Circus; Back to the future

After a blog on how tradition kills the circus industry I got asked to write a follow-up story. Circus is spread across Europe in different shapes and forms. For the more traditional circuses, surviving becomes harder as they often exist out of “older” dynasties that tend to hold on to their old ways of running […]

Sabioleon; a reinvented creative advisor

I believe that show business needs a fresh view and shows and artists deserve coaching to perform at their best. I own Sabioleon; an entertainment branding consultancy specialized in variety and circus – both for artists and show productions -. By fusing insights, strategy, creativity and imagination I help my clients to uncover new ways […]

How tradition kills the circus industry

About every few days I hear from clients, colleagues and others how difficult not only composing a show on the artistic field is, but also how difficult running a show is. Running a show is not easy, but if the owner of a show tells me “but 20 years ago this used to work” I […]

Branding for artists; an introduction

What is branding? I like to share a memory from my childhood. When I was a child, my parents used to put me in the backseat of a car. I was only two or three years old at the time. I could barely read but when we would drive down the highway I would see […]

Why every artist needs a creative mentor

Every artist wants an act that looks good, works well and if possible, an act of world class. Creating an act is not just skill, it requires creativity in combining tricks, music, costumes and props and if possible a theme or story. This however is not where it should end with developing your act.   […]

How to predict a festivals winner

There are many circus festivals around in Europe and so there are many artists. Often I have seen acts that win festivals that are not per definition the best acts. So what makes someone win a festival?   Festivals are all about politics. Are you likeable, who are your friends, who is your family? It […]

When originality takes flight

For centuries there have been trends in showbiz, there is however a danger to it. People or shows who dedicate themselves to a genre or a style are outplayed by the big producers as if they were grasshoppers grazing on a field and leave it ruined for the next decades.   In 2011 I witnessed […]

Setting a price, know what you are worth.

Ticket pricing is an important part of your business process. Setting the right price for your tickets can actually grow your ticket sales and thus more turnover. But setting a wrong price could bring down your success. How to develop a good pricing strategy.   1. Identify your show Setting a good price is a […]

Knowing your audience

  You’re out there and you’re taking action, but you’re not working toward a specific goal. These are the situations that will cost you; huge amounts of time and money, without a clear potential for a good turnover. If you want to make a good turnover you should define your audience. When you know your […]

Evolution in shows; ‘We always did it like this’

  I was told some years ago by a circus owner that he didn’t need internet or an external box-office because “they always did it like that”. His website was nothing more than a few photos, outdated information and difficult ways of contacting.   This quote of Guy Laliberte is stating exactly the same like […]