Good communication strengthens your project. It ensures that participants, partners and audiences know what you are doing, why you are doing it and how they can take part. This toolbox is intended for everyone communicating within leisure‑time performing arts: makers, companies, volunteers and organisers. Here you will find practical tips, examples and tools to communicate clearly, on time and with purpose, from the first announcement to the final evaluation.
Your purpose, informing, calling for volunteers, selling tickets, determines the content and tone of your communication. Think this through in advance. Define your goal and your target group clearly. Once you do the exercise, you’ll quickly notice that trying to reach too many people at once makes your communication unfocused.
Who is the main target group, and who are the sub‑groups? Which groups do you definitely want to reach, and which ones deserve extra attention?
Next, consider the channels and formats you want to use. You will always need a combination of different channels. The key is to choose the ones that actually reach the people you want to reach. A useful method is to work with concentric circles. Your closest partners deserve a personal approach. The next circles can be reached as a group via email or social media. And the wider public can be reached with an appealing flyer or poster. Give each target group only the information that is relevant to them. That means using different channels and messages for neighbours, local businesses, associations, the press and so on. Every group has its own preferred ways of receiving information. Young people respond more to messages shared by friends or peers on certain social media platforms. Older adults are easier to reach through the municipal newsletter or through local branches of socio‑cultural organisations such as OKRA, KWB or Femma.
One and the same person can belong to two target groups; for example, a member of your theatre company can be both a potential volunteer for organising a theatre walk and a potential audience member.
Alongside a flyer, a digital newsletter and social media, moments of direct contact, meetings or (online) info sessions, are equally important.
Many people are not in the habit of taking flyers with them. Look for ways to draw extra attention to your flyers, for example by handing them out actively and talking to people at the market. Many people never visit the theatre company’s website, so don’t rely on your website as your only communication channel. Many people don’t feel personally addressed. Communicate through intermediaries, associations and organisations as well. Not all target groups visit the places where the theatre company usually shares information. Spread your information in places where the people you want to reach actually go, such as senior organisations, community centres, youth centres, shopping streets, local shops, mosques or churches.
Many people throw away unaddressed mail without reading it. So look for ways to make your communication feel more personal, for example by using an addressed envelope.
A clear website is the heart of your communication: use it as a short but powerful hub for all information. Fill your site with both words and images. A website is not interactive — you don’t need to respond to comments. On social media, this is something to keep in mind.
Facebook (and Instagram for a younger audience) remains an easy channel to reach a wider public. Explain clearly on your Facebook page what your theatre event is about and make sure you post regularly. This does take time: you need to keep your page active and respond to questions and comments.
Make use of the channels that already exist. Municipal newsletters, communication channels of local associations, a local radio station or newspaper, a noticeboard at the bakery … Every town or city has a list of local press and media. Don’t hesitate to activate your own network. Many of your partners have their own communities — and therefore their own communication channels.
Don’t forget word of mouth communication. Your own volunteers are often your best ambassadors.
Also make use of the communication channels provided by OPENDOEK: a link to the theatre calendar and the UiT database, or a post in the OPENDOEK Facebook group for in your region.
Nothing is more frustrating than a half‑clear message or a story that starts to take on a life of its own. Communicate both early and fully, so you don’t have to correct misunderstandings afterwards. Make sure there is a contact person (name and phone number) or an email address that is checked regularly.
Too often, people wait for a concrete output, for example, the start of ticket sales, before communicating. But a project in progress is also worth communicating about: it keeps your target groups engaged and increases their sense of involvement. Think of rehearsal photos, costume fittings or simply images that show what inspires you.
Give readers all the information they need. They should be able to understand everything without any prior knowledge. Make sure their basic questions are answered.
Don’t just mention the starting time of a performance, but also when it ends. And always say which day of the week the activity takes place.
Don’t speak only from your perspective as organiser or theatre company, but also from the perspective of your different target groups.
We too often use theatre jargon or specialist terms. Podcast, participation, wagon play, acting coaching… neither fourteen‑year‑old Sara nor eighty‑two‑year‑old Aunt Jeanne knows what these words mean. So adjust your language.
Use no more than fifteen words per sentence. A long sentence can easily be turned into two short ones. This makes your text much clearer. Sentences with “to be” in the passive form are harder to understand. We often use them to stay vague, which is exactly what you want to avoid.
Do: The Oepsakee theatre group organises a theatre walk. Don’t: A theatre walk is being organised.
Use sans serif typefaces such as Calibri or Arial. Most people can read these fonts from size 11 onwards. Serif fonts such as Times New Roman require a much larger point size. Avoid decorative or handwriting fonts altogether.
Use very light text on a very dark background, or very dark text on a very light background. The lower the contrast, the bigger and heavier your letters need to be. Put as little text as possible on a photo.
A strong image helps people feel addressed. Choose an image with stopping power — something that immediately catches the eye. Such an image is large enough, clear and unambiguous. It should be instantly obvious what it is about.
Show the diversity of your target group or the people in your town or city. Pay attention to age, gender, background, disability, sexual orientation… This helps everyone feel represented.
Be careful with clichés. Not all seniors are seventy‑five, not all people with a migration background are Moroccan, and not all people with a disability use a wheelchair. People identify more easily with activities they enjoy and with groups they feel connected to, such as children, theatre or celebrations.
Create a timeline that maps out each step: when you say what, to whom and through which communication channel. Make a separate timeline for each target group. Where there is overlap, make sure the timing is well aligned. For example, it’s best to send the email to local residents on the same day and at the same time as the email to local organisations. If you create a Facebook page, make a content plan for it as well.
It can be awkward if the volunteer who is helping to drive the entire project forward is not aware of what is about to be sent out. Make sure these people receive the information before it goes to the different target groups.
