Things You'll Need:
- Lawyer
- Business checking account
- Accountant
- Computers
- Word processing, spreadsheet, and database software
- Receipt books
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Step 1
Set up your music festival production calendar. Major music festivals are often planned a year or more in advance. Allow at least six months lead-time for local festivals and more for one that you plan to stage at a different location.
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Step 2
Identify staffing needs for each festival production component. You can outsource the hiring of some staff, by hiring temporary workers. However, plan to have some permanent staff for day-to-day operations.
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Step 3
Breakdown festival management tasks. Create weekly and monthly checklists for major festival management categories. Include entertainment booking and coordination, equipment, partnerships and festival sponsorships, public relations and networking, promotion, and printing. Retain a lawyer to review all legal issues, insurance, contracts for artists, souvenir and refreshment vendors.
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Step 4
Open a business checking account. Setup and implement all financial procedures. Buy receipt books for petty cash expenses. Track expenditures and income daily. Compare results to budgeted amounts at least weekly. Make budget corrections or adjustments, at least monthly. Consider hiring an accountant or bookkeeper, if necessary.
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Step 5
Buy or lease computers and install, at minimum, word processing, spreadsheet, and database or contact management software. Train all users on the correct methods for information input and report generation. Consider printing brief manuals on financial and information management for each staffer.
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Step 6
Provide written task assignments for each staffer, working team or selected event planning vendor. Specify the progress reporting dates, guidelines, and change order requirements. Discuss planned activities and milestones for management decisions, marketing plan revisions, public relations strategies, community and political activities, and venue inspections and contracts.
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Step 7
Schedule regular production and reporting meetings in person, by phone or using technologies like web conferencing. Keep meetings on topic by requesting written reports from attendees prior to actual session. Use meeting time to build morale, brainstorm, revise milestones or reallocate resources.
