Backstage Pass: Artist Liaison Officer
Backstage Pass: Rope Access Technician
Backstage Pass
Backstage Pass: Artist Liaison Officer
What does an Artist Liaison Officer do?
What exactly does an Artist Liaison Officer do? How important is their role here at Esplanade? Read on to find out, and then take our quiz!
This is Timothy! He is an Artist Liaison Officer.
Did you know that Esplanade has over 3,500 programmes in a year? If each programme features at least one artist, could you imagine how many artists pass through Esplanade’s doors each year? That’s certainly a lot of artists to take care of!
Here is where an Artist Liaison Officer (ALO) comes in.
ALO, is it me you’re looking for?
Think of ALOs as super hosts! Like hosts, they are responsible for taking care of the artist’s needs and providing them with an enjoyable and unforgettable experience at the Esplanade. The job of an ALO is a part-time one and thus they are only called upon when their help is needed.
ALOs are often the middlemen between the artist and the programmer. A programmer is someone who comes up with ideas and plans the performances that take place in Esplanade! The programmer lets the ALOs know what the artist's schedule will be like.
ALOs help to play the role of a timekeeper and ensure that the artists keep to the schedule that is set for them. They have to make that artists keep to the schedule so that they can make it in time for rehearsals, the performance and more! ALOs are also the point of contact for both artists and programmers whenever there is anything that needs to be communicated to either party during the show weekend.
Watch the video below to find out what happens before an ALO meets the artists!
The tools of the trade
As ALOs are responsible for the comfort and well-being of artists, they need to be well prepared when they are on duty. Have you ever wondered what important items an ALO like Timothy carries while he is on the job? Let’s find out!
Meeting the artists
It can be quite daunting for international artists who are travelling to Singapore for a performance (especially if it’s their first time!) and an ALO is the person who takes good care of them! ALOs are usually the first person an artist meets when they arrive in Singapore, and often the ones that artists will reach out to if they need any help or encounter any issues. Let’s follow Timothy as he meets the artists!
It’s show time!
One of the main tasks of an ALO is to accompany the artists on their official schedule. As these artists may be new to Singapore and Esplanade, ALOs help by not only coordinating their transportation to and from their hotels and the airport but by also guiding them around the Esplanade venues. ALOs also help with administrative tasks like collection of artist passes and usually bring the artists to their rehearsals, sound checks and finally when it’s show time! Let’s find out what an ALO does leading up to the show!
The work of an ALO can be quite challenging especially when the schedules are long and if the artists are required to move around a lot from place to place. Even changes in the weather can affect an ALO’s job as they may have to make last minute transport arrangements for the artists. An ALO has to be able to adapt to the changing situation but the uncertainty of what the day brings is also what makes their job quite exciting!
Most of the time, ALOs are with the artist from the moment they land in Singapore and up until when they leave. This makes goodbyes for ALOs quite sad, having spent a lot of time with the artists. As Timothy puts it—
The work of an ALO can be quite challenging especially when the schedules are long and if the artists are required to move around a lot from place to place. Even changes in the weather can affect an ALO’s job as they may have to make last minute transport arrangements for the artists. An ALO has to be able to adapt to the changing situation but the uncertainty of what the day brings is also what makes their job quite exciting!
Most of the time, ALOs are with the artist from the moment they land in Singapore and up until when they leave. This makes goodbyes for ALOs quite sad, having spent a lot of time with the artists. As Timothy puts it—
“ Almost every assignment is unique as we are dealing with people, but sending off an artist or a group always creates butterflies in my stomach. The sense of achievement, sense of connection with the artist/group, and sadness of parting will all appear during these moments. ”
Take the quiz!
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