Whether you’ve got a show in development, a full season under your belt, or just a scribble in a notebook, this power course is your professional toolkit for producing work that’s organised, funded, and seen.
By the end of the course, you’ll have a working budget, a polished pitch deck, a brand strategy, and a step-by-step plan to get your work on stage!
How to structure your creative work like a business (ABN, tax, super, rates)
How to define your mission, target audience and unique value and why it matters
How to pitch your work to funders, presenters, and festivals with clarity and confidence
How to build a compelling brand and professional identity
How to create a strategic marketing campaign - not just post on Instagram
How to collect audience data and grow your mailing list for future seasons
How to budget realistically, price your work, and pay yourself properly
How to find funding, write stronger grant applications, and diversify your income
How to plan for touring and remounts, with presenter packs and scalable design
What contracts, insurance, and risk protection you actually need
How to build a sustainable practice - financially, emotionally, and creatively
These tools are exactly what you need to launch strong and move forward fast.
12+ hours of live sessions, led by independent producer Ben Francis
A 40+ page, theory-backed workbook, filled with practical frameworks and exercises
Downloadable templates: budgets, pitch decks, business plans, marketing calendars, and more
Access to guest industry insights and bonus resources
A cohort of like-minded independent creatives at various stages of their producing journey
A direct line to Ben throughout the course — with optional 1:1 guidance, support and feedback
$495 AUD + GST
($544.50 incl. GST)
$595 AUD + GST
($654.50 incl. GST)
Maximum 12 participants
per course
There will be three courses in the first half of 2026, with varying days, times, and in-person/online offerings.
All session times below are 6:30pm-9:30pm (ACST)
All session times below are 6:30pm-9:30pm (ACST)
All session times below are 9:30am - 12:30pm (ACST)
In Session One, we start with the heart of it: your why, your audience, and what makes your work matter. You’ll dig into your values, define your mission, and get clear on what makes you - and your work - distinct. We’ll unpack your audience, identify your competition, and run a creative SWOT analysis to give you a big-picture view before we dive into logistics.
Rips the bandaid off and tackles the “dirty word” — money. You’ll learn how to structure your practice like a business (hello ABN, tax and super), build realistic budgets that pay you properly, and take control of your financial reality. We’ll also cover contracts, insurance, and risk management — the unsexy but essential tools that protect you, your work, and your collaborators. You’ll walk away with clarity, confidence, and a framework you can actually use.
We shift into branding - not just the visual stuff, but your voice, tone, identity and how you present yourself professionally. Whether you're creating a new project or reworking an existing one, you'll explore everything from show names and bios to websites, email signatures and business cards - and leave with a brand that feels true to your work and consistent across platforms.
Is where it all starts to connect. You’ll craft a confident pitch and learn how to talk about your work with funders, presenters and collaborators - in the room, on the page, and online. From pitch decks to press kits, timelines to TikToks, we’ll explore how to build campaigns that actually connect, and communications that move your audience to act.
We wrap by looking forward - to touring, remounting, and long-term creative sustainability. You’ll build a presenter pack, learn how to design work that can scale, and explore how to prepare for growth - whether that’s more shows, new markets, or a shift in direction. We’ll also carve out time for the stuff producers rarely talk about - burnout, boundaries, mental health - and what it means to build a practice that’s sustainable, not just successful.
Submit your expression of interest below and we’ll be in touch soon.
Ben Francis is an experienced arts producer and marketer, known for delivering high- quality, large-scale productions across Australia and internationally.
He is the founder of Ben Francis Entertainment (BFE), a production company specialising in music-based live performance, particularly in the tribute and nostalgia space. BFE’s flagship act, The 60 Four, has grown under Ben’s direction from intimate 40-seat performances to sold-out national tours, five-star reviews, major awards, and international performances aboard cruise ships. The company also produces other successful touring works, including Benny and the Jets: The Songs of Elton John.
Ben’s work spans producing, touring, branding, marketing, and funding. He has led successful grant applications, secured philanthropic support and sponsorships, and built streamlined systems for creative business growth. His experience includes writing and managing budgets, pitching to presenters, and packaging shows for tour — all skills he now shares through this course.
Ben has also worked as a musical director and performer with leading South Australian companies, and regularly consults on arts strategy, audience development, and creative career sustainability. He has previously sat on Deakin University’s Arts and Cultural Management Advisory Board, and writes on the intersection of arts, culture, and public policy.
This course draws directly from Ben’s practical producing experience – combining theory with real-world tools to help independent artists make their creative work funded, organised, and seen.
