Create your program

Everything to know about making event programs

Need to know

What types of programs do we make and publish?

Event programs at the college include:

  • Faculty Tuesdays ()
  • Student ensembles including bands, choirs, early music, SoundWorks, and more ()
  • Student recitals
  • Guest artist recitals ()
  • Chamber music ()
  • Ticketed events like the Eklund Opera, Musical Theatre program, Takács Quartet, Artist Series and the Holiday Festival ()
  • Special events

Additionally: Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents makes/publishes programs for events in the Department of Theatre & Dance (College of Arts and Sciences) and the annual Colorado Shakespeare Festival program.

In the 2023-24 academic year, we published 186 event programs in total.
In the 2022-23 academic year, we published 211 event programs in total.

Where are programs published?

With a few exceptions, most programs are published ±è²¹±è±ð°ù±ô±ð²õ²õÌýto:

  • Event web pages on the cupresents.org website
  • The landing page
  • Student recital programs are posted to their listing on the student recitals web page
  • Printed programs will have a paperless companion (PDF version of the printed program) published online
  • If your program is printed, it will be delivered to either the Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents Box Office or the Imig front desk, and you’ll be notified when programs are ready for pickup.

Why are programs designed this way at the college?

Paperless programs, and the templates we’ve developed for recital programs, are formatted to be accessible, following . Program design incorporates .Ìý

What does this mean? Paperless programs are:

  • Viewable and easily visualized from desktop and mobile devices
  • Passed through an accessibility check before being published
  • Printable, if desired, at letter size (8.5x11 paper size) without distortion
  • Easily stored and archived

When possible, we format essential information in printed programs in a large-print font size using the Helvetica Neue font family. When we have page count limitations, we sometimes format content in more than one column. Printed programs haveÌýpaperless companions posted online (the PDF version of the printed program) to cupresents.org.

Learn more about accessibility services provided by Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents .

How do we access programs after an event is completed?

  • Most programs are archived at .Ìý
  • Student Recital programs are archived with Operations.
  • Libraries also keeps program archives.

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How to get started

Every semester, you (the presenter or primary contact) will be sent an email with details on how to provide program content for all of your events for the semester no later than four weeks prior to your first event.

Each event gets a Google Doc link for you to provide your program content. The Google Doc has additional instructions for those who find them helpful.Ìý

You’ll also receive a content deadline for each program, generally two weeks before your event.

Your links can be shared with collaborators as needed. Your collaborators can be anyone who is working on program content with you. Make sure anyone working on your program content is aware of your content deadlines!

You will receive a reminder notification about one week before each program’s content deadline.

Faculty Tuesdays and ensemble programs generally follow this format:

  • Program listing
  • Program notes
  • Texts and translationsÌý(typically only choral or voice programs)
  • Personnel biographies (conductors and featured composers/performers)
  • Ensemble rosters (ensemble programs only, or if an ensemble joins a Faculty Tuesdays event)

Proofing

Your program gets one proof:

  • You’ll be emailed your program proof as a PDF.
  • You should have a minimum of 2 business daysÌýto look it over.
  • In proofing, we check the accuracy of information present–we can correct typos, grammar errors, and so on. If there are changes to the order of a program listing or to an ensemble roster, this is when we can make those changes as well.
  • As a reminder, due to the high volume of projects that Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents works on each semester, we cannot guarantee that content provided after content deadlines will be included in your program.

Distribution

We publish yourÌýprogram PDFÌýto itsÌýÂ鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents event web page, in a paperless format, approximately seven days before your event.
You can share the event web page or the direct link to the program PDF for distribution at your convenience.Ìý
Your program will also be available at ; this web page is available via the QR code posted outside our performance venues.

Ìý

How to get started

Use the template provided at this link to make your program; this template ensures that your program will be available in an accessible format.
Check your device’s downloads folder for the template; it should be available in that location.

If including texts and translations in your program, the current template includes a section to do so.

Click or tap to download the recital program templateÌý

Sending your program in to be posted

Submit your program:

  • As a Word documentÌýor Pages documentÌý(the template can be opened in Pages)
  • Using the file name format YYYYMMDD_LASTNAME (year/month/day, underscore, last name). An example of this is 20240701_GREEN
  • If your program is for a joint recital, list both presenters’ names on the file name in alphabetical order, separated by a hyphen. An example of this is 20240701_GREEN-ZABALA
  • .

Your deadline to submit programs is 14 days before your event, and the form will close after this time.

The form is the only way to send in your program; emailed programs will not be acknowledged.

Proofread your program thoroughly before sending it in; we are unable toÌýrepost revisions or updates after a program is published.

Distribution

Programs publish:

  • To the student recital listing on the College of Music website (Student Recitals only)
  • To your Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents event web page and the Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents programs landing page (Guest Recitals only)
  • In a paperless format
  • Approximately seven days prior to your event. During peak times, when we publish programs is subject to change.

You can share the event web page or the direct link to the program PDF for distribution at your convenience.Ìý
Guest Artist Recital programs and a link to the student recital listing page are also availableÌýat ; this web page is available via the QR code posted outside our performance venues.

Ìý

How to get started

Use the template provided at this link to make your program; this template ensures that your program will be available in an accessible format.
Check your device’s downloads folder for the template; it should be available in that location.

If including texts and translations in your program, the current template includes a section to do so.

Click or tap to download the recital program templateÌý

Sending your program in to be posted

Submit your program:

  • As a Word documentÌýor Pages documentÌý(the template can be opened in Pages)
  • Using the file name format YYYYMMDD_CHAMBER (year/month/day, underscore, last name). An example of this is 20240701_CHAMBER
  • .

Your deadline to submit programs is seven days before your event, and the form will close after this time.

The form is the only way to send in your program; emailed programs will not be acknowledged.

Proofread your program thoroughly before sending it in; we are unable toÌýrepost revisions or updates after a program is published.

Distribution

We publish programs to your event’s Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents event web pageÌýin a paperless format. For Chamber Music events, programs will be posted prior to the event date.
You can share the event web page or the direct link to the program PDF for distribution at your convenience.Ìý
Your program will also be available at ; this web page is available via the QR code posted outside our performance venues.

Ìý

What’s considered a ticketed event?

Ticketed events have programs that are printed and distributed in theÂ鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents magazine. For faculty presenters in the College of Music, this includes:

  • Eklund Opera
  • Musical Theatre
  • Holiday Festival
  • Takács Quartet

We also make programs for the Artist Series and work with the artist management directly to source program content.

How to get started

Print deadlines are based on the production schedule for the Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents Magazine, which is set by our printer. We work with each presenter to establish a content and proofing timeline.

Special considerations for content

Eklund Opera, Musical Theatre

The following items should be up to or no more than 325 words eachÌýif included in your program:

  • Synopsis
  • Director’s note
  • Music Director’s note
  • Dramaturg’s note

The following items should be up to or no more than 150 words each:

  • Cast biographies
  • Creative team biographies

Holiday Festival

Program order typically includes:

  • Artistic/production teamÌýand ensemble names with directors
  • Program listing
  • Sheet music for Handel’s “Messiahâ€
  • Ensemble rosters

Takács QuartetÌý

Program order typically includes:

  • Program listing
  • Program notes
  • The quartet’s bio
  • Guest performer bios, if any. A good guideline is up to 325 words per performer.

Proofing

Your program gets one proof:

  • You’ll be emailed your program proof as a PDF.
  • You should have a minimum of 2 business daysÌýto look it over.
  • In proofing, we check the accuracy of information present–we can correct typos, grammar errors, and so on. If there are changes to the order of a program listing or to an ensemble roster, this is when we can make those changes as well.
  • As a reminder, due to the high volume of projects that Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents works on each semester, we cannot guarantee that content provided after content deadlines will be included in your program.

Distribution

These programs go to print about two weeks before show open. Because the printer sets the print dates, it’s important to make sure we’re ready to go on print day.
We also publish yourÌýprogram PDFÌýto itsÌýÂ鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents event web page, in a paperless format, approximately seven days before your event.
You can share the event web page or the direct link to the program PDF for distribution at your convenience.Ìý
Your program will also be available at ; this web page is available via the QR code posted outside our performance venues.

Ìý

What's considered a special event?

Special events include:

  • Commencement
  • Competitions
  • Donor events
  • One-off or sporadic events like “Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØat Boettcherâ€

Special event programs are usually, but not always, printed. They have unique production deadlines and layouts that are planned for each individual program.

How to get started

Every semester, event presenters areÌýsent an email with details on how to provide program content for all of their events for the semester no later than four weeks prior to your first event. Special events will be included in this email.

While mostÌýevents getÌýa Google Doc link for program content, we may choose a different method to share content for your special event program. This is decided on a case-by-case basis. You’ll also receive a content deadline for your program.

If you’re a presenter or primary contact for a special event, have not yet heard from Publications Manager Sabrina Green, and it’s less than four weeks before your event date, email sabrina.green@colorado.edu.

Proofing

Your program gets one proof:

  • You’ll be emailed your program proof as a PDF.
  • You should have a minimum of 2 business daysÌýto look it over.
  • In proofing, we check the accuracy of information present–we can correct typos, grammar errors, and so on. If there are changes to the order of a program listing or to an ensemble roster, this is when we can make those changes as well.
  • As a reminder, due to the high volume of projects that Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresents works on each semester, we cannot guarantee that content provided after content deadlines will be included in your program.

Distribution

Here’s what to expect:

  • Programs that are printed will have a designated print deadline, at which point we will be done proofing and will send the design file to the printer. Depending on the page count and quantity requested, print production usually takes about seven to 10 days.
  • Most printed programs will have a paperless companion (PDF version of the printed program)Ìýavailable at Ìýand the event’s web page.
  • You can share the event web page or the direct link to the program PDF for distribution at your convenience.Ìý
  • We are unable toÌýrepost revisions or updates after a program is published.

Ìý

Important reminders

Make sure all program content is ready by your content deadline.

Because we typically work on multiple events at once, it’s important to have all program content in by your deadline so we can make and post your program.ÌýWe cannot guarantee that content provided after content deadlines will be included in your program.

Student Recital and Guest Artist Recital programs have a firm deadline of 14 days prior to event date.
Chamber Music Recital programs have a firm deadline of seven days prior to event date.

We are unable to make revisions or updates after a program is published.Ìý

If you need changes to a program after it is published, please work with your event’s house management to create door signs to post the updates at your venue.

Questions?

Email Sabrina Green, Publications Manager at sabrina.green@colorado.edu