 |
 |
Yes, Doug, the ASA list presents fees at the 'high' end, realistically speaking. But my thinking is that we shouldn't see them as such. When I did a reading in New South Wales a few years ago, (I was on a Residency) the festival committee of a nearby town originally weren't offering me a fee. When I requested one, I asked them a series of questions first: is there a poster for the show (a music and poetry eveing in a hotel)? When they answered Yes, I asked if the printer had been paid? They said, Yes. And will the bar staff be paid? Again, yes. Were they charging admission? Yes. So I felt it was reasonable that I ask for a fee - not a big one, mind you, but a fee. The barman made more that night, and he didn't do much. There was a further development to this saga: as I was the only one on the bill being paid, they requested I also compere the show! Ha ha ... I love a spotlight, I love an audience, so I was happy to do it. I have never been a greedy man, and often do gigs for nothing, just to kick start a program or help an existing program survive when their funding has run out, but I don't think it is a good policy in the majority of cases. Cheers - Andrew ----- Original Message ----- From: "Douglas Barbour" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2006 10:28 PM Subject: Re: Recent 'blog' subjects > Those Rates look pretty good, if one can manage to get them. > > And then there are the times when one might do something for free in > order to set up a future possibility (we have a new poetry festival > starting small this fall, & there I am, going to a school etc, just > because.... But I have some hope that next year they'll be able to > bring Sheila up so we can do Continuations together...). > > The reading fees are a little less than the Canada Council pays, but > good compared to some of our provincial rates.... > > Doug