Fall Semester

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

MPSM336 Event Planning and Production

Syllabus Fall 2014

Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Location N181

Instructor: Nita Sturiale
Email: nsturiale at massart dot edu
Office hours: by apt.

Many of the course materials, important schedule changes, and appropriate links are online via the following course URL http://blogs.massart.edu/epp/.
Please check the online syllabus linked from this site often throughout the semester.

Course Description

This course is for those that are actively involved in organizing and producing events and exhibitions throughout the year. It is required for Eventworks Producers and Godine Family Gallery Managers. Students will meet with the instructor one on one throughout the semester, additionally the class will meet periodically as a group to discuss general production issues. It is also open to those not involved in Eventworks or Godine Gallery but that have another event(s) in mind. Any student involved in ambitious event production projects are encouraged to take this course. Taking this class is only by permission of instructor. This is a one-year long course.

Course Objectives

The goals of this course are: to provide an opportunity to earn college credit for work involved with producing events outside the school academic structure; to learn the skills necessary to write a project proposal, realistic timelines, budgets and financial records; to practice interacting with the necessary support staff needed to produce events; to provide students practice in articulating their intentions, questions and artistic goals; and to suggest resources for researching solutions and answers after leaving school.

Learning Goals

  • Acquire the ability to collaborate.
  • Learn how to articulate artistic goals and concepts and translate them into actualized projects.
  • Practice self-study in the skills or topics that the student requires to meet their project goals.
  • Acquire the ability to respond creatively when the parameters in a given project change.
  • Practice speaking and presenting to the public.
  • Acquire hands-on skills in audio/visual technology, curatorial practice, community building, and interdisciplinary practice.
  • Mentor and be mentored amongst students from different cohorts.
  • Identify one’s strongest interests and seek out opportunities for pursuing them.
  • Work towards a high level of self-motivation, educational agency, and self-imposed standards.

Course Requirements

  • Attendance – come to class and advising sessions – more than two absences, or chronic lateness may result in a NC grade,
  • Participate in class discussion and critiques,
  • Support your colleagues,
  • When applicable, read the readings and be prepared to discuss them in class,
  • Complete all assignments (see below) by the due date.

Assignments (fall semester)

  1. Prepare and sign an AGREEMENT that will be used to guide your progress throughout the semester. The required components of this agreement include:
    • A brief description of your Event/Project;
    • A timeline (should cover fall and spring semesters);
    • A contact list of your production team if known (including yourself);
    • Your signature;
    • A list of activities you will engage in throughout the semesters (this includes the proposal, 2 apts, financial projections, press release, blog, and progress report indicated below). You may add other activities and goals specific to your project – some suggestions include a photo portfolio of your event, letters of intent from participants, mid-term progress report, a list of all the people who have helped you in some way, project poster/website/radio spots, publicity documents, etc.
    AGREEMENTS ARE CREATED BY AN INDIVIDUAL.
  2. Create an ILLUSTRATED EVENT PROPOSAL. This proposal should include a thoughtful explanation of the artistic vision of your event and how this vision relates to the current cultural environment. [If you are working in a group, your group may hand in one proposal – but it must be clear who did what and each group member should have a copy of this proposal and know it well.] The document itself should be attractive and well-organized – the kind of document you would feel confident using in a grant application. Proposal should include components discussed in class, as well as – visuals, an Initial Financial Projection, production team roles and responsibilities, your advisory board, and examples of other similar events if they exist.Your Initial Financial Projection, including expenditures and income, is an Excel document and should be emailed to Nita as an attachment as well as printed out and included with your proposal. Follow this link for simple budget example.  This is a dynamic document that changes over the year as your budget changes.
    PROJECT PROPOSALS CAN BE CREATED BY A GROUP.
  3. 2 Individual appointments with the faculty – these will occur throughout the semester starting Oct 2.
  4. Ongoing blog posts on http://blogs.massart.edu/epp/ that describes your activities and progress.
  5. Mid-Term Self-Evaluation – http://www.nitasturiale.com/massart/eval/mideval.html
  6. Press release and publicity strategies for your events(s). Follow this link for some examples – http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-to-write-a-press-release-with-examples/
  7. Illustrated Project Progress Report
  8. Final Self-Evaluation – http://www.nitasturiale.com/massart/eval/finaleval.html

Looking ahead – Spring semester assignments:

  • Successful completion of your event(s)
  • 2 individual appointments with faculty
  • Progress blog
  • Final Financial Statement
  • A professionally printed and bound catalog or portfolio of your event(s). Inspiration:
    • MassArt SIM Eventworks final portfolio from 2007 – www.lulu.com/content/1620552
    • Eventworks 2009 – www.blurb.com/books/720134
    • Mid and Final Self-Evaluation.

Weekly Schedule (subject to change)

Sept 4 – Intros, Logistics, Expectations, Inspiration, Assignments. Microsoft Excel budget tutorial. Max Azanow, SIM studio manager and live event guru, will meet with us give us a piece of his mind.

Sept 11 – Introductions to MassArt staff – Event Registration Group (Elizabeth Diciccio, Laura Flynn, Claudia Ascrizzi, Public Safety, etc.) and Larry Levison in the Business Office.

  • DUE – Agreements

Sept 19 – Introductions to MassArt staff – Sue Stockwell in the Marketing dept. 10 – 11. Blog and social media tutorial with Greg Wallace at MassArt Library – 11 – 12. [add/drop deadline]

  • DUE – Project Proposal with Initial Financial Projection – bring paper copy to class.

Sept 26 – NO Group Meeting. Individual appointments TBA
Oct 2 – NO Group Meeting: Individual appointments TBA
Oct 9 – NO Group Meeting: Nita out of town.
Oct 16 – Mid-semester. Field trip to Party by Design Event Production facility and warehouse.
Still in the planning.
Oct 23 – Introductions to MassArt Staff – Clint Baclawski of Big, Red and Shiny. Share planning milestones and challenges.

  • DUE – Mid Term Self Evaluation -http://www.nitasturiale.com/massart/eval/mideval.html
- email to nita dot sturiale at massart dot edu.
  • DUE – Press Release and publicity strategy for your event(s) – bring paper copy to class. Expect to make changes based on Clint’s visit!

Oct 30 – NO group meeting: Individual appointments 
TBA
Nov 6 – NO group meeting: Individual appointments TBA
Nov 13 – NO group meeting: Individual appointments TBA
Nov 20 – NO group or individual meetings: SIM Department BIG SHOW
Nov 27 – NO CLASS: Thanksgiving
Dec 4 – NO group meeting: Individual appointments TBA
Dec 11 – Final class meeting

  • DUE – Illustrated Project Progress Report
  • DUE – Final Self Evaluation – http://www.nitasturiale.com/massart/eval/finaleval.html
Friendly reminder – no course credit without both self-evaluations!
[24 hour access begins]

 

GRADING and EVALUATION

Two grading systems are used at the college; Pass/No Credit/Incomplete grades are given in courses offered in the Studio For Interrelated Media.

If by mid-semester, students have not met the expectations outlined below within the timeline of the course, the student will receive a mid-semester warning. If by the end of the semester the student has not progressed by at least 80% the student will receive a grade of NC.  Faculty will assess the student’s progress during in-person meetings, project reviews, and email correspondence.

Students are evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Attendance/ Presence – Students are expected to attend all classes and appointments and arrive on time. If you have to leave the class, please don’t sneak out. This is a learning community based on mutual respect and appreciation – your absence is distracting. You should mark our individual appointments in your calendar and remember them. Making it to these appointments on time is part of the learning process.
  • Participation – Students are expected to contribute thoughtful questioning and be able to communicate their processes/concepts.  Students are expected to respect alternative viewpoints in the class.  Public speaking is a fundamental part of this curriculum and you will be expected to practice this.
  • Quality of Assignments – Students are expected to submit all assignments on or before the deadline whether you are sent a reminder or not. Check the course website regularly for deadlines and schedules.  Quality of assignments is often determined by group critique and public response.
  • Process of collaboration, responsibility, and follow-thru – Students are expected to challenge themselves, think big but be ready to adjust expectations as you learn new things, use class critique to further the development of their work, and end the year with finished event(s) and a printed book.

Grades are defined as follows:

  • Pass. Work meeting all expectations for successful completion of the course.
  • NC – No Credit. Work that does not meet the expectations of the course.
  • INC – Incomplete. A temporary designation indicating that at least 80% of the course requirements have been met and that the remaining course requirements are expected to be completed, and a permanent designation issued by the subsequent mid-semester. The student is responsible for having an Individual Grade Sheet completed by the appropriate faculty member and filed with the Registrar. If the student does not complete the course work, a non-passing grade will be issued.


Department Academic Progress

A student who earns a no credit in a major requirement or two no credits in major electives over two semesters is placed on probation. A student on probation who earns a no credit in a major requirement is subject to dismissal from the department.

Course Attendance
The college-wide policy permits no more than two absences per semester for a course that meets once a week prorated for classes that meet on a different schedule.

Plagiarism
Whenever your work incorporates someone else’s research, images, words, or ideas, you must properly identify the source unless you can reasonably expect knowledgeable people to recognize it. Proper citation gives credit where it is due and enables your readers to locate sources and pursue lines of inquiry raised by your paper. Students who do not comply will be penalized. For further information, see the MassArt Student Handbook or consult with the Academic Resource Center.

Classroom Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Massachusetts College of Art and Design is committed to fostering the academic, personal, and professional growth of our students. We are especially committed to ensuring that students with documented disabilities, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), are provided equal access to all campus resources and opportunities. If you believe you have a disability that may warrant accommodations, I urge you to contact Ms. Erla Shehu (Erla.Shehu@massart.edu or 617-879-7692) in the Academic Resource Center (formerly the Learning Center), Tower 550. The Academic Resource Center provides access to a learning specialist, an academic coach and professional tutors.

Additional Thoughts:

Our goal is to learn things we don’t already know towards the long-term goal of being effective and articulate artists, organizers, doers. The instructors’ responsibilities are to create opportunities for learning in a safe, structured, and facilitated environment. Your responsibility is to take these opportunities and run with them. Your full physical and mental presence and your engagement in the process is required for this formula to work. Voice your interests, thoughts, and questions and listen to your classmates. Learning takes patience, generosity, tolerance, a sense of humor, and a willingness to try new things without fear.

September 2014
N. Sturiale
http://blogs.massart.edu/epp/