In our, Latvian, festival we had a different workshops during the festival. It was really long process before we decided which workshops we should have in festival Cita Vide.
Our work started at the beginning of project, when from all festival team 4 people were in group which was responsible about workshops from A-Z during the festival. We had two or tree drafts, before we made final workshops.
So tip for others - It is not so easy as it looks like!
At first of course we had a lot of ideas, good ones, not so good, big ones, not so big. As our festival philosophy was- we are different from others, we wanted to make totally new workshops nobody had ever seen in festivals. Then we realized we don't have so big budget and some of our ideas we can not make real. We understood also, we can not again discover America. But all in all, now we think, that our workshops were quite interesting and unusual.
Tips
--- start doing everything in time. The biggest mistake you can make - to think you have plenty of time! NO YOU DON'T HAVE!
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it is really important that all your team member is interested to gain common aim.
If not maybe it's better to work only with those people who want to work. Don't worry about people who not participate. Afterwards you will have more things to worry about, so forget about them!
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make partnerships with other organizations, like technical schools, art schools, music schools, art, culture organizations
In our case in one workshop we made a deal with technical school in Ogre, that they will lead wood burning and bird house painting workshop and instead of this we will allow them put their banner in festival territory and put their logo in our web-page.
We think it was good deal, because there was one workshop and we had a less work and problems to worry about, but our visitors where happy.
--- if something goes wrong, pretend EVERYTHING IS AS IT'S NEED TO BE.
and the biggest mistake is to tell others that something went wrong, actually then don't know true so they would thing it was supposed to be. And when there is drawbacks you want to speak with other team members, do it in place where you are alone, with no visitors, journalists etc.
--- make friendship with journalists!
Before, during and after festival! In our case we had good relationships with journalists, but you could always do better!
