2 CITIES - Melbourne Fringe Circus Hub

Please see our Sponsorship Proposal document for a full outline, but available benefits include:

Naming rights to one bar+theatre (either Eastender or The Bowery)

One brand activation/giveaway opportunity

Ability to provide branded seating and tables, 2x pull up banners

Video and A4 print advertisements within venue

MC shoutout at opening event and where possible in shows

Complimentary tickets and beverages

Mmentions in EDMs to 30k+ people

Press release mention where possible

Logo on:

-Banners outside venue

-Media walls

-Print posters and online advertising

-ADT website with link 2500 visitors/month

-Facebook banners

-Social media posts pre, during and post event

With our two performance spaces each seating between 300 and 400 pax, we are expecting combined numbers of 1200+ for each evening session, and 200+ for each daytime childrens' session.

Our company instagram and facebook both have around 2000 followers, and we have 2000 emails on our company EDM database. Melbourne Fringe database has close to 30k emails.

Based on our own previous events and social media statistics, our audience demographics are:

-60% female 40% male

-Predominantly aged 25-44 (75%)

-Australian residents and predominantly Melbourne locals (45%)

-Audiences who prioritise spending disposable income on entertainment and leisure experiences

-Couples and social groups for evening sessions, families for the daytime sessions

Your sponsorship investment will help us to pay our venue and staffing costs, which enables us to keep our producer fees low. In return, we will provide digital and in person brand exposure before, during and after this 10 day event. Melbourne has been lacking in live performance options for over a year, and we are confident our programming will attract a large and diverse crowd of entertainment aficionados, as well as notable figures within the local and national performing arts industries. We are also aiming to gain media coverage from state and national news outlets.

Your brand will be aligned with one of the premier arts festivals in Victoria, as well as a production methodology specifically created to provide maximum benefit to independent artists post covid.

Since 2007, After Dark Theatre has been producing award winning performances, and providing state of the art lighting and production design to venues across Australia and beyond. With strong connections in the performing arts industry, coupled with our thorough understanding of performer and producer needs, we were approached to run the 2021 Melbourne Fringe festival circus hub.

Given the financial risks that independent producers face when undertaking a festival season, we are passionate about providing a social enterprise model which offers technical staff and equipment at a flat rate to the producer. As a company we are underwriting all of these costs to reduce financial risk for companies in our community, and help them focus on making their shows even more amazing!

Held within North Melbourne's Meat Market venue, 2 CITIES comprises two performance theatres - each with its own bar and foyer/gallery space.

The Eastender seats 372, and is an 'in the round' style cabaret venue with 60 table seats.

The Bowery seats 300, and has a front on seating setup with 20 table seats.

2 CITIES will run from Thursday 30th September to Sunday 10th October with 10 evening sessions (closed Monday 4th October), and 10 daytime sessions.

Evening sessions comprise six shows across the two theatres with start times staggered between 6:15 and 10:30pm. Daytime sessions comprise individual children's shows starting at different times between 10am and 1pm, predominantly weekend days.

We have programmed an exciting range of circus, dance, burlesque, magic and variety shows from Australia's most prestigious and awarded companies. These include:

• Gravity and Other Myths (Helpmann and AusDance award winners)
• After Dark Theatre (Green Room and Adelaide Fringe award winners)
• Showmen Productions (Adelaide, Perth and Sydney Fringe 'Best Kids Show' award winners)
• Head First Acrobats (Adelaide and Perth Fringe award winners)
• Paris Underground, one of Australia's most successful touring cabaret shows
• The prestigious Burn Circuit breakdancing finals, on our opening night.

Special events throughout the 10 day run of 2 CITIES include:

• opening night drinks from 5:30pm on Thursday 30th September
• a gallery opening on Friday 1st October

We are also organising a series of industry events and professional development workshops, the full programme for this will be finalised by 15th September.