Thread: Paying for stage time?

Is it normal to be asked to pay for stage time at a women's show? In addition to booth rental?

Usually when I've done shows (like health fairs) I've been asked to do a mini-lesson and/or demo, and I've always been allowed to hand out my literature for free in return. I've never had to pay for a booth, much less my stage time!!

This show wants $500 for a vending table, PLUS $100/hour if my group wants to perform onstage.

I'm not going to do it, but I'm curious now whether this is standard, I've never heard of it before!!!

*sputter* What???! That's ridiculous!

they're out of their minds!

Okay, is this a trade show? Because that is not usual for a trade show. Also, were you invited or is this something which you asked about?

{{{HUGS}}}

I was invited, but as an advertiser, not as a performer. They're trying to 'sell' me the stage time along with a booth to promote the studio.

Yes, it's a trade show -- this company puts on a bridal show in spring and a women's show in the fall. (she'd like to be compared to Working Women's Survival Show, but it's so much smaller scale & more local).

I'm glad to hear this isn't common. Like I said, none of the other shows I've done have worked this way at ALL.

i've been "offered" to have a stall at trade shows for "women's products", "moomy and me" fair, fairs from a magazine, a movie theatre having a ladies night with a trade show attached for "women's hooby's"... and yep, suddenly i was supposed to pay them. i get these once or twice a year, and just reply with "i dont need the advertising, thank you, i'm all booked up, but if you would like to hire me/us for your event"... etc etc etc.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Is it normal to be asked to pay for stage time at a women's show? In addition to booth rental?

Usually when I've done shows (like health fairs) I've been asked to do a mini-lesson and/or demo, and I've always been allowed to hand out my literature for free in return. I've never had to pay for a booth, much less my stage time!!

This show wants $500 for a vending table, PLUS $100/hour if my group wants to perform onstage.

I'm not going to do it, but I'm curious now whether this is standard, I've never heard of it before!!!

EEE-YIKES!!!! .w.:

Azeeza

Yeah...no. Maybe if you're using the stage to sell your super fantabulous cookware, fine, but to dance, hells no.

It sounds like they are viewing you as an "exhibitor" rather than as an entertainer. I dunno, maybe other exhibitors are willing to pay for stage time to do stuff like fashion shows of their merchandise, product demos of gadgets, etc. Conventions are like that. The obvious question would be, "How much business would I get as a result of this expenditure?" Your answer appears to be "Not enough," and that would probably be my answer too!

I did women's themed trade shows for a couple of years. But the deal was I got a free booth to advertise my belly dance classes in exchange for free performances. It made for a long day, that's for sure. It was fun "selling" belly dance to women all day long but I didn't get enough business out of it to really make it worth my while.

What Shira said.

Oh good gawd a-mighty! These people need to know how much a performance of that nature costs!!! (Okay, it's mid-Friday night after a hard week of work at the office the week before the university semester starts, etc. etc. etc., but still.... I think I'm reasonably affronted on this one.) It's one thing if you do a performance non-gratis for a good cause (even in support of fellow dancers' and their events to help them make ends meet for a seminar)... Oh, sorry, the husband just called me to dinner. ;-D

uh uh..I am given booth space for my studio to compensate me for entertaining at such venues...like I said over on redux..I dance for free..that to me also means free dance space!!!

It really depends on the nature of the event and the size of the audience, but yeah, what Shira said is dead on--they're viewing you as a "speaker/sponsor," not entertainment.

If they view you as entertainment (e.g., providing them a service) there are some venues that would pay you, some venues that would not pay you buty would give you the booth in exchange for your performance, and others that would not pay you nor give you the booth but would give you a discount on the booth. It depends entirely on the set-up of the organization, how their budget works, and what you/they can realistically justify in terms of potential business/advertising opportunity.

However, speakers usually pay for their slots at these kinds of things, because they are essentially paying for time to advertise their services.

One thing you could try to do, especially if THEY approached YOU, would be to point out to them that though you understand speakers typically pay, what you would be providing is professional entertainment--a service (one for which you are typically paid) that would draw more people to the convention or expo or whatever and that would also serve as a draw to other exhibitors etc. in the area where the performance would take place, and therefore you would be willing to waive your performance fee, in return you think they should waive their "presenter" fee. Aaaaand see how that goes over. ;-)

Thanks, everyone. If I decide the event seems worthwhile, I think I will approach them with a trade-entertainment-for-booth suggestion and see what they counter-offer.

At the moment, they haven't impressed me enough to bother.