Artist directory guide • Get discovered & booked

How to get listed on artist discovery

Connect with venues, festival curators, event producers, and audiences across Venue Family. Here is our complete step-by-step walkthrough to setting up your profile, affiliating with an organization, and getting featured on the public directory.

100% Free for artists

No listing fees, subscriptions, or paywalls for performers to be featured in the directory.

Rich streaming showreels

Embed Spotify, Bandcamp, YouTube, SoundCloud, and Vimeo directly onto your profile.

Direct booking inquiries

Event organizers can reach out directly with gig requests and dates delivered to your inbox.

Automatic show sync

Upcoming shows and performances at partner venues appear automatically on your artist page.

Fast track • 5 minutes

Pre-flight artist checklist

Have these 5 items ready before applying to ensure your profile gets approved on the first pass.

Profile approval rate 98%
1

High-resolution portrait (1:1 square)

Clear headshot or stage performance photo. Min 800×800 px (1200×1200 recommended, up to 10MB).

2

Artist tagline & bio statement

1-sentence hook plus 2–3 paragraphs describing your style, genre, performance formats, and background.

3

1–3 Streaming media URLs

Share links from Spotify, Bandcamp, YouTube, SoundCloud, or Vimeo so bookers can listen immediately.

4

Disciplines & creative tags

Check all relevant disciplines: Dance, Music, Theater, Circus, Visual Art, Comedy, Workshops, etc.

5

Home location & travel radius

Your base city/state (e.g. Santa Cruz, CA) and maximum travel radius so regional venues can filter talent.

The process

6 Simple steps to get listed

Follow these steps to set up your portfolio, join an organization, and publish your artist showcase listing.

1

Create your Venue Family account

Step 1

Start by creating a free account on Venue Family. You can sign up with your email address or use Google Sign-In. If you already have an account, simply sign in.

2

Connect with or create an organization

Step 2

All public artist profiles on Venue Family are associated with an organization — such as a partner venue, theater, arts collective, or your own production company. This affiliation guarantees community connection and curator trust.

Option A: Join an existing venue or organization

If you perform at or work with a venue (e.g. The 418 Project), an admin can invite you or approve your membership.

Option B: Create your own organization

Run an ensemble, band, or production team? Create an organization from your profile in seconds to manage your own talent roster.

3

Complete your artist profile & portfolio

Step 3

Head to your Profile settings to curate your artist presence. A complete, rich profile receives up to 4x more booking inquiries and engagement.

✓

Artist / stage name & bio

Enter your public stage name (or group name) and an engaging artistic statement describing your genre, style, and accomplishments.

✓

Profile photo & headshot

Upload a clear, high-resolution portrait or performance photo (square aspect ratio, at least 800×800 px recommended).

✓

Disciplines & creative interests

Select all disciplines that fit your work: Dance, Music, Theater, Visual Art, Circus, Comedy, Film, Somatics, and Workshops. Organizers use these tags to filter talent.

✓

Showreel & streaming media

Paste links from Spotify, Bandcamp, YouTube, Vimeo, or SoundCloud. Our player automatically embeds interactive audio/video streams onto your page.

✓

Booking availability & specs

Set your booking status (Available, Limited, Touring), performance formats (e.g. Solo, Ensemble, Workshops), and technical/space requirements.

4

Submit your public directory application

Step 4

In your Profile settings, scroll to the "Public Profile / Directory Listings" section. Choose your organization, input your home location (e.g. Santa Cruz, CA) and travel radius, and click "Apply for Public Profile".

Tip: Setting your location allows event producers to find local talent and filter artists who travel within their region.
5

Organization approval & going live

Step 5

Your organization manager or curator receives an instant notification to review your public listing application. Once approved:

  • Your artist card appears on the public Artist Discovery directory.
  • You receive a dedicated, permanent public URL (e.g. /artists/123) with full structured metadata (Schema.org) for Google search indexing.
  • Curators and producers can download your digital vCard directly to their contacts.
  • The direct booking inquiry form activates on your profile.
6

Link shows & listed events

Step 6

Keep your profile active and engaging by connecting your upcoming live dates:

Performer tagging

When booked for an event produced on Venue Family, your confirmed dates display under "Upcoming Shows" on your profile.

Upload listed events

Self-producing a gig, residency, or workshop? Upload a listed event to broadcast it on the calendar and your artist page.

Embed your music, video & media

Simply paste the share URL from any of these platforms into your profile, and Venue Family renders an interactive media player automatically.

Spotify Tracks, albums, playlists
YouTube Videos & live reels
Vimeo HD dance & films
SoundCloud Tracks & mix sets
Bandcamp Albums & singles
Ready-to-Use copy

Copyable bio & pitch templates

Use these proven templates to craft an engaging artist bio or send a compelling booking proposal to venue directors.

Template A Solo artist bio

Solo performer & dancer bio

Sample text, in English. Copy it and adapt it to your own wording.

[Stage Name] is a [City]-based [Discipline, e.g. contemporary dancer and somatic educator] whose work explores [Theme, e.g. improvised movement, live ambient soundscapes, and communal healing]. 

With past performances and residencies across [Venue / Festival names], their multidisciplinary pieces combine [Key Artistic Elements, e.g. fluid floorwork with live acoustic looping]. Available for full-length theatrical presentations, festival sets, site-specific activations, and intimate workshops.
Template B Curator pitch

Venue booking inquiry email

Sample text, in English. Copy it and adapt it to your own wording.

Subject: Booking Proposal: [Artist/Band Name] – [Proposed Window/Month]

Dear [Curator / Programming Director Name],

I hope you're having a wonderful season. I am an artist affiliated with [Organization Name] on Venue Family, and I admire [Venue Name]'s commitment to [creative strength, e.g. innovative local performance].

We are currently booking dates for [Project / Tour Name] for [Target Month(s)] and would love to bring this [60/90-minute show] to your stage. 

You can review our streaming showreel, past audience numbers, and technical rider directly on our Venue Family profile here: [Link to /artists/your-id].

Would you have 10 minutes next week to explore availability? Warm regards, [Your Name] | [Phone]

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about the Artist Discovery directory.

Is there a fee to be listed?

No. Being featured on the Artist Discovery directory is completely free for performers and creators. There are no listing fees, premium upsells, or commission cuts taken from your direct booking inquiries.

How do media players and streaming links work?

In your profile settings under "Featured Showreel / Media Player URL", simply paste a public link to your Spotify track or album, YouTube video, Vimeo link, SoundCloud stream, or direct video file (.mp4). Venue Family automatically parses the link and renders a responsive, native media player.

How do venues and organizers contact me?

Curators, venue directors, and event producers can click "Send Booking Inquiry" directly on your public artist card or profile. Inquiries include their proposed dates, venue details, and event scope, and are sent directly to your registered contact email. Organizers can also shortlist and compare artists.

What if my organization or venue is not listed yet?

You can create your own organization in minutes! Whether you run an independent dance troupe, indie band, theater ensemble, or production collective, creating an organization allows you to sponsor your own artist listing.

Can I update my profile after it has been approved?

Yes! You can update your artist bio, headshot, streaming media links, availability status, pronouns, and disciplines at any time in Profile Settings. Changes sync immediately to your live public profile.

Need assistance building your artist profile or portfolio?

Our support team can help you link your artist account with local venue collectives, format high-resolution promotional artwork, or configure direct booking links.

Ready to share your work with the community?

Join the Venue Family artist directory today to reach more bookers, build your audience, and showcase your creative vision.