Performer Information

Applications for 2009

Interstate/international applications
If you are a mainland performer or an international act touring in Australia in January 09 and you would like to be considered for inclusion in the 2009 Cygnet Festival, download this Interstate Performers application form. The deadline is 30 June for interstate/international applictions.

Tasmanian applications
If you are a Tasmanian performer wishing to apply, download and return the Tasmanian Performers application form. Please note that the deadline has been moved forward to 31 August and unlike in the past, tardy applications and postponed deadlines won't drag on into November - we get more local applications than we can use and we aim to finalise our program well in advance this year.

Application Deadlines
Deadline dates for this round of applications:
30 June for interstate/international performers
31 August for Tasmanian applicants.

Some guidelines
As an indication, but not a rule, the Cygnet programmers try to bring from beyond Bass Strait one, sometimes two, representative acts from the following genres: singer/songwriters (both genders), indigenous performers, blues, country, bluegrass, Celtic, European, Asian, African, Oceania, cabaret, comedy, kids acts, dance, traditional, Australian folk, street performers, circus workshop, choral and a capella. We're particularly interested in anyone who can cover more than one of these genres and we're also very interested in programming workshops, themed presentations and shows. We're always on the hunt for high quality kids' entertainers and workshops.

If you are a singer/songwriter, the field is particularly competitive, with around 60% of the 200+ mainland applications we receive every year coming from solo singer/songwriters. We only have space in the program for two or three at the most each year.

If you put in an application last year (or before) but weren't selected, please don’t take it as a reflection of your abilities or the quality of your act. We're sorry we can't fit more of you in because the standard of applications is extraordinary, and we only have budget, time over the festival weekend and stage space for less than 10% of the applications we receive. We have to say ‘no, sorry’ to the majority of applicants (and we hate it).

If you have applied for several years without success, don't give up on us - we can't guarantee that you'll be successful, but you may have been shortlisted before and this may be your year.

Advice to applicants

What we look for in applications is:

1. a CD that really reflects how you would sound on a Cygnet festival stage - massive production or a flash backing band may make you sound great on CD but if you're applying as a solo performer, we'd like to get some idea how you sound solo.

2. your total fee, including your travel costs. We don't ask you to sell yourself short, but if your fee is high, we don't negotiate on your quote, as we have so many applications to consider.
Interstate performers, you don't need to include an amount in your fee to cover accommodation while you are in Cygnet: we provide free transfers for international and interstate acts between Hobart airportand Cygnet and we provide accommodation, either in the pub or in billets or you're very welcome to camp.
We don't provide transport or accommodation for Tasmanian acts: we rely on Tasmanian performers to stay with friends or rellies or we provide free camping.

3. a really great photo of you as a high resolution 300 dpi jpeg. A really great picture is probably your single biggest promotional assset: we send the media the pictures that we think will catch people's eye and spark their imagination, so you and the festival both benefit from good visuals. A snap-shot - even a good one - may be detrimental to your application.

4. a good short [1 paragraph/100 word] history/bio of your act that we can use in promotion, on this website and in the festival program. You're welcome to send a full bio as well, but please don't make us try to guess what you want in the program. If you have a website, include your web address.

5. a 50 word description of any workshops that you propose to give, also for the program and website.

International performers

As much as we would love to bring performers from overseas, our budget simply won't stretch to international airfares. If you are planning to tour in Australia in January, then by all means, get in touch with us well in advance, as we are able to cover your domestic airfare to Tasmania from the mainland of Australia.