About Block Booking
The overall objective of block booking is the collegial effort to work cooperatively to book more artists in communities throughout British Columbia. Block Booking includes all disciplines of the performing arts: music, dance, theatre, comedy, spoken word, young audience performances and more, to ensure that communities have access to a greater number of artistic experiences. Through block booking, BCTC addresses the need of our presenters to bring amazing cultural experiences into their communities, regardless of the size and location.
The block booking program is administered by the Block-booking Coordinator. This program operates through the online booking module, Arts Touring Connector (ATC) when three or more Presenters submit their interest in an artist to the Block-booking Coordinator. When enough interest is garnered, the Block-booking Coordinator acts as a liaison between Presenters and Artists to create an agreement and a tour that is suitable for all.
Log in to the ATC: https://arts-tc.ca/
Block Booking Meetings for Presenters
BCTC hosts block booking meetings for Presenters. These meetings provide an opportunity to pitch artists, discuss bookings and learn about new developments in booking tours. The meetings will be held on Zoom from Noon to 1:30 pm (PDT) on the dates below. Zoom details will be emailed to those who sign up.
Meeting Dates:
Wed Mar 6, 2024, 12pm-1:30pm
12:00-12:30pm Dance focus
12:30-1:00pm Everything
1:00 – 1:30pm Northern regional focus
Wed Mar 20 2024, 12pm-1:30pm
12pm-12:30pm Theatre focus
12:30pm-1pm Everything
1pm-1:30pm Vancouver & Gulf Island region focus
Wed Apr 3 2024, 12pm-1:30pm
12pm-12:30pm TYA focus
12:30pm-1pm Everything
1pm-1:30pm South West region focus
Sun Apr 14 2024, 10am-12pm
In person, to discuss Pacific Contact Showcase
Wed May 1 2024, 12pm-1:30pm
12pm-12:30pm Classical focus
12:30pm-1pm Everything
1pm-1:30pm South East & Central region focus
Wed May 15 2024, 12pm-1:30pm
12pm-12:30pm Music focus
12:30pm-1pm Everything
1pm-1:30pm Northern region focus
Wed May 29 2024, 12pm-1:30pm
12pm-12:30pm Dance focus
12:30pm-1pm Everything
1pm-1:30pm Vancouver & Gulf Island region focus
Virtual block booking training held on Wednesday, May 3rd
This session was aimed at presenters who want to be part of BCTC’s new touring and block booking initiative, and couldn’t be at Pacific Contact for the live training session.
Starting in March 2023 BCTC’s new Block Booking coordinator has been facilitating meetings and starting to coordinate tours across BC. The aim of this new block booking initiative is to ensure BC presenters get access to outstanding artists that they otherwise might not be able to book. Ross Paton, with Ontario Presents and Designer of the Arts Touring Connector (ATC), will virtually walk this group through the new block booking system developed by Ontario Presents and on board BCTC presenters during this interactive session.
Membership Benefit
BCTC supports block booking by hosting in person and online meetings, providing access to, and support with ATC, help liaising with and booking the artists, information about artists looking to tour, as well as information such as fees, availability and technical/production specs for all Pacific Contact showcase artists. With block booking, presentations are easier & more affordable, especially for rural/remote BC, tours become more feasible and better for artists through better routing and consistency, and the opportunity to increase Presenters ability to bring in diverse artists and underrepresented arts forms (cultural diversity, different genres, and mediums) is greatly increased. The ATC is updated regularly, based on Presenter interest and Artist confirmation.
Join our Block Booking Platform (ATC):
- ARTS TOURING CONNECTOR PRESENTER GUIDE – pdf
- BCTC BLOCK BOOKING GUIDELINES – pdf
- BCTC BLOCK-BOOKING AGREEMENT – pdf
- RULES OF ENGAGEMENT 2024-2025 – pdf
- ATC FEE SCALE, for quick assessment
Beginning Jan 1, 2024 the fee structure for the remaining season of tour bookings is calculated, as follow:
– If you are a Type A Presenter, with an Operating Budget of less than $100,000, your commission will be 2% for all performances booked
– If you are a Type B Presenter, with an Operating Budget of $100,000 to $500,000 your commission will begin at 4% for all performances booked
– If you are a Type C Presenter, with an Operating Budget of over $500,000 your commission will begin at 7% with a sliding scale
For information about membership, visit our membership page.
To contact the Block Booking coordinator, email petrice@bctouring.org
For technical issues with the ATC, please contact Ross, email rkmpaton@gmail.com