Mystifying Mosaic: The Intriguing Poster Featuring the Francos
Navigating the complex art of festival programming requires a knack for compromise and a keen understanding of the music industry. "It's like playing a puzzle," Louis Carrière, talent agent and founder of Preste agency, explains. Alongside Catherine Simard of La maison Fauve and Maurin Auxéméry, the director of programming for Francos, they dive into the intricate world of festival planning.
Each festival seeks an image that echoes its unique spirit and purpose. However, Quebec artists, who are often in high demand, may not always be available. Their popularity also plays a significant role in festival programming, as festivals aim to fill their main stages with big draw artists to attract massive audiences. So, how does a festival stand out?
Maurin Auxéméry explains the artist market dynamics: "Generally, an artist releases an album and first sells tickets for their concerts in venues. Then, they offer gifts to their audience as a way of thanking them, such as playing at the Francos, on an outdoor free stage."
However, for each given season, the pool of potential shows is limited by various factors that illustrate the cyclical nature of the music industry. For example, a musician might be focused on composing a new album, recording it, and then setting up the show and planning a tour.
The artist's status and career stage also impact their decision-making process. An emerging artist aiming for discovery may opt for festival performances, while an established artist may prioritize venue tours before agreeing to festival appearances.
"Things get complicated," Auxéméry continues, "because we don't always decide on the availability of artists." In some cases, multiple festivals might try to secure the same headliner, but since they are busy promoting their new album and touring, they might not be available.
"On the other hand, it allows us to plan for an artist's future," adds the director of Francos. "It becomes strategic to create long-term strategies, and sometimes we have such a close relationship with artists and their teams that we can make strategic decisions for their careers."
Catherine Simard, the founder and president of La maison fauve, further adds that this dynamic primarily applies to Montreal and capital region festivals due to the free offer. "Normally, festivals are not free. Then, you have to be careful before accepting a festival because later it can become difficult to sell tickets in venues. We don't usually give a free concert in July if we have a MTelus to sell in the fall."
However, exceptions do exist, such as artist Lou-Adriane Cassidy, who has been breaking the rules this season. Despite releasing notable albums, she has agreed to perform on main stages at paid-entry festivals and free concerts at Francos. This strategy, developed in collaboration with her team and Francos, allows her to reach a broader audience.
Every artist, even established ones, may not fit perfectly on large festival stages, estimates Benoit Pinette, also known as Tire le Coyote. "There are artists who sell a lot of tickets in theaters, but who may not have the same appeal for outdoor stages or for festival programmers. The opposite is also true: artists who don't have as large a theater audience, but who draw the crowds to festivals."
However, subtle changes in programming can introduce softer, more introspective acts to festival audiences, as demonstrated by the successful inauguration of Pomme at Francos last year and the hugely popular instrumental piano performance by Jean-Michel Blais at the Place des Festivals during the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
Balancing an artist’s creative vision and a festival’s audience attraction goal involves strategic programming, careful artist selection, flexible negotiation, and careful budget allocation. Proper communication, goal-oriented teams, and a well-planned lineup help create a festival experience that delights audiences while honoring artists' missions.
In the intricate world of festival planning, it's essential to consider an artist's career stage and availability, as the pool of potential shows is often limited by factors such as album compositions, recordings, and tour plans (Maurin Auxéméry). However, an artist's versatility can help them reach a broader audience, as demonstrated by Lou-Adriane Cassidy's performances at both paid-entry and free festivals this season (Text Mentioning).
Balancing an artist's creative vision and a festival's audience attraction goal involves strategic programming, careful artist selection, flexible negotiation, and careful budget allocation. Proper communication, goal-oriented teams, and a well-planned lineup help create a festival experience that delights audiences while honoring artists' missions, leading to the successful incorporation of softer, more introspective acts into festival programming (Conclusion Paragraph).
