Business, who have agreed to fund two exciting projects with BT/NWIPP and P.G McGillon Motors in Sion Mills. I cannot say too much at this stage, however we hope to run both events in March time....sorry to say it again, however watch this space!

The Alley wins the National Personal Safety Award!

Northern Ireland’s Alley Theatre has won the prestigious Safer Workplace Award at the National Personal Safety Awards 2009 presented by The Suzy Lamplugh Trust in London last week.

The National Personal Safety Awards were held at the Hilton Hotel in London, with the Alley scooping the top award of the night, the “Safer Workplace Award” sponsored by Royal Mail. This was a tremendous achievement for the Alley Theatre, who faced tough competition from organizations from across the UK and Northern Ireland in making the finals shortlist and was delighted to be announced winners at this star studded gala night.

“The Alley Theatre is delighted to be recognized for our hard work in promoting personal safety amongst staff and user groups” commented John Kerr, Alley Theatre manager. “The Suzy Lamplugh Trust is recognised around the world as being the leading authority on personal safety and to win recognition at their recent awards ceremony was a tremendous achievement for The Alley Theatre, Strabane District Council and our staff”

The judges said that measures the Alley Theatre took to improve personal safety was incredibly thorough, and what particularly impressed them was the fact that as well as risk assessments, training and policies, they actually effected a culture change, so that all employees are now encouraged to openly discuss any safety concerns and to plan their working day with safety in mind. It was very clear to the judges that this was not a tick-box exercise, but that the Alley Theatre places the personal safety of its staff at the heart of everything it does. Also shortlisted for the Safer Workplace Awards were Norfolk County Council and EDF Energy.

Ann Elledge, Director of Personal Safety at Suzy Lamplugh Trust, said “The National Personal Safety Awards were established by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust two years ago to recognise the achievements of organisations, workplaces and individuals around the country in promoting personal safety. We were extremely impressed by the calibre of nominees this year and The Alley Theatre were deserving winners against impressive competition.” For more information about the National Personal Safety Awards, visit www.suzylamplugh.org/awards.

Arts and Business Course proves a great success!

I took part in an "Art of the Pitch" course earlier this year which I really enjoyed and which I feel I took great benefit from. The links made on the course with fellow particpants and potential sponsors has already led to several successful relationships, including the securing of a performance at the Alley by one of the particpants and cementing the sponsorship relationship with one of the panel.

Arts and Business have now profiled the event as a case study on their website, check it out at http://www.artsandbusiness.org.uk/Case-studies/2009/oct_dec/ni_artofthepitch.aspx

Personal Safety First at the Alley!

The Alley Theatre received some wonderful news this week as the highly respected Suzy Lamplugh Trust, one of the worlds leading personal safety experts, short listed the venue for the prestigious "Safer Workplace" award at their annual awards ceremony set to be held in the Hilton Tower Hotel in London in November 2009.

The National Personal Safety Awards were established to celebrate and highlight organisations around the UK who are providing exceptional procedures and support in personal safety issues for staff. With the new nomination, the Alley can now seen as one of the top 3 organisations in the UK for putting personal safety of staff at the top of their agenda, an amazing achievement for this wonderful regional theatre.


The Alley Theatre certainly impressed the panel of judges, who have been inundated with nominations from around the UK. David Adams from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust said: “We were delighted to receive a nomination from The Alley Theatre for our National Personal Safety Awards. Their unique and comprehensive application exhibits how seriously the issue of employee personal safety is taken by the management of the Alley Theatre, and we are very pleased to shortlist them for this national award.”


The Suzy Lamplugh Trust was established in 1986 after the disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, a 25 year old estate agent who disappeared after she went to meet an unknown client. So far her body has not been found. However, she has been presumed murdered and legally declared dead. Her parents, Paul and Diana Lamplugh, believed that Suzy, like most people at that time - and even now - was simply unaware of the possible dangers that individuals can face in society. Paul and Diana founded the Trust to highlight the risks people face and to offer advice, action and support to minimize those risks. The Trust is now based at The National Centre for Personal Safety in central London, working with a wide range of partners in the public, private and voluntary sector, always seeking new ways to keep people safe from violence and aggression.

Strabane is a great place to live and work, however the Alley has to ensure they take staff safety seriously. Thankfully the Alley staff had not had to suffer any incidents of violence and aggression from patrons, however at least our staff are trained, prepared and supported if something did ever happen.

For more information about personal safety in the workplace click here to be redirected to the official Suzy Lamplugh Trust Website.

The Alley is up for another Arts & Business Award!

This week the Alley Theatre was delighted to hear that we had been selected for a prestigious Arts & Business Award in association with one of our sponsors, CRAFT Training.

Seven judges from across the spectrum of commerce and culture had the difficult job of short listing the best examples of excellence in partnerships from a record number of entries. The awards pay tribute to a total of 22 short listed partnerships jostling for first prize in five of the eight awards categories.

Nineteen arts organisations have also been nominated for the prestigious Arts Award, with a further 12 individuals nominated in the new Professional Development Award and Arts Individual of the Year Award categories.

Last year (see picture!) the Alley won the overall prize for Management of Business sponsors and a record 5 other nominations. This year has seen particularly tough competition for shortlisting, however we are delighted with our nomination. Looking at all the other projects nominated we are delighted to be held in the same light as some of the best projects taking place in Northern Ireland.

The Allianz Arts & Business Awards ceremony will be held in the Ulster Museum in Belfast on Thursday 21st January 2010, when the winners will be announced in all categories. For a full report click here.

From Holbein to Cambridge Curry Houses, the Alley draws inspiration from all sources.

The Alley Theatre recently took part in a Audience NI training session in Belfast which was all about reaching the student audience. From research it seems that students are certainly having a different experience than maybe students 10 or 15 years ago. The most interesting point, but not totally relevant to arts marketing, is that students take 3 holidays per year....3 holidays on a student loan, how do they manage it?


Anyway the guest speaker on the day covered a number of different points on how to appeal to the student market, however the Alley was already working on a number of projects that he suggested.

He did offer two gems of information however which made the whole trip worthwhile.....


1. When using Facebook, one of the essential sites for students today, always ensure you page is a "fan" site, rather than a "group" page. The main difference being that by running a "Fan site", you can directly post into their newsfeed, while in "groups" page you can only email the member.
Research shows that students on Facebook never really bother opening emails in their Facebook page, meaning students join various interest groups, then never really interact. The opportunity to get into their newsfeed ensures you are constantly reminding them of their membership at the Alley Facebook page and what's coming up, hopefully developing further interaction.

Since we relaunched the Alley Facebook page, not only have we seen a increase in numbers, but also a "better quality" of member. Before I hear a flood of complaints about that comment, what I mean it that gone are all the Alley staff members friends and family who join the site out of loyalty, but now the new site has appealed to a host of people who are seriously interested in receiving and interacting with the Alley. We now have 140 members, 99.9% from Northern Ireland, with a few ex-pats also joining to keep up to date with news back home Strabane.

One small comment about the relaunch..since we did it, other venues copied us within 48 hours! Once again the Alley led the way.




2. Develop Facebook ambassadors.

The world of ambassadors have moved on from the time of Henry VIII and Hans Holbein, however a few things are timeless....the power to influence through letters, words, images and recommendation.

Would Henry had married Anne of Cleeves if he had not received a personal recommendation on her looks from his Ambassadors or a sketch from Holbein? Certainly not.

The same can be said in the 21st century with people now using social networking sites, online friends and Youtube clips to work out what purchases to make, which shows to see or things to do at the weekend. One quick example of this in action was when friend was in Cambridge at 11 p.m. on a Saturday night and wanted a recomendation for a Curry House for a post-pub trip. He put the call out on Facebook and within 2 minutes he had received 3 curry house addresses and indepth personal recomendations. If it can work for a Curry house, it can certainly work in the arts!

Therefore the Alley is working on developing links with key Facebook users in the North West, with the intention of making them our Facebook ambassadors. It's in the early stages of planning and execution, so I think I will give a more detailed desciption on how we intend it to work in a couple of weeks once it is full up and running.

To check out the Alley Facebook page or maybe apply to be our new Facebook Ambassador click here.

Speed dating - Alley style

The Alley Marketing Department recently took part in a fantastic new idea from Arts & Business - Speed Sponsor dating!


Basically 12 arts organisation representatives and 12 potential business sponsors would spend 4 minutes with each other, finding out about each others organisations and possible investment opportunities the Arts could offer. It was a great chance to meet with potential sponsors and raise the profile of the Alley within the business community. I must say at this stage, Enda McShane, MD from Spirit Marketingm (http://www.spiritmg.com/) officially opened the event with a superb speech, highlighting to those businesses present the impact and success of Arts and Business organisations working together. With several successful arts related projects under his belt in America and the UK, Enda certainly offered concrete evidence that by working together both parties will benifit not only in the short/medium term success, but also in leaving a long lasting legacy which is not just successful from an arts perspective, but also profitable from a business viewpoint.


Did it work? After the breakfast meeting the Alley received 2 emails instantly that afternoon from potential sponsors looking to work with the Alley in some capacity! Once again the Alley Theatre is pushing new partnerships and investment opportunities which will not only benefit the arts in the North West, but build successful arts and business partnerships which will have a tremendous reach across the North West of Ireland.



One quick recommendation - the event was held at Belfast's Merchant Hotel, if you get a chance you must go! Its a wonderful venue which transport you to the chic of a top Parisian's hotel. The staff are fantastic, very helpful and with the news that a further £16 million pound investment in the hotel will just about to start means the Merchant looks like it will be one of the best hotels in Ireland. Check out their website at http://www.themerchanthotel.com/




To find out the full story with pics taken on the day visit http://www.artsandbusiness.org.uk/News/2009/Oct/ni_commerce_and_culture.aspx

Another first for the Alley!

For a venue which is not based in a city, the Alley Theatre certainly punches above its weight in terms of quality, style and marketing. This week the Alley once again scooped other Northern Ireland venues with the recording of a podcast in Irish, another first! The podcast was recorded in the Falls Road in a wonderful cultural centre, which is home to Aisling Ghear Theatre group. This groundbreaking theatre group will be performing at the Alley on November 18th as part of our celebration of the life and work of Flann O'Brien, one of Ireland's leading literary figuires and a famous son of Strabane .

The play, "The Poor Mouth" will be perfromed in Irish, and relates to the story of one, Bonaparte O'Coonassa - ‘son of Michealangelo, son of Patrick, son of Owen, son of Sarah, son of Thomas, son of Maire, born in a cabin in a fictitious village called Corkadoragha in Western Ireland. From the front door of this ‘small lime-white house situated in the corner of the Glen’ you could (allegedly) see - Gweedore, Connemara, Galway, the island of Aran and The Great Blaskets!!! Famed as much for its beauty as the abject poverty of its residents, the daily fare consists of potatoes which they shared with a horse called Charlie, a bunch of sheep ‘a slim thighed cow’, a clutch of chickens and Ambrose the pig!! Ambrose has now been immortalized for future generations by the Alley Theatre sculpture, “Where Dreams Go”, the 8 ft bronze pig outside the Alley, which is known lovingly as Ambrose by locals.

“The play will be performed in Irish, offering a wonderful opportunity for fluent Irish speakers and those learning the language to immerse themselves in the wit and humour of Strabane’s most favourite literary son” commented Nathan Flatman from the Alley. “For non-Irish speakers like myself, the Alley will be providing Irish translation headsets, allowing the patron to follow the play in English, breaking down language barriers for those interested in seeing a fantastic Flann O’Brien play performed live on stage.”

“To highlight the forthcoming play, Flann’s background and the superb cast, including actors from television’s “The Tudors” and hit Irish film’s, the Alley has produced a free podcast at http://alleytheatre.podbean.com/ in both English and Irish for patrons looking to get the inside scoop.”

The Alley podcast site is now working really well and is not only providing a service to our local patrons, but also web broswers around the world interested in Flann himself. Why not check it out for your self at http://alleytheatre.podbean.com/

Strabane businesses praised at Arts & Business Creative Advantage Breakfast

The Alley Theatre recently took part in a Arts & Business Creative Advantage Breakfast in Derry. The A&B ethos champions the power of innovative partnerships, in which businesses can create a ‘competitive advantage’ through creative innovation, inspired by engagement with arts and cultural organisations. The Alley has benifited wonderfully from developing strong Arts & Business partnerships and we were delighted not only to be taking part, but also to have several special mentions from the guest speakers.

With economists predicting a return to growth for the UK economy mid 2010, local businesses were keen to learn how engaging with the Arts could enhance their competitive edge and lead to future success and sustained economic regeneration.

Social and economic regeneration in Derry and the North West were addressed by Aideen McGinley, Chief Executive, Ilex – the Urban Regeneration Company. Speaking about the future plans for the area and her experiences of working with arts organisations to encourage community buy-in to social regeneration projects, Aideen said: “The importance of culture to Regeneration is fundamental to achieving social physical and economic success, which I understand at first hand and recognise its continuing importance in these challenging times.”
To succeed in the global or local marketplace, businesses need to consider their brand image and review corporate strategy to ensure marketing and communications strategies deliver key objectives.

David Beck, Head of Marketing Communications BT Ireland and sponsor of the Alley's BT Sounds Like Summer music festival focused on the changing face of brand sponsorship, and how BT’s new emphasis on Innovation and grassroots engagement - demonstrated through new partnerships like QFT & most recently the Alley Arts Centre in Strabane - is challenging perceptions about BT the brand; “Sponsorship is becoming a crucial part of the marketing mix as brand’s turn to new categories, Arts sponsorships in particular, add much needed credibility to their brand propositions.”

It was left to Joe Barber, Manager, Linton Robinson, Strabane and another Alley sponsor to showcase the value to local businesses, citing their own successful partnership with The Alley Arts Centre, which has seen increased footfall and increased sales throughout the store, as well as strengthening their customer base and enhancing their reputation, saying "We have remained in business for over 56 years thanks to our reputation for offering quality and value. The In-Store Gallery, curated by The Alley, has been enormously popular and extremely successful. As a local business, we have been able to give our customers a new consumer experience - something that the multiples would find difficult to recreate.”

Facilitating questions from the floor and bringing the event to a close, Mary Trainor, Director Arts & Business NI, said “It’s good to see that businesses have been increasingly using arts partnerships as a brand platform to express or even define who they were as a business. We want to inspire them to engage further to help them deliver successful marketing and corporate social responsibility campaigns that use culture in distinct and powerful ways!”

The Alley staff were delighted with the special recomendatons from the guest speakers and certainly reinforeced the Alleys position as the leading arts organisation in the North West!

North West Gallery seeks new artists!

Linton and Robinson, the North West’s leading department store and a Alley Theatre sponsor, is seeking submissions from North West artists who are keen in exhibiting in their new gallery space based in their award winning department store in Strabane.

The North West Artist Gallery, which has been opened for just 4 month’s with the help of the Alley Theatre and funding from Arts & Business, has been a tremendous critical and commercial success for Linton and Robinson’s and the artists who exhibited in the store. The gallery has exhibited a selection of different pieces from breathtaking sculptures from local artist Gloria Perry, stunning photography from Jim Hamilton and some superb fine art pieces from Maura Grey, ensuring the gallery has growing reputation for developing, nurturing and showcasing the very best on offer in the North West arts scene.

“We have certainly seen new faces come into our store because of the gallery and it has clearly given increased exposure to the artists and to the shop as a whole. The exhibiting artists have expressed their delight at the response each has had to their work and we are delighted to be supporting local artists and helping their endeavors in finding new markets for their work” commented Joe Barber, Linton and Robinson’s manager. “The results of the North West Artist Gallery have far exceeded my expectations and I would encourage everyone in the local art scene to submit work in the latest call-out.” Applications to submit artwork can be collected from customer services in Linton and Robinson’s Abercorn Square store or by calling customer services on 028 7138 4920. Artists are warned that all submission packs have to be in no later than November 6th, so don’t delay!

Can the Arts create a competitive advantage for your business?

Joe Barber, the visionary manager at Linton and Robinson's and Alley Theatre sponsor feels the Arts can play a significant role in offering business a strong competitive advantage in today's current climate.

As part of a Arts & Business conference set to take place in the North West in September, Joe has recorded a podcast at the Alley explaining how he came to this conclusion after collaborating with the Alley Theatre over the last 2 years. Ocer the past two years the Alley has helped Linton's develop "Arty Parties" within their toy department and the "North West Arts Gallery" (pictured), which highlights the very best in commercial art on sale by local North West artists.

In his podcast Joe talks about his relationship with the Alley and concludes that .....

We feel we have moved into a new circle of potential customers and by being closely involved with the Alley in everything they do we are benefiting by getting more sales and spreading the word that Linton & Robinson has not only maintained its reputation of quality products and service but is more innovative and also is part of the Community of Strabane and the region. We now offer something we didn’t do before and which no-one else offers. It is working for us and the artists and this success story will generate sales for some time to come.

I know that by showing a wee bit of imagination, getting the right level of support from the Alley Arts Centre who have been excellent in everything we have asked them to do that we have created a model for success for the artists, the Alley and for us and we now are all working as one to further promote our Gallery and Linton & Robinson as a place to shop.

Joe is not the only Alley Theatre corporate sponsor which to feels this way, all of our sponsors can see how the arts can create an advantage in the business world. To hear Joe's comprehenisive views on the arts offering a creative edge in business, why not click here and hear his podcast.

King Coma takes BT Sounds Like Summer 2009 title!

After tough competition on the night, Strabane's King Coma (left) took the title of BT Sounds Like Summer Champions 2009 on August 21st, in what the judges saw as a mind blowing performance which had the crowd calling for more. The five piece band from Strabane beat rivals Fiona McCaughey, Ross and the Wronguns and Derry's The Wonder Villains to walk away with the converted music industry prize.

The band now get the chance to record their own music video, record a CD, get a professional photo shoot and receive BT Broadband for 1 year.

The final was a spectacular event with strong performances from Fiona McCaughey, The Wonder Villains (next big thing out of Northern Ireland, pictured below, click here to hear the addictive Oh Peter), Ross and the Wrongens and King Coma. With excellent sponsorship and support from the NWIPP and BT, the Alley presented a strong, fun and cutting edge musical festival, which accommodated fans from thrash metal, acoustic, indie and electro pop under one roof.

 

The is Year 2 of Sounds Like Summer, so what is expected in Year 3? At the present time the staff are debriefing about the festival to management, what went well, what could be tweaked, what shouldn't happen again. On a quick note, and you would expect me to say this, the marketing for the event was spot on. We went down several different avenues from traditional print to more cutting edge approaches like our podcasts, facebook and twitter pages. The 5 nights of music offered a great stage for unsigned bands in the island of Ireland, with a number looking to be heading for great things in the next few years. Exhausted but delighted with the festival, I cannot wait to get started on the next one.


After the event, John Kerr, Alley Theatre Manager stated "The BT Sounds Like
Summer Festival has been a great success, attracting bands and fans from across the island of Ireland and further afield, including finalists Ross and the Wrongens from Kent (pictured right). We would like to thank our sponsors, NWIPP and BT for making this festival the great success it was and thank the bands for performing some wonderful gigs. We can't wait to see what next year has to bring!"

"We are delighted to have come on board this year as the BT Sounds Like Summer Festivals main sponsor" stated Tony Sheehan, BT Shop
manager, the Richmond Centre. "From the quality of the entries, it's clear to see that there is an enormous pool of talent in Northern Ireland and we're delighted, that through this competition, the creativity and commitment of our local musicians can be recognised and encouraged. The success of BT Sounds Like Summer has far exceeded our expectations and we're excited about the future of this inspiring event."

Personally I feel for all three organisations, BT, NWIPP and the Alley, all benefited tremendously from the success of BT Sounds Like Summer and I personally look forward to next year! For a full festival report click here.

Hiding in Plain Sight via You Tube

The Alley Theatre has a wonderful gallery space which has welcomed numerous artists over the last 3 years to display their work in Strabane. Now with a growing reputation, the amount of applications we receive to exhibit at the Alley is growing dramatically on a yearly basis.

From the world famous Felim Egan, glass artist Sean Campbell, the Northern Ireland Press Photographers Association to the local arts Group, the Alley has offered an exceptional space and support for professional and amateur artists alike. The venue offers regular exhibition launches, an art club and regular podcasts with the exhibiting artists, all aimed at raising the profile of the artist and the gallery space.

This year the Alley also embarked on establishing a second gallery space within the Linton and Robinsons department store in Strabane, funded by Arts and Business. From a wonderful launch in a newly refurbished 2nd floor area, the North West Artist Gallery, based in Lintons' has became a commercial success!

The superb success of our exhibitions clearly demonstrate how the Alley is leading the creative arts in not only the North West, but across Northern Ireland, pushing the boundaries and getting more people interested in viewing/buying art.

However our new exhibition, "Hiding in Plain Sight" made me stop and think about how we should approach new artists in the future.


Our new exhibition, "Hiding in Plain Sight" is by a Strabane photographer, Raymond McCarron, a highly complex man whose passion for street photography is endless. He has a god given gift to capture that lost or stolen moment on the street which when seen through the lens offers more than a thousand words to the observer. From the gritty streets of Belfast, a Halloween trip in Derry, an old women hunched in a windy high street to an almost "Darwin -ist" portrait of an old man walking the dark narrow back alleys in Edinburgh, Raymond can certainly be hailed as one of Ireland's leading street photographers and is worthy of having his work put into a book format (any publishing houses reading this?)

For his new exhibition, "Hiding in Plain Sight", the Alley has developed press releases, interviews with regional newspapers, twitter updates, designed invitations, web updates, e-news letters, planned an official launch night, a Facebook events page, got David Oliver to play at the launch and completed a hit podcast.

However one piece of marketing gold we missed out in producing was a You Tube presence for the exhibition. We shouldn't have worried, Raymond had already completed one himself without telling us and boy was it good. This stunning exhibition on You Tube, mixed with a killer soundtrack simply took my breath away it was that good.

I have to admit my jaw dropped when I first saw it listed on You Tube, how could I have missed this? What a great way of exhibiting the work to potential journalists and patrons. Why hadn't he told me? More importantly, why hadn't I asked? However my frustration over missing this golden opportunity to further promote his show was very short lived, as I began soak up the music and enjoy the wonderful images which were flowing in front of my eyes.

So this weeks comment from the Alley, when you are planning your campaign, make sure you have a good chat to the performer/artist about what else they have done and maybe you might find a hidden gem! To watch for yourself the wonderful work Raymond has produced on You Tube click here.

I hope you enjoy it as much as me.

The Alley shouts from the roof tops about new Winter Events Guide, assisted by the Quiet Men of Strabane!

The Alley launched the new events guide this week, wonderfully assisted by In Your Space and their cracking John Wayne inspired characters "The Quiet Men".

This season the Alley will be hosting the Flann O'Brien's play "The Poor Mouth" which has several links not only to Strabane, the also the Alley and the site upon which we are based. Flann O'Brien is now seen as one of the leading authors in Irish literary history, compared to the likes of Joyce, Yeats and O'Casey. In "The Poor Mouth" O'Brien tells the tale of the farmer and his pig, Ambrose, who eats the farmer out of house and home, literally. The Alley Theatre in 2008 erected a statue called "Where Dreams Go", a 8ft bronze pig, which is now more affectionly known as Ambrose. Not only does the statue celebrate Strabane's literary history, but also highlights the history of the Alley site itself, which use to be a old pig and cattle market, one of the largest in the North West.

We therefore brought the "Quiet Men" from In You Space to the Alley to recreate the scene of Ambrose the Alley Pig being taken to market. The photography was by local artist Raymond McCarron, who did a fantastic job in finding new shots and angles within a building which has hosted numerous shoots over the last 3 years.

This season the Alley will be hosting The Ulster Orchestra, The Hothouse Flowers, PJ Gallagher, Cinderella, European Ballet and The Johnny Crampsie Traditional & Bluegrass Festival. To see a copy of the new guide click here.

BT Sounds Like Summer is set to get Turbulent!

The BT Sounds Like Summer Music Festival is about to hit the Alley Theatre in what should be a far superior competition than last years event. Starting on August 7th, this years final has an abundance of quality entrants, with bands from all over Northern and Southern Ireland applying to be in the final 16 bands. This magical music event is free to attend for people wanting to hear the very best in unsigned talent, thanks to the collaboration with our sponsors BT and NWIPP (thank you!!).

This year we have bands form Derry, Strabane, Fermanagh, Belfast, Donegal, Limavady to name but a few, with all music tastes covered. As I have been marketing the event we have used various tools, from the traditional avenues like our events guide, flyer's and posters, to radio, ticket comps and social network sites like Facebook, Bebo, MySpace, Twitter etc.

One piece of advice I would give any band looking to do well in any festival or within the music industry, make sure you have a good website, nothing too fancy, but something that covers all the bases. From band bio, video clips, free track downloads, press pictures, contact details, gig guide and links, these are the essential items for a band to have available at a moments notice, ready for when the press or music label come calling.

One band which is taking part in the BT Sounds Like Summer Music Festival and ticks all the boxes in being prepared are Turbulent Eddy, whose new website I believe covers all the areas I would be looking for. Check it out by clicking here

Who will win the BT Sounds Like Summer festival and walk off with the top prize of a music video and a CD produced by the Nerve Centre, free broadband for a year and extensive media coverage? Well at the moment I would say all 16 bands are in for a real shout, its that close! For more information on the BT Sounds Like Summer click here.

The Alley goes "Back to the Future"

In celebration of the forthcoming screening of that classic time travel adventure “Back to the Future” on July 18th at 2 p.m., Strabane’s Alley Theatre, supported by Harte and McGarrigle Estate Agents, took delivery of a iconic DeLorean sports car for the day.

It was a busy Thurday and the owner of this mint condition car travelled down to Strabane from Lisburn, not knowing he had a press pack waiting to interview him (and his father who built the machine!). The DeLorean was in top condition, 6500 miles on the clock, original tyres and a body work to die for!

The photo shoot had been annouced in some of the major papers, including the Derry Journal, so we have some real DeLorean fans travelling miles to see the car, with some even jumping into the drivers seat to recreate that "Marty McFly" magic!

Pictured with the DeLorean was Sophie from Electric Candy Boutique, one of the new fashion retailers based in Castle Street, Strabane, just 2 mins walk from the Alley Theatre. She was a great model and didn't seem to mind the crowd gathering to watch the event.

If I could do it all over again would I change anything about the shoot? Not a thing!

We had Radio Foyle, the Strabane Chronicle, Strabane Weekly and the Derry Journal all down for interviews and pics, so the coverage next week will be fantastic. If Carlsberg did photo shoots - this would be a pretty damn close thing!

UK and Ireland Breakdance champions coming to Strabane

Strabane District Council will be bringing the UK and Ireland Breakdance BOTY Champions, Bad Taste Cru, to the Alley Theatre, Strabane, for a series of workshops for 13-18 yr olds.

Joining Bad Taste Cru, will be Sabroso with Regaeton and Salsa classes, Popping and Locking with Fox n’ Crew and Hip Hop with Georgina Kee.

Listen to Ryan Tracey from Strabane District Council Community Development Officer and Hip Hop instructor, Georgina Kee talk about Dance Fusion! Click here to hear the podcast.

Arts and Business proves a successful marriage for local artists!

The Alley Theatre recently launched a new Artist Gallery within the North West's leading department store, Linton and Robinson's. Supported by Arts and Business NI, this fantastic new venture works on several different levels. Firstly it will enable local artists the opportunity to reach a totally new client base, secondly it offers Linton's to offer a very unique product and make them "stand out from the crowd" in a busy retail sector, and finally for the Alley to implement its arts development mission. The launch was a tremendous success and I strongly believe if things go well, this project could run and run. See below the editorial which was seen across the North West.

New North West Artist Gallery launch hailed a success!

The launch of the new North West Artist Gallery, based within Strabane’s Linton and Robinsons’ department store, has been hailed by organizers as a “tremendous success for local artists and Strabane”. Featuring the artwork from 5 local artists, ranging from funky contemporary portraits, delightful sculptures and more traditional landscape and fine art works, the gallery was officially opened last week to large audience of dedicated art lovers and those interested in purchasing a unique item for their home.

“Linton and Robinson has been part of the community in Strabane and throughout the North-West for well over 50 years now. It is therefore very fitting that in conjunction with the Alley Theatre and through funding via Arts and Business NI, that we should promote local artists within our new Furniture 2 department store” commented Joe Barber, Manager at Linton and Robinson. “We hope the artists will benefit by having their works on display within a modern store, offering them extra exposure to the public and media. This is a new venture for Strabane and Linton’s, and when you see how the store has changed over the last 5 years, you can certainly see Strabane is changing, re-inventing itself and becoming far more competitive in the retail, arts and cultural tourism sectors.”

The North West Artist Gallery has been developed in association with the Strabane’s Alley Theatre and Arts & Business NI, a not for profit organisation, which aims to promote mutually beneficial relationships between business, the arts and the public sector in order to increase private sector investment into the arts through investment programmes. Commenting on the launch, Alley Theatre Manager, John Kerr stated “This has been a wonderful exhibition launch and I certainly hope that the public support this innovative project, which is showcasing some amazing pieces of new artwork, at what I must say is some excellent prices. By purchasing a piece you are not only supporting local artists, but you made never know a purchase might prove to be a valuable investment for the future.

Happy Birthday Facebook

Strabane’s Alley Theatre is leading the birthday congratulations to one of the worlds largest social networking sites, namely Facebook, who are celebrating their 5th birthday this year. The popular North West arts venue has capitalized on the growth of this fantastic social networking site, developing “The Alley Theatre Facebook page”, which is now officially one of the largest theatre Facebook pages in existence within Northern Ireland.

Facebook is now a world leading company, however it beginnings are far removed from the world of big business. Created in the dorm rooms of Harvard University, student Mark Zuckerberg designed this revolutionary site so he could keep in touch with his friends. From those humble beginnings, Facebook is now a world leader on the internet, with over 150 million users worldwide.

The Facebook “phenomenon” knows no boundaries in its ever increasing presence on the web, and has now even reached Strabane and the patrons of the Alley Theatre Strabane. "Facebook and other social network sites are practically still in their infancy” commented Nathan Flatman, Marketing officer for the Alley Theatre, “In the future, sites like Facebook and Twitter will be essential sites for internet users to visit, allowing them to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues who are based not just regionally, but internationally. I speak to friends in the UK, Australia and Korea at the click of a button via Facebook and we are delighted to see the Alley Face Book Page becoming one of the most successful theatre based pages within Northern Ireland”.

At the end of 2005, Facebook expanded into the UK and Ireland, with the site now translated across 35 languages with another 60 in development. Everyday more than 15 million users update their status to tell their friends what they are doing, showing off photographs, uploading videos, chatting, making like minded friends, meet old ones, join causes, groups, and have fun. For more information on the Alley Theatre’s Facebook page and other Alley related social network sites visit www.alley-theatre.com/about-us/alley-social-network-sites

Alley Theatre launches Podcast service

The Alley Theatre, Strabane, supported by Harte and McGarrigle Estate Agents has scooped not only the North West, but the whole of Northern Ireland with the launch of the new Alley Theatre podcast site at http://alleytheatre.podbean.com/

The podcast was set up after training from Audiences NI and the arts website Culture Northern Ireland. One of the hardest parts about podcasting has been getting the correct equipment and software together, however once that was all sorted a pod cast can be recorded, edited and up loaded within 20 - 30 minutes.

Currently on the podcast site are interview with Mike Absalom (if you don't know him, have a look at Ambrose Blog, his life story is on here!) and Barry Clarke, who stars in Martin Lynch's new show, the Chronicles of Long Kesh, which I had the pleasure to see at the Alley last week. Fantastic, heartbreaking, funny, moving, painful, the show had everything, and justified the standing ovation it received.

UPDATE - July 19tg 2009 - The podacast site is going really well, plenty of users and coverage. Check out what the Derry Journal had to say at http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/Alley-Theatre-leads-the-way.5453828.jp

Don't sacrifice marketing expert warns arts groups

Often in tough economic times art groups and theatres would look at their budgets and see marketing as one of the leading easy areas to cut costs, however leading thinkers and marketing groups have highlighted that this is a short term and ill advised route to follow, with possible long term repercussions which will harm the organisation rather than develop its future.

Obviously you would state that "Of cause someone working in arts marketing would argue that saving marketing budgets (and jobs) is the way forward, it's all about self interest", however if we examine the facts and look at various case studies the evidence clearly shows that in tough times, investment in the marketing department is the way foward, not cut's.

The marketing department are the only people in the organisation whose main aim is to retain and gain new audiences, and by cutting that service an organisation is merely stopping the process from happening at the very time when theatres come under pressure from patrons with limited budgets.

Check out this article and see what you think.
http://www.sacbee.com/livinghere/story/1872492.html

Northern Ireland Tourist Board set to highlight the Alley's Sounds Like Summer Music Festival, supported by BT.

The BT Sounds Like Summer Music Festival 09 will be one of the major attractions used by the Northern Ireland Tourist board to entice visitors from the Republic of Ireland and the UK for breaks to Tyrone this summer.

Their new summer marketing campaign will be featuring the Alley’s hugely popular music festival, which is set to be even bigger and better than last year. On June 2nd the Derry based band, "The Landed Gentry", visited the Alley for a series of promotional shots, which will now go out across the UK and Ireland and will be seen in major press, billboard and advertising.

“We are delighted to see the Northern Ireland Tourist Board have recognised the Alley and The BT Sounds Like Summer Music Festival 09, supported by the Strabane Chronicle as one of the major attractions to be found in the Northern Ireland this year” commented Nathan Flatman, Marketing officer at the Alley.

For more information about The BT Sounds Like Summer Music Festival 09 and how your band could enter please click here

BT invests in the North West Music Scene

This summer musicians not only from the North West, but across the island of Ireland will benefit from a major arts partnership between telecoms giant BT and the North West’s leading music and arts venue, The Alley Theatre in Strabane.

For decades BT were seen as little more than the company that supplied your phone line. Since the birth of the internet however, BT has become something of a pioneer in bringing services such as Broadband, wireless, mobile phone internet and business networking to a global market. Today they are a vibrant, appealing brand, right down to slashing their moniker from the old British Telecom, to the cooler and more casual BT. Now this revolutionary company is investing in Strabane and the Alley Theatre’s Sounds Like Summer Music Festival, which is taking place throughout August and is aimed at profiling the very best in unsigned bands.

So how did they shake the image of being the company that supplies the curly cord phone to that of a world-leader in telecommunications in a relatively short space of time?
The answer is simple. Good marketing. BT is the world’s oldest communications company and a direct descendant of the first ever telecommunications service, The Electric Telegraph Company back in 1846. Few could have realised then that 150 years on, they would be responsible for making the emergency 999 number a household device or that they would send the world’s first email in 1981.

For much of its life BT has been regarded as simply a multi-national phone company. But David Beck, Head of BT’s Marketing Communications in Ireland has been quietly working away behind the scenes chipping away at that old image. David and his team have been working at moving the BT brand out of the UK and Ireland’s capital cities and bringing it to an audience in smaller, harder to reach areas. One perfect example of this move is this year’s Sounds Like Summer music festival.

BT have come on board as the festival’s main sponsor and have put up a first prize of the opportunity to record a single in a professional studio to go with the video which will be shot by a top team of producers. Meanwhile, they have agreed to give the winner or winners a year’s free Broadband. The last part of the prize might sound like only a minor addition to what really is a fantastic prize for anyone looking to make their way in the music industry. But again, it is an example of the BT marketing team’s desire to win over the hearts and minds of a younger and fresher demographic. Convincing a name as huge as BT to come on board for what is essentially, a regional music event was a major coup for everyone involved with Sounds Like Summer. But as David explained, it is exactly the kind of vehicle BT in the 21st century are looking for.

“John Kerr, the Alley Theatre Manager, was a massive influence in us coming on board,” David explained. “He approached us some months ago and pitched the idea of Sounds Like Summer to us. So initially we bought into John because he knew what he wanted from the off. But as we learnt more about the actual event, we realised that it very well established and commanded a lot of appeal. What we tend to do is concentrate so much of our efforts in and around the Belfast area so Derry and Strabane are areas we are very keen to raise our profile in. Sounds Like Summer is very much about us supporting our investment in areas outside Belfast,” he said. Does Sounds Like Summer sound good to you? Are you a young upcoming band or musician? Then why not join the race to sign up for this year’s competition. Simply log on to www.connect2yourtunes.com/soundslikesummer for more information.

Arts and Business - Spacey style!

I found this rather interesting debate taking place in the Times recently. Kevin Spacey, the famous Hollywood actor and currently artistic director at the Old Vic, rebuts criticism about the arts not being worthy of support during these tough economic times.

Spacey shows the arts for what they are, not just a investment in our children, inspiring and educating all ages, but a valuable tool for the business community to invest in! The UK and Ireland have a very successful arts industry. which is the envy of the world and has a lot to offer all sections of the community and industry, in particular the business community (read David Adairs comments concerning PWC view on the arts).

The Old Vic and the Alley Theatre would have a lot of similar issues, working in areas of high unemployment, however committed to regenerating the area, promoting the arts and developing a strong education programme for a new generation of actors, artists and musicians.

See the letters below and enjoy Mr Spacey putting his superb argument together!

From The Times
May 9, 2009

I won't apologise for defending the arts
It’s not charity or empty philanthropy. It’s an investment in jobs and our collective soul

by Kevin Spacey

Open any newspaper or turn on the TV and you are confronted with the realities of recession. So it is perhaps inevitable that there will be some who frame the arts and culture as luxury items and accept that they will have to survive on shorter rations. And in the grand scheme of things, what does it matter, they say.

I believe that, far from being luxury items, arts and culture are a necessity in our lives, as individuals and as nations. Culture is the strongest ambassador of the human condition we exchange around the world. Countries may go to war but it is culture that unites us. The arts inspire, uplift, challenge, stimulate our conversations, drive our debates and remain in our memories.

For those still unconvinced there is an equally powerful economic argument. Our cultural life contributes to the financial health of communities across the nation. Cultural centres create jobs and generate income for the hotels, restaurants and countless other businesses in the areas where they operate. I, for one, do not want to see another regeneration plan that does not have arts and culture at its heart. Without them we are not building rounded communities, but ignoring the fabric and soul of society.

Now I can't see why anyone would begrudge us practitioners the chance to fight for our cause, but in this very paper Richard Morrison criticised the “usual suspects” for spreading “propaganda” by citing that arts and culture are essential and transformative. The creative industries are fortunate to have many vocal cheerleaders, with names famous enough to get column inches. But frankly, it seems an odd slur to accuse Dame Judi Dench, Antony Gormley, Philip Pullman and Nicholas Serota of being biased merely for having spoken out on behalf of their own professions.

This attack left me confused, just as folk are when I try to explain that my own theatrical home, the Old Vic, receives no public subsidy at all. Some things just don't make sense. Who else should stand up and fight for cultural support other than its practitioners? Should public health policy be advanced, not by NHS leaders, but by lorry drivers and dressmakers? Should arguments about environmental issues be advanced by policemen and pilots?

I don't hear anyone demanding special treatment for the arts above other important and vital public services, but it is an important debate. This isn't about showbusiness and it isn't a trivial argument. This recession is claiming many victims and the arts are under threat. That's why so many of us feel the need to shout about the value that cultural programmes bring to millions of people across the UK, as well as the economic impact of the creative industries throughout the world.

I am delighted to take on Mr Morrison when he states that arguments in favour of arts funding are “as essential and transformative as a wet sock”. That most schemes designed to introduce young people to arts and culture are destined to fail. This notion does a huge disservice to the dedicated professionals who create inspiring programmes for young people.

I have watched as young children from the Old Vic's neighborhood have attended workshops, school projects and community productions and seen them totally engaged and enthralled. These are thousands of kids from low-income families, not some middle-class-only playing field. This is true not only of our work at the Old Vic, but of programmes that the National Theatre, the Young Vic and countless other institutions are providing in London and beyond.

Education through the arts enriches the next generation, and not just of artists. Theatre, for example, teaches young people to communicate, to resolve conflicts, to collaborate and to explore emotions. It's not about whether these kids want a career in the arts when they grow up. These programmes can be good for business as they contribute to a wide range of interpersonal skills. So it's not charity or empty philanthropy, it is an investment in the future of our society.

Kevin Spacey is artistic director of the Old Vic

This is an abridged version, for the full article visit the Times Link below

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6251188.ece

And here we have the supporting statement from David Adair from PWC, a man who I would love to introduce to the work of the Alley and demonstrate how well we could develop his CSR strategy in the North West of Ireland.........

From The Times
May 12, 2009

Sir,

I fully endorse Kevin Spacey’s sentiment that support for the arts is about more than “mere charity or empty philanthropy” (Opinion, May 9). Not only do the arts enrich the next generation, but, importantly, they also enrich the business community. Whether people participate as a student or a corporate volunteer, participation in the arts widens and essential skills in the workplace are developed.

Last year we had more than 4,500 volunteers taking part in community-based activities, far away from their day-to-day business responsibilities. That contrast encourages creative thinking, better use of language and improves teamwork and interpersonal skills. All this while enthusing young people with transferable skills and qualities that will ultimately enhance the workplace they will join. Such investment is vital to enable communities and businesses to transcend the chill winds of recession.

David Adair
Head of Community Affairs, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Times Link http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article6268724.ece

Mike Absalom - New Alley exhibition set for major press coverage

The Alley Theatre is currently hosting a new exhibition by Mike Absalom and Paul McGuckin which you should really check it out, it's truly exceptional.

This exhibition has been one of my highlights this year, mainly due to finding a truly hidden PR gem for a marketing officer.

In preparation for the PR for the exhibition, Googling the artists backgrounds, I soon became aware that one of the artists, Mike Absalom, had a terrific back story, which would generate exceptional interest in the local and regional press. After getting the green light from Radio Foyle, The Derry Journal, The Strabane Chronicle/Ulster Herald and the Strabane Weekly/Tyrone Con for interviews, we arranged for Mike to travel down from County Mayo for an afternoon of interviews and tours in the Alley's impressive gallery space.

So what was his back story?

Well after growing up in England and Canada, Mike went onto Oxford to study German and French, however a meeting in a train carriage with a Cambridge student studying Classical Persian, Mike changed courses. However University wasn't what you'd expect, "I went to a few lectures, read a few books, then partied the next 4 years". After completing University Mike decided to launch a music career, after a dubious "Rugby Bar room anthem album", he went onto release a number of folk albums in the mid-late 60's. Success soon followed him, including performances on the Old Grey Whistle Test and the Royal Albert Hall, where David Bowie came back stage to talk to him about his performance. He also had the honour of playing on the same bill as the Sex Pistols in the early 70's at a University Student Union gig, "I have to admit I didn't think much of them, their guitars were un-tuned and their dress was rather unpleasant!".

After his music career went quiet, he had various jobs including a job in Iran selling English courses (thanks to his connections with the Prime Minister of Iran and the son of Afghanistan), busking in Paris and Greece, teaching in Canada, performing in an all-female harp group in America, teaching in Sweden, a children's entertainer......the list goes on. Throughout the day Mike had a great habit of talking about his life and dropping into the conversation some incredible facts and stories about his life, for example "Oh that was the time when I travelled across Europe in a old school bus which fell off a cliff, then took a train carriage where I was attacked by a mob not for money but my body, thankfully saved by a Russian, who let me live in her house in Tehran" As many commentators stated "How he survived the party lifestyle of the 60's and the music scene in the late 60/early 70's is a truly remarkable story in itself". I could agree 100% with that comment by the end of the day.

So after a impressive music career, travelling the world, teaching the harp in South America, mixing with every type of social class, learning several languages including Irish, Swedish, Spanish, French Persian, producing poetry and escaping a mob on a train, Mike thought he would take up painting around 6 years ago. Since then he has major exhibitions around Ireland and the UK, creating a new network of people interested in the creative genius of this mild mannered yet passionate artist. His artwork is now highly valued and has been purchased across the UK and Ireland, including a couple of paintings to major TV stars.

After 6 years of painting he now feels interested in developing his understanding of ceramics, so in typical Mike style he told me "I have never done it before, however I have bought a kiln and intend to make pottery artwork in the next few weeks". For many people this would be a major investment and career step to take.....for Mike, its just another adventure to add to a very long list.

Speaking to one journalist, we came to the same conclusion after speaking to Mike, "this guy needs to write down his life story, because the tales he has to tell would fill 1000 newspapers not just a column." Why not make your mind up and check out Mike's exhibition at the Alley Until May 29th 2009.

For further information visit http://www.alley-theatre.com/exhibitions/%20or or visit his official site at http://www.mikeabsalom.com/

New report shows the arts are enjoyed by all in Northern Ireland

Audiences NI have come up with a new report that in my opinion explores some of the myths about theatre attendance in Northern Ireland.

"A new report shows that the arts are enjoyed by people from all walks of life in Northern Ireland, exploding the myth that the arts are the preserve of an elite minority. The Audience Audit is based on data drawn from 22 arts organisations across Northern Ireland and looks at who went to the arts in 2008, what they spent and when they attended. Audiences NI has produced the report using the socio-demographic classification system Mosaic NI. This system divides Northern Irish consumers into nine ‘groups’ based on a range of indicators including income and lifestage. The Audience Audit report shows that people who go to the arts are drawn from all nine Mosaic groups, including Farming Communities and Housing Executive Tenants. Additionally the report demonstrates that the arts contribute significantly to the Northern Irish economy, with ticket sales alone generating £13.5 million in 2008. "

The Alley Mosaic Report 2008 showed that our largest groups comes from Farming Communities and Housing Executive Tenants, which is replicated across Northern Ireland in this new report.

Our core aim is to develop the arts and increase arts participation across the whole of the community, and I think this report and our own research shows many critics that arts are not only for the middle class, but for all groups in society.

"Alan Sugar" vs The Alley Marketing Dept

The Alley Marketing officer recently took part in the Arts and Business course entitled "The Art of the Pitch", a 2 day practical development training programme (27 & 28 April 2009) which offered the Alley and 5 other arts organisations the opportunity to develop and hone our business skills to 'pitch' to the business world. A mixture of the Apprentice and the Dragons Den, this exciting course really made me think about how to make the perfect pitch and avoid being fired.......

Held in Blick Studios in Belfast (thanks for opening up early guys!) and Whitenoise Creative Design Studios, the training culminated on a third day, entitled 'pitch' day, where all six participants were given the opportunity to 'pitch' to a panel of local business representatives (30th April 2009), including representatives from Autoline, Royal Mail, Davy, FG McClure Watters, BT, Texeco, Tesco and PWC.

The training was undertaken by Cathy Law from Cathy Law Communications (great trainer, gets a 5 star report) in partnership with Arts & Business (great as usual, thanks Beverly) and a crack team of experts to including a creative team of designers (whitenoise), a presentation expert from UTV and a really interesting talk from image consultant Paul Smyth from Outlook, a personal image consultancy.

Some top tips from Paul Smyth
1. Wear a blue tie to show calmness and authority

2. Wear a red tie when you want to grab attention, the "look at me" idea

3. Always look well groomed, you never know you might meet your sponsor when you do the weekly shop, do you really want him to see you in your joggers and ripped T-shirt?

I have to admit these three little golden rules are now my mantra! For more information about Paul Smyth and his personal image work, visit http://www.outlook-image.com/

The Grand Opera House Marketing officer won the overall pitch competition, however as the yanks would say "Everyone was a winner", as many of the participants overcame major fears in developing or presenting a pitch.

One thing I would certainly say is one of the major things on the course I thought I would not enjoy, but did, was the South African image consultant, Paul Smyth....well worth further investigation!