Contact band or venue for show posters....

[wolfattack]

Hey guys,

I am fairly new to the world of show posters (I am currently a design student at Art Center in Pasadena). So far, I've only printed one poster for a show, and it went really well (Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks poster last year, almost sold out at the show). But, this semester I have been contacting bands to see if I can do show posters for them and so far I have a few good ones lined up for Los Angeles shows in the next couple months.

The thing I am worried about is, should I be contacting the bands or the venues? What does everyone do? I feel like it feels strange going straight to the venue without the bands approval, but then I don't want to just get the okay from the band or bands management, and then the venue hires someone to print posters for them.

I didn't know how to search for this on the forum, so if there is a topic already that someone could link me to, I would really appreciate it, but if not, any sort of information involving the steps you guys usually take at the beginning of the process would be great.

Thanks!
Josh

[lil_tuffy]

If you want to sell the posters, you need the band's permission.

[JustinHelton]

If you can't figure out how to search a forum, getting ahold of a band's management may be quite the challenge for you...
and this may sound like a harsh statement, but really, there is a search box in the upper right hand corner of the window...

[wolfattack]

If you can't figure out how to search a forum, getting ahold of a band's management may be quite the challenge for you...
and this may sound like a harsh statement, but really, there is a search box in the upper right hand corner of the window...

Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough. I was merely stating that I wasn't sure how to search for this specific topic on the board because I didn't really know how to phrase it, not actually the ability to search.

I already have lined up doing posters for two fairly substantial shows (well, substantial to me) in LA over the next few months, but since they are at slightly larger venues, I just didn't know if I was going about it the wrong way by contacting the band's management opposed to the venue.

I just found a post though on the forum after searching some....
Permission to design gig posters; who to contact?

Thanks anyway.

[JustinHelton]

Well..like Tuffy said.ALWAYS get bands approval if you are going to sell posters...it will save you heartache and trouble later.

[mills]

and go premium.

[Saywells]

i work for a venue.
we are literally contractually prohibited to sell anything with the band's likeness. the venue route is a dead-end, unless they can provide some sort of artist/management contact.

[Zach Hobbs]

I hope you make good posters for these high profile gigs.

[caribou]

if you're at an art school, i would imagine that there are a ton of folks in school with you that are in bands. why not hit some of them up to see if they need posters for an upcoming show?

[wolfattack]

I hope you make good posters for these high profile gigs.

I wouldnt really say they are high profile or anything, just bands I admire are playing slightly bigger venues than the normal small local club (Built to Spill and Deerhunter). I hope I make good posters too, haha. I think they will turn out just fine, I'm printing the first two layers of the Built to Spill poster on tuesday I believe.


Also, thanks for the info Saywells, I appreciate the insight into how that works.