Giggle Givers is often Contacted by Charity or Non-Profit
Groups
Here's some advice that we give...
I am very glad you are considering having a clown or other entertainer at your event. A
clown can draw people to an event and create a fun and memorable
event. Advertising that you will have a clown or other entertainer present at an upcoming
event can bring in families with
children and increase the attendance of an event. Clowns can often connect with people and
draw people out and get them involved in an event.
Some things to look for and share with the prospective clown or other entertainer:
- Ask if they have experience with the type of event you are hosting
or what type of things they would be doing at your event.
- Have they attended training programs and/or are they member of
any clowning or other entertainment organizations. Clowns and other entertainers who have attended training programs
and/or those who are members of clowning or other entertainment organizations tend to provide
higher quality performances and tend to supply a better end product
than those that just throw on Halloween make-up and some mismatched
clothes. They also give your event a more polished and professional
feel.
- If possible please tell the entertainer ahead of time the general
age of those you are expecting an example would be if most of the
audience going to be small children 4 and under, kids 5-12 yrs old,
teenagers, young adults 20-30 yrs, 30-50 yrs, or 50+ yrs. This enables
the entertainer to prepare appropriately. It is okay if you are expecting a
mixed audience but the more the entertainer knows about your audience the
more he or she can tailor his show or activities for your needs. Also if your
audience has special needs please share this with the entertainer. It may
not seem politically correct but the audience will benefit and enjoy
the show much more if the show or other activities have been developed with these
considerations in mind.
- Be sure they have the times straight and the accurate information on
the location of the event.
- Please also give the entertainer a cell phone number where you or the
person
who will be in charge on-site for the event can be reached if something
happens last minute that may effect their ability to perform at the
event such as getting lost on the way to the event or car trouble.
Most entertainers give themselves extra time to get to an event but every
once in a while something happens that can not be avoided and the
sooner you can be contacted the sooner the problem can be dealt with.
In general, we can not do your event
for free. Many clowns and entertainers do clowning and entertaining as a way to make a living. They have
a
great deal of time and money invested in their props, make-up,
routines, and education. An entertainer''s performance has expenses. If the
entertainer is tying balloons or doing face painting those balloons and face paint cost money, many magic tricks
require one time use items that need to be replaced every time the
trick is performed, and many entertainers pay for insurance to cover
their performances. We do not expect a plumber to donate their time
when they come to fix the plumbing. They have time and money invested
in their tools and training and they need to make a living by what they
do. Clowns and other entertainers are no different in that they provide a service and should
be paid for that service. Also keep in mind the old adage that you get
what you pay for. A bad entertainer can have a negative effect on your event.
Having
said that, many entertainers are willing to work with charity events. Some
entertainers will donate one hour of their time for every hour they are paid
for and they just ask for a receipt for the hour donation so they may
get tax credit for it, in this way both the event and the entertainer come
out ahead. The event can spend less while still having a spectacular
event. This way the entertainer can cover the expense he incurs so that he to
can stay in business. So, may I suggest that when you approach a clown
or any entertainer for your event that you do offer to cover some of
their cost or work
out an arrangement like the one I've suggested above.
Good luck with your event.
Sincerely,
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