Stage 2: Develop | CIS Pipeline | Workshop Curriculum
Cultural Activation
Producer Certificate
Five workshops. One validated program.
Every proposer who enters the Cultural Investment Strategy pipeline receives this curriculum during Stage 2. The five workshops produce the planning documents required before the validation campaign opens. Completion is a prerequisite for Stage 3.
Five Workshops — Five Deliverables
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01
→
Audience Mapping
Deliverable: Audience Map with segment profiles, ZIP code targets, and channel-level outreach plan
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02
→
Pricing Strategy
Deliverable: Pricing Model with itemized cost baseline, ticket price calculation, and pre-commitment target
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03
→
Commitment Campaign
Deliverable: 30-Day Commitment Campaign with channel strategy, weekly velocity targets, and go/no-go decision framework
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04
→
Production Planning
Deliverable: Production Checklist covering pre-activation, day-of, and post-activation requirements including CII data collection
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05
→
Financial Management
Deliverable: Financial Tracking Template with revenue, expense, contingency, and reconciliation registers
Workshop 1 of 5
Audience Mapping
Define who your program serves before you price it, promote it, or plan it.
Workshop 1 Contents
Instructional
Why Audience Mapping Comes First
Every subsequent workshop in this curriculum depends on knowing who you are trying to reach. Your pricing model in Workshop 2 is built around what your audience will pay. Your commitment campaign in Workshop 3 is designed around how your audience makes decisions and where they pay attention. Your production checklist in Workshop 4 addresses what your audience expects when they arrive. Your financial tracking in Workshop 5 is measured against the revenue your audience committed in advance.
The Audience Map is not a demographic exercise. It is an operational document. A complete Audience Map tells the Foundation which ZIP codes to expect at the ticketing platform, how many segments you are reaching, and what channels you plan to use to convert each segment into advance ticket buyers. That information is used to design the substitution survey and to evaluate your F2 score at activation.
Key Principle
The CIS measures substitution: did Duncanville residents choose a local experience instead of traveling outside the city? Your audience map determines whether you are reaching the people whose substitution behavior the Foundation can measure. A program drawing primarily out-of-city attendees produces weak F2 and F3 data regardless of how well the activation runs.
Instructional
The Three Segments
Every program in the CIS pipeline organizes its audience into three tiers. These tiers are not marketing categories. They correspond directly to how the Foundation weights the data your activation will generate.
| Segment | Definition | Geographic Boundary | CII Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Duncanville households with existing or latent interest in your program's discipline | ZIP 75116, 75137, 75138 | F2 (Resident Share) and F3 (Substitution Intent) — highest weight combination |
| Secondary | Adjacent city households (DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Midlothian, Lancaster) with interest in your discipline | Adjacent ZIP codes | F1 (Pre-Commitment velocity) — broadens the sales pool; does not contribute to F2 |
| Out-of-City | Regional attendees who currently travel to major venues for experiences in your discipline | No ZIP constraint | F3 only — strongest substitution signal when an out-of-city attendee forgoes a regional venue to attend your activation |
CIS v2.0, Section 4.2
Primary segment ticket buyers are the Foundation's core measurement target. A program that sells 80 tickets but draws fewer than 30 Duncanville residents (ZIP 75116, 75137, 75138) will score poorly on F2 regardless of total revenue. Reaching the Primary segment is not a nice-to-have outcome. It is the measurement objective.
Collaborative
Build Your Audience Map
In this section, you and Foundation staff will build your Audience Map together. The table below is the working template. Complete one row per segment. You will not have all of this information at intake — that is expected. The Audience Map is a living document through the Develop stage. By the end of Workshop 3, all fields must be complete.
| Segment | Household Profile | Interest Signal | Geographic Target | Estimated Reach | Primary Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Age range, household income, existing cultural activity | How do you know they want this program? | ZIP 75116, 75137, 75138 | Number of households reachable | How will you reach them? |
| Secondary | Age range, household income, existing cultural activity | How do you know they want this program? | Adjacent ZIPs | Number of households reachable | How will you reach them? |
| Out-of-City | Existing behavior: where do they currently go? | Regional venue alternatives they currently use | Regional — no ZIP constraint | Estimated attendees | How will you reach them? |
Interest Signal: Where Does the Evidence Come From?
The Foundation will ask you to describe the evidence that your target audience wants this program. This is not a survey. It is your account of observable behavior: where do Duncanville residents currently go to attend events in your discipline? How far do they travel? What do they pay? The substitution hypothesis driving the CIS is only as strong as the evidence that residents are currently traveling outside the city for the experience you intend to provide locally.
Workshop Activity
List three to five venues or events that your Primary segment currently attends for this discipline. For each: name the venue, estimate the distance from Duncanville, and estimate the ticket price. This list becomes the foundation of your F3 substitution survey question and the Substitution Signal Hypothesis in your program's Concept Proposal.
Instructional
ZIP Code Targeting
The Foundation's ticketing platform captures ZIP code at checkout for every transaction. This data feeds directly into F2 scoring. A program that achieves 100% pre-commitment but draws most buyers from outside the target ZIP codes will score poorly on F2 and may fall below the graduation threshold even with strong attendance.
Your Audience Map must specify which ZIP codes you are targeting and what proportion of total ticket buyers you expect from the Primary segment. The Foundation will use this target to set F2 expectations at the beginning of the validation campaign.
| ZIP Code | City / Area | Segment | Target % of Total Tickets | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75116 | Duncanville (primary) | Primary | Your target | Core measurement ZIP |
| 75137 | Duncanville / DeSoto border | Primary | Your target | Core measurement ZIP |
| 75138 | Duncanville (southeast) | Primary | Your target | Core measurement ZIP |
| 75115 | DeSoto | Secondary | Your target | Adjacent community |
| 75104 | Cedar Hill | Secondary | Your target | Adjacent community |
| All others | Regional | Out-of-City | Remainder | F3 substitution signal; does not contribute to F2 |
Collaborative
Channel Strategy
The Audience Map is not complete until you have identified how you will reach each segment. Channel strategy is developed in detail in Workshop 3 (Commitment Campaign), but the Audience Map must establish the primary channel for each segment. Your channels must be specific enough that the Foundation can evaluate whether your outreach plan is likely to reach the ZIP codes you are targeting.
| Segment | Primary Channel | Secondary Channel | Estimated Reach | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | e.g., Facebook / Nextdoor geo-targeted to 75116 | e.g., Email list from existing Duncanville community org | Households | $ |
| Secondary | e.g., Instagram targeted to adjacent ZIPs | e.g., Local Facebook groups in DeSoto / Cedar Hill | Households | $ |
| Out-of-City | e.g., Email list from regional venue partners | e.g., Regional arts calendar listings | Individuals | $ |
Workshop Activity
For each channel you list, answer three questions: Who controls access to this channel? What is the cost to reach your estimated audience? What evidence do you have that this channel reaches your target ZIP codes? Channels without clear answers to these questions are not confirmed channels. They are aspirational channels, and aspirational channels do not belong in the Audience Map.
Evaluative
Foundation Requirements
The Audience Map is a required deliverable for Stage 2 completion. The Foundation will not open a validation campaign for a program whose Audience Map is incomplete. The following checklist defines what a complete Audience Map must contain.
Completion Criteria — CIS v2.0, Section 4.2
A complete Audience Map satisfies all items below. Partial maps are returned to the proposer for completion before Stage 2 closes.
- Three segments defined: Primary, Secondary, and Out-of-City each have a household profile and an interest signal description.
- ZIP codes specified: Primary segment ZIP codes identified (75116, 75137, 75138 minimum). Additional ZIPs listed for Secondary segment.
- Reach estimates confirmed: Each segment has an estimated number of reachable households or individuals, with the source of that estimate documented.
- Interest signal documented: Proposer has named at least three out-of-city venues or events that the Primary segment currently attends for this discipline.
- Primary channel confirmed per segment: Each segment has at least one primary outreach channel with confirmed access and estimated cost.
- F2 target stated: Proposer has stated a target percentage of total ticket buyers from Primary segment ZIP codes. This becomes the F2 baseline expectation.
- Foundation sign-off: Audience Map reviewed and approved by Foundation staff before Workshop 2 begins.
Workshop 2 of 5
Pricing Strategy
Build the cost baseline. Calculate the ticket price. Set the pre-commitment target.
Workshop 2 Contents
Instructional
The Pre-Commitment Gate
The Cultural Investment Strategy operates on a single governing rule: 100% of projected costs must be committed through advance ticket sales before an activation proceeds. This workshop produces the document that defines what 100% means for your program: the total cost of the activation, the ticket price required to cover that cost at your target capacity, and the dollar amount the validation campaign must reach before the Foundation will authorize the activation.
Pre-commitment is not a stretch goal. It is the gate. A program that reaches 95% pre-commitment does not proceed. The validation campaign is designed to reach 100% within a 30-day window. If it does not, the activation is archived, the findings are documented, and the proposer receives a full analysis of what the validation attempt revealed.
Why 100%
Traditional arts programming assumes audiences will materialize. This strategy reverses the assumption. Demand is demonstrated before capital is deployed. A program that cannot sell 80 tickets at the required price in 30 days is telling you something important before you have spent anything. The 100% gate protects proposers, the Foundation, and Arts Junction from the consequences of programming that the market has not confirmed.
Instructional
Building the Cost Baseline
The cost baseline is an itemized account of every expense required to deliver the activation. It is built from confirmed vendor quotes wherever possible and from market-rate estimates where quotes are not yet available. The Foundation will flag any line item that lacks a documented basis.
The cost baseline must include a 10% contingency on the subtotal. The contingency is not optional. It protects against underestimates and covers minor production overruns without requiring the proposer to seek additional pre-committed funds mid-campaign.
| Cost Category | Line Item | Basis | Estimated Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artist / Talent | Performer or ensemble fee | Confirmed quote or market rate for discipline and format | $____ |
| Artist / Talent | Technical rider requirements | Per performance agreement | $____ |
| Production | Sound / A/V | Venue supplement, engineer, equipment rental | $____ |
| Production | Lighting | If required beyond venue baseline | $____ |
| Venue / Operations | Arts Junction access and setup | Per venue agreement | $____ |
| Venue / Operations | Staffing (door, floor, data collection) | Per-activation rate | $____ |
| Ticketing | Platform fee | Typically 3%–5% of gross ticket revenue | $____ |
| Marketing | Digital advertising | Per channel plan from Audience Map | $____ |
| Marketing | Print / collateral | If applicable | $____ |
| Data Collection | Substitution survey printing and administration | Per CIS v2.0, Section 6 | $____ |
| Other | Any additional line items | Documented basis required | $____ |
| Subtotal | $____ | ||
| Contingency (10%) | Per CIS v2.0 financial management protocol — required | $____ | |
| Total Projected Cost | Pre-commitment target = 100% of this figure | $____ | |
Instructional
The Pricing Calculation
Once the total projected cost is confirmed, the minimum ticket price is a straightforward calculation: divide total cost by capacity. If the resulting ticket price is higher than what your Audience Map suggests your Primary segment will pay, you have a pricing problem that must be resolved before the validation campaign opens.
Minimum Ticket Price = Total Projected Cost ÷ Activation Capacity
Pre-Commitment Target ($) = Total Projected Cost × 1.00
F1 Score Input = Total Advance Revenue ÷ Total Projected Cost × 100
| Variable | Formula | Your Value |
|---|---|---|
| Activation Capacity | Fixed per venue agreement | ____ seats |
| Total Projected Cost (C) | Sum of cost baseline above | $____ |
| Minimum Ticket Price | C ÷ Capacity | $____ |
| Pre-Commitment Target | 100% of C | $____ |
| Validation Window | 30 days minimum prior to activation date | Date range |
| Weekly Velocity Required | Pre-commitment target ÷ 4 weeks | $____ / week |
Instructional
Pricing Against Your Audience
The minimum ticket price is a floor, not a recommendation. Before finalizing the ticket price, test it against the out-of-city alternatives your Primary segment currently uses. If your Audience Map lists venues where your Primary segment currently pays $65 per ticket, a price of $35 is both affordable and a meaningful discount against the alternative. If your minimum price is already $60 and comparable regional venues charge $45, you have a competitive pricing problem.
Pricing must also account for your out-of-city segment. Regional attendees traveling to Duncanville are substituting a local experience for one they would otherwise attend elsewhere. If your price is significantly higher than regional alternatives, the substitution signal weakens. Price your program to make the local choice easy.
Price Testing Framework
For each comparable venue in your Audience Map, note the ticket price. Calculate the ratio of your minimum price to the median price of regional alternatives. A ratio below 1.0 means your program is priced at a discount to the alternatives. A ratio above 1.2 is a pricing risk that should be addressed before the validation campaign opens.
Collaborative
Build Your Pricing Model
In this section, you and Foundation staff will work through the Pricing Model together. The goal is to arrive at a confirmed ticket price and a confirmed pre-commitment target that both satisfy the 100% gate and reflect what your audience will pay. If the minimum price is too high for your audience, you and the Foundation will explore cost reduction options before the model is finalized.
Cost Reduction Options
If the minimum ticket price is unworkable for your target audience, the solution is to reduce costs, not to reduce the pre-commitment requirement. The following levers are available.
| Lever | Approach | Trade-Off |
|---|---|---|
| Artist Fee | Negotiate a lower guarantee or a revenue-share arrangement | Requires artist agreement; may limit talent options |
| Sponsorship | Secure a sponsor whose contribution reduces the ticket price requirement | Sponsor commitments must be confirmed and credited against the pre-commitment target |
| Capacity | Reduce activation capacity to lower total cost while maintaining per-ticket price | Reduces F2 pool and F5 adjacent lift potential |
| Production Scope | Simplify A/V, staffing, or marketing spend | May affect production quality or reach |
| Format | Modify the program format to reduce artist or production requirements | Must be re-evaluated against Audience Map interest signal |
Workshop Activity
Complete the cost baseline table. Apply the pricing formula. If the resulting minimum ticket price is within 20% of the median price of your regional comparables, the model is viable. If it exceeds that range, identify which cost reduction levers are available and document the revised baseline before this workshop closes.
Evaluative
Foundation Requirements
The Pricing Model is a required deliverable for Stage 2. A validation campaign will not open without a confirmed, Foundation-approved Pricing Model. The following checklist defines completeness.
Completion Criteria — CIS v2.0, Section 5
All items below must be satisfied before the Pricing Model is approved and the validation campaign schedule is set.
- Cost baseline complete: Every line item is documented with a basis (confirmed quote or market-rate source). No line item is listed without justification.
- 10% contingency included: Contingency is calculated on the subtotal and added as a separate line item. It is not embedded in other line items.
- Total projected cost confirmed: The Foundation has reviewed and approved the total. Any disputed line items are resolved before approval.
- Minimum ticket price calculated: The formula has been applied. The resulting price is documented.
- Price tested against comparables: The proposer has documented at least three comparable regional venues or events with their ticket prices. The ratio of minimum ticket price to median comparable price is documented.
- Pre-commitment target confirmed: The dollar amount required to satisfy the 100% gate is stated and approved. This amount drives the validation campaign goal.
- Weekly velocity target set: The pre-commitment target is divided by four to establish the weekly sales target the Foundation will monitor during the campaign.
- Foundation sign-off: Pricing Model reviewed and approved by Foundation staff before Workshop 3 begins.
Workshop 3 of 5
Commitment Campaign
Thirty days. One goal: 100% pre-committed.
Workshop 3 Contents
Instructional
What the Campaign Is
The commitment campaign is a structured 30-day advance ticket sales effort. It begins on a confirmed date, runs for 30 days, and ends with a binary determination: the program achieved 100% pre-commitment and proceeds, or it did not and does not. There is no partial credit and no extension. The campaign is designed in advance and executed against a weekly velocity target derived from your Pricing Model.
The campaign is not a marketing campaign in the conventional sense. It is a validation test. The channels, messages, and timing are all designed to answer one question: will a sufficient number of people in your target market pay your ticket price in advance, before the program exists, to cover the full cost of the activation? The answer, in 30 days, is either yes or no.
Why Thirty Days
Thirty days is long enough to reach all three audience segments through multiple touch points, and short enough to maintain urgency. Campaigns longer than 30 days diffuse that urgency. The goal is not to maximize awareness; it is to convert the highest-intent portion of your audience into advance buyers within a defined window. If the highest-intent portion of your audience cannot fill your activation, the program is not ready to activate.
Instructional
The Four-Week Structure
The 30-day campaign follows a four-week arc. Each week has a distinct focus and a velocity target. The messaging shifts across the four weeks from awareness to urgency. Channel strategy is drawn directly from your Audience Map.
Week 1
Launch and Announce
Announce the program across all confirmed channels. Establish the activation date, ticket price, and the fact that capacity is limited and advance purchase is required. Target: 25% of pre-commitment total.
Week 2
Deepen and Expand
Publish supporting content: artist profile, venue context, program details. Reach the Secondary segment for the first time. Follow up with anyone who engaged Week 1 content but has not purchased. Target: 50% cumulative.
Week 3
Social Proof and Scarcity
Share purchase counts and remaining capacity. Activate community voices: advisory board members, partner organizations, early buyers. Reach the Out-of-City segment directly. Target: 75% cumulative.
Week 4
Close
Final push. Countdown messaging. Direct outreach to anyone in the Audience Map who has not purchased. Every remaining ticket matters. If the campaign closes below 100%, the go/no-go protocol activates. Target: 100% cumulative.
Instructional
Velocity Monitoring
The Foundation monitors pre-commitment velocity every week of the campaign. Velocity is the rate at which the campaign is accumulating advance revenue toward the 100% target. A campaign running behind its weekly velocity target requires an intervention before it reaches the final week.
| Week | Cumulative Target | Velocity Signal | Foundation Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| End of Week 1 | 25% of pre-commitment total | On track, behind, or ahead | Review and note. No intervention unless significantly behind. |
| End of Week 2 | 50% of pre-commitment total | On track, behind, or ahead | If below 35%, schedule mid-campaign check-in with proposer. |
| End of Week 3 | 75% of pre-commitment total | On track, behind, or ahead | If below 60%, begin preparing the no-go documentation. |
| Campaign Close | 100% of pre-commitment total | Go or No-Go | Go/No-Go determination. Decision is final. |
When a Campaign Falls Behind
A campaign that falls significantly behind velocity at Week 2 rarely recovers to 100% by close. If the Week 2 check-in reveals a significant gap, the Foundation will review the Audience Map and channel performance with the proposer. The most common causes are a channel that is not reaching its target audience, a price point above what the Primary segment will pay in advance, or insufficient awareness in Week 1. Each cause has a different corrective action available in the remaining two weeks.
Collaborative
Build Your Campaign Plan
Your campaign plan translates the four-week structure into specific actions, channels, messages, and dates. It is built directly from your Audience Map (which segments you are reaching) and your Pricing Model (what velocity target you need to hit). The Foundation reviews the plan before the campaign opens.
| Week | Velocity Target | Primary Segment Action | Secondary Segment Action | Out-of-City Action | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 25% | Your plan | Your plan | Hold | Your channels |
| Week 2 | 50% | Your plan | Your plan | Hold | Your channels |
| Week 3 | 75% | Your plan | Your plan | First contact | Your channels |
| Week 4 | 100% | Close messaging | Close messaging | Close messaging | All channels |
Workshop Activity
Complete the campaign plan table above. For each week, write one specific action per segment, not a category of action. "Email our list" is not a plan. "Email the 450 subscribers of the Duncanville Community Newsletter with the ticket link" is a plan. Specificity is how the Foundation evaluates whether your campaign is realistic.
Instructional
The Go / No-Go Decision
At campaign close, the Executive Director makes the go/no-go determination. The determination is based on one criterion: total advance revenue divided by total projected cost equals or exceeds 1.00. If yes, the program proceeds to Stage 4. If no, the program does not proceed.
A no-go determination is not a failure. It is information. The Foundation documents everything the campaign revealed: which channels performed, which segments converted, what the final velocity curve looked like, and at what price point demand stalled. This analysis is returned to the proposer and may inform a revised proposal in a future cycle.
| Outcome | Determination | Next Step |
|---|---|---|
| 100% achieved | Go | Program proceeds to Stage 4 (Activate). Production planning begins immediately. |
| Below 100% | No-Go | Activation archived. Full campaign analysis delivered to proposer within 14 days. Revised proposal eligible for next intake cycle. |
Evaluative
Foundation Requirements
Completion Criteria — CIS v2.0, Section 5
The Campaign Plan must satisfy all items below before the Foundation sets the campaign open date and authorizes the ticketing platform to go live.
- Weekly velocity targets calculated: Pre-commitment total is divided into four weekly targets (25% / 50% / 75% / 100%). Targets are documented in the campaign plan.
- Specific action per segment per week: Each of the four weeks has at least one specific, named action for each active audience segment. Actions name the channel, the message type, and the estimated reach.
- Ticketing platform selected and configured: Platform confirmed. ZIP code capture enabled at checkout. Test transaction completed.
- Campaign open and close dates confirmed: Minimum 30-day window. Open date is at least 35 days before the activation date to allow for the go/no-go determination and production lead time.
- Go/no-go date and authority confirmed: The date on which the determination will be made is specified. The Executive Director is identified as the decision authority.
- No-go protocol documented: The proposer has reviewed and acknowledged the no-go protocol, including the 14-day analysis timeline and the re-entry pathway.
- Foundation sign-off: Campaign Plan reviewed and approved before the platform goes live.
Workshop 4 of 5
Production Planning
What happens before, during, and after the activation night.
Workshop 4 Contents
Instructional
Three Phases of Production
Production planning for a CIS activation has three distinct phases: pre-activation, day-of, and post-activation. Each phase carries specific CIS data collection requirements in addition to the standard production tasks any event producer would recognize. The Production Checklist is the document that governs all three phases. It is built in this workshop, reviewed by the Foundation before the activation date, and executed on activation night.
The most consequential difference between a standard event checklist and a CIS Production Checklist is the data collection layer. Every activation must deploy the substitution survey, capture door attendance by ZIP code, and coordinate with Arts Junction tenants for adjacent business lift measurement. These are not optional. They are the source data for F3 and F5 scoring.
What Happens if Data Collection Fails
If the substitution survey is not administered, F3 receives a score of zero. If ZIP code capture failed at checkout and no door survey was deployed, F2 cannot be scored. If baseline nights were not established, F5 cannot be scored. Missing factor data reduces the composite CII score regardless of how well the activation itself went. Data collection is production.
Instructional
Pre-Activation Checklist
Pre-activation tasks begin 14 days before the activation date and close at the end of the business day before the activation. All items must be checked off before the activation proceeds.
| Phase | Task | Owner | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue and Production | ||||
| Pre | Confirm Arts Junction access, setup window, and breakdown schedule | Proposer | 14 days prior | ☐ |
| Pre | Confirm artist / performer. Signed performance agreement on file. | Proposer | 14 days prior | ☐ |
| Pre | Confirm A/V vendor. Scheduled load-in and soundcheck times. | Proposer | 14 days prior | ☐ |
| Pre | Confirm staffing: door, floor, survey administration. | Proposer | 7 days prior | ☐ |
| CIS Data Collection | ||||
| Pre / CIS | Confirm four baseline Wednesdays within 60 days preceding activation. Dates cleared of holidays and private events. | Foundation | 35 days prior | ☐ |
| Pre / CIS | Coordinate POS data access with Arts Junction tenants for baseline nights and activation night. | Foundation | 30 days prior | ☐ |
| Pre / CIS | Finalize substitution survey instrument. Review response categories with Foundation. | Foundation / Proposer | 14 days prior | ☐ |
| Pre / CIS | Print substitution surveys. Quantity: 100% of capacity plus 20% overage. | Proposer | 5 days prior | ☐ |
| Pre / CIS | Confirm door survey for ZIP code capture (for any ticket buyers who did not provide ZIP at checkout). | Proposer | 5 days prior | ☐ |
| Ticketing and Communications | ||||
| Pre | Pull final ticket manifest from platform. Note any buyers missing ZIP code data. | Proposer | Day before | ☐ |
| Pre | Send activation-eve reminder to all ticket holders with venue address, parking, and arrival instructions. | Proposer | Day before | ☐ |
Instructional
Day-Of Checklist
Day-of tasks run from load-in through post-activation data handoff. The order matters: data collection setup must be complete before doors open. Survey distribution must begin at doors and continue through the program. Survey collection closes 15 minutes after the program ends.
| Timing | Task | Owner | CII Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Load-in | Set up venue per production plan. A/V check complete before door staff arrives. | Proposer / A/V vendor | None direct |
| 60 min before doors | Brief all staff on data collection protocols: survey distribution, ZIP code door capture, survey collection process. | Proposer | F2, F3 |
| Doors open | Begin door survey for ZIP code capture. Every attendee who did not provide ZIP at checkout is asked at the door. | Door staff | F2 |
| Doors open | Distribute substitution survey to every attendee at door or seat. Survey must reach 100% of attendees; minimum 20% response rate required for F3 to be scored. | Floor staff | F3 |
| During program | Collect completed surveys. Do not wait until program ends. Completed surveys returned to a central collection point. | Floor staff | F3 |
| 15 min after program | Close survey collection. Count surveys. Record response rate. Secure all survey forms for Foundation processing. | Proposer | F3 |
| Post-program | Record total attendance count. Cross-reference against ticket manifest. | Proposer | F2, F4 |
| Post-program | Collect POS data from Arts Junction tenants (if not collected by Foundation directly). | Foundation | F5 |
| Breakdown | Complete venue breakdown per Arts Junction agreement. Confirm next baseline night or next activation date with venue. | Proposer | None direct |
Instructional
Data Collection Protocols
The substitution survey is the primary instrument for F3 scoring. It is designed by the Foundation and administered by the proposer at every activation. The survey asks one central question and captures four response categories. The instrument must be reviewed and approved by the Foundation before printing.
The Substitution Survey Question
Survey Question — CIS v2.0, Section 9.2
"What would you have done tonight if this event did not exist?"
Response categories: Attended a similar event outside Duncanville; Stayed home; Attended a different type of entertainment outside Duncanville; Other.
The share of respondents who select "Attended a similar event outside Duncanville" is the core F3 data point. It represents the substitution rate: the proportion of your audience who chose Duncanville over an out-of-city alternative.
Adjacent Business Lift: The Baseline Protocol
F5 scoring requires a baseline established from four non-activation Wednesdays within the 60 days preceding each activation. The baseline measures typical tenant transaction volume on the same day of the week as the activation, under non-activation conditions. The activation-night POS data is then measured against that baseline.
| Baseline Night | Required Conditions | Data Source | Collected By |
|---|---|---|---|
| BL-1 through BL-4 | Wednesday within 60 days of activation. No holiday. No private event at Arts Junction. | Tenant POS system | Foundation |
| Activation Night | The activation date itself. | Tenant POS system | Foundation |
Collaborative
Build Your Production Checklist
The Production Checklist template above covers the standard CIS requirements. Your program will have additional production tasks specific to your discipline, format, and artist requirements. In this section, you and Foundation staff will add program-specific tasks to produce a complete, execution-ready checklist for your activation.
Workshop Activity
Work through the following categories and identify any tasks beyond the CIS baseline that your program requires. For each task, assign an owner and a deadline. The Foundation is responsible for all CIS data collection tasks. The proposer is responsible for all production tasks.
Categories to review: Artist technical requirements (stage plot, sound requirements, hospitality); Catering or concessions (if applicable); Photography or documentation; Accessibility accommodations; Parking or transportation; Signage and wayfinding; Post-activation attendee communications.
Evaluative
Foundation Requirements
Completion Criteria — CIS v2.0, Sections 3.2, 6.5
The Production Checklist must be complete and Foundation-approved before the activation date. An incomplete checklist is grounds for postponing the activation.
- Pre-activation tasks complete: All items in the pre-activation checklist are checked off. No open items without assigned owners and confirmed deadlines.
- Four baseline nights confirmed: Dates identified, cleared of exclusions, and POS data access confirmed with tenants.
- Substitution survey finalized and printed: Survey reviewed and approved by Foundation. Quantity sufficient for 100% of capacity plus 20% overage.
- Door ZIP capture procedure confirmed: Staff briefed on procedure. Form or digital capture method ready.
- Staff briefing scheduled: All activation-night staff will be briefed on data collection protocols at least 60 minutes before doors open.
- Survey response rate target documented: Minimum 20% response rate required for F3 to be scored. The proposer has a plan to reach that threshold.
- Post-activation data handoff documented: Survey forms, attendance count, and ticket manifest delivered to Foundation within 48 hours of activation night.
- Foundation sign-off: Production Checklist reviewed and approved at least 7 days before the activation date.
Workshop 5 of 5
Financial Management
Track every dollar from pre-commitment through post-activation reconciliation.
Workshop 5 Contents
Instructional
Why Financial Tracking Is CIS Infrastructure
The Financial Tracking Template is not a bookkeeping exercise. It is the source document for F1 scoring and the record that verifies the program operated within its pre-committed budget. The Foundation reviews financial records for every activation. Proposers who cannot produce clean, reconciled financial records cannot advance to subsequent activations in the same program cycle.
The template is built on the cost baseline from Workshop 2. It extends that baseline into a live tracking document used during the campaign, the activation, and the 14-day reconciliation window that follows. Three questions drive the design: Did revenue cover projected costs? Did expenses stay within the pre-committed budget? Does the contingency cover the difference?
Financial Integrity and the CIS
The CIS is a public framework built on transparency. The Foundation publishes aggregated program data. Proposers whose financial records are incomplete, inaccurate, or inconsistent with ticketing platform data cannot be included in public reporting, which weakens the aggregate dataset and the Foundation's communications to funders and municipal partners. Financial accuracy is a shared responsibility with consequences beyond the individual program.
Instructional
Four Registers
The Financial Tracking Template is organized as four registers. Each register covers a distinct phase and a distinct type of transaction. Together they produce a complete financial record from the first ticket sold through the final vendor payment.
| Register | Phase | Tracks | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Pre-Commitment | Campaign (30 days) | Advance ticket revenue by week. Running total vs. pre-commitment target. F1 input data. | Weekly during campaign |
| 2. Expense | Pre-activation through day-of | Actual expenditures against cost baseline. Variance tracking. Contingency draw-down. | As invoices are paid |
| 3. Activation Night | Day-of | Door revenue (if any). At-door ticket sales (if applicable). Tips or gratuities (if food/beverage is part of activation). | Night of activation |
| 4. Reconciliation | Post-activation (14 days) | Final revenue vs. final expenses. Surplus or deficit. F1 final score input. Notes on variances. | Within 14 days of activation |
Instructional
The Pre-Commitment Register
The pre-commitment register is a weekly revenue tracker that runs for the full 30-day campaign. It records advance ticket sales from the ticketing platform, accumulates toward the 100% pre-commitment target, and generates the weekly velocity data the Foundation monitors during the campaign.
Weekly Velocity = (Cumulative Revenue at Week End) ÷ (Pre-Commitment Target) × 100
| Week | Revenue This Week | Cumulative Revenue | Target (Cumulative) | Velocity % | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | $____ | $____ | 25% of target | ____% | +/- $____ |
| Week 2 | $____ | $____ | 50% of target | ____% | +/- $____ |
| Week 3 | $____ | $____ | 75% of target | ____% | +/- $____ |
| Week 4 / Close | $____ | $____ | 100% of target | ____% | +/- $____ |
| Final Pre-Commitment | F1 input: total advance revenue ÷ total projected cost × 100 | $____ | F1: ____ | ||
Instructional
The Expense Register
The expense register tracks every payment against the cost baseline from Workshop 2. Each line item is recorded when the invoice is paid, not when it is committed. The register shows the budgeted amount, the actual amount paid, and the variance. If expenses exceed the budget line, the variance is drawn from contingency. If contingency is exhausted before all variances are covered, the proposer is responsible for the difference from their own funds.
| Cost Category | Budgeted | Actual Paid | Variance | Contingency Draw | Invoice / Receipt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artist / Ensemble Fee | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ | On file |
| Sound / A/V | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ | On file |
| Venue / Operations | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ | On file |
| Ticketing Platform Fee | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ | Platform statement |
| Marketing | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ | On file |
| Data Collection | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ | On file |
| Other | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ | On file |
| Subtotal | $____ | $____ | $____ | ||
| Contingency (10%) | $____ | $____ | Remaining after draws | ||
| Total Expenses | $____ | $____ | All invoices and receipts on file with Foundation | ||
Post-Activation Reconciliation
Within 14 days of the activation, the proposer submits the reconciliation summary to the Foundation. The reconciliation compares final revenue against final expenses and calculates the net result. Any surplus is documented. Any deficit is resolved before the next activation in the cycle proceeds.
Net Result = Total Revenue (Advance + Door) − Total Actual Expenses
Collaborative
Build Your Tracking Template
In this workshop, the Foundation sets up the Financial Tracking Template for your program using the cost baseline confirmed in Workshop 2. The template is configured in Google Sheets with formulas pre-loaded for velocity tracking, variance calculation, and contingency draw-down. You will receive editing access to the template before the campaign opens.
Workshop Activity
Confirm each of the following with Foundation staff before the template is finalized: all cost baseline figures from Workshop 2 are entered and verified; the pre-commitment target amount matches the Pricing Model; the contingency line is correctly calculated as 10% of the subtotal; the weekly velocity targets are pre-loaded for all four campaign weeks; all register tabs are accessible and labeled correctly.
The Foundation retains a read-only copy of the template throughout the campaign and activation cycle. Proposers update the template; the Foundation reviews it weekly during the campaign and monthly through the activation cycle.
Evaluative
Foundation Requirements
Completion Criteria — CIS v2.0, Section 5
The Financial Tracking Template is the final Stage 2 deliverable. Its completion, along with the completion of Workshops 1 through 4, marks the transition from Stage 2 to Stage 3. Stage 3 begins when the validation campaign opens.
- Template configured: All four registers built and labeled. Cost baseline from Workshop 2 entered in full. Contingency calculated correctly.
- Pre-commitment target entered: The 100% target dollar amount is the governing figure in the pre-commitment register. Weekly velocity targets are pre-loaded.
- Formulas verified: Foundation staff have confirmed that velocity, variance, and contingency draw-down formulas produce correct outputs.
- Access confirmed: Proposer has editing access. Foundation has read-only access. No other parties have access without Foundation approval.
- Weekly update protocol agreed: Proposer has committed to updating the pre-commitment register every Monday during the campaign and the expense register within 48 hours of each payment.
- Reconciliation deadline confirmed: Proposer has acknowledged the 14-day post-activation reconciliation deadline and the requirement to submit all invoices and receipts to the Foundation at reconciliation.
- All five workshops complete: Foundation staff have confirmed completion and sign-off on all five workshop deliverables: Audience Map, Pricing Model, Campaign Plan, Production Checklist, and Financial Tracking Template.
- Stage 3 authorization: Executive Director has authorized the campaign open date. The validation campaign is cleared to launch.
Curriculum Complete
Stage 2 is complete. Stage 3 begins.
All five workshops are done. All five deliverables are on file. The Foundation has authorized the validation campaign. The next 30 days will tell you what demand looks like for your program in Duncanville.