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Test Drive the Arts is a collaborative venture between Arts Queensland, the Australia Council and participating performing arts venues and companies throughout Queensland. The government’s role is to establish a platform through the Test Drive program that the performing arts sector can use to build new audiences. It is operating as a large scale state-wide program funded through to September 2008.

Test Drive is delivered via an online environment through our website at www.testdrivethearts.com developed and maintained under an agreement with ourbrisbane.com. As a participating venue or company you will have access to this resource.

Test Drive media partners help promote the program to the general public. Our partners include Nova FM, Brisbane’s top rating radio station, Macquarie’s Regional Radioworks network with stations in all Queensland regional markets and the APN group’s Style magazines with titles in markets across Queensland. As a participating organisation your venue or company can take advantage of these media alliances to promote your programming via Test Drive.

The Test Drive program in Queensland operates on an ‘opt-in’ basis with any performing arts venue or company able to participate. Inquiries from Queensland based venues and companies seeking to participate in Test Drive the Arts are welcome.

The general conditions for participation in Test Drive are:

· Make available a minimum of 2 percent of a venue’s seats for any performances offered as part of Test Drive

· Ensure the programming is ‘accessible’ and suitable for a first time audience

· Provide a block allocation of seating for Test Drive

· Provide advice of seating at least 1 month ahead of performances

· Commit to Test Drive for the duration of the program to allow effective promotion

· Provide a central contact person responsible for coordinating Test Drive

· Work with Arts Queensland to maintain statistics and report on Test Drive offers

Benefits to performing arts venues and companies can include:

· A strategic approach to developing new audiences for your company or venue

· Turning unsold seating capacity into a valuable asset and future potential income

· Tapping into an existing promotional platform

· Test Drive is ‘scalable’ so you can control the amount of programming submitted and the resources needed to support Test Drive

For more information on how your company or venue can participate in Test Drive contact:

Glen Fuller

Principal Marketing and Promotions Officer

Arts Queensland

T: 07 3224 5074

M: 0414 647 202

E: glen.fuller@arts.qld.gov.au

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