help fma seminar

[krys]

Hello,

I already posted this on the filipino martial arts thread but got no answer.
My filipino GM woud like to give silat seminars in the UK and asked me to organize them. I just wonder if somebody knows the rules of hosting a seminar as I have no idea on how it is done. Any advice will be welcome.....

Thanks in advance

 

[dearnis.com]

missed the topic on the fma thread.
Some questions...
Do you have a school?
Do you have a network of people who know you and who will support you?
Is your instructor in UK or abroad?
Is your instructor looking to spread the art, to increase his name recognition, or is he looking for an immediate payday?
I don't mean to sound disrespectful with the last, BUT if your instructor is looking for substantial $$, and you are not in a position to insure a good turnout, etc., it can lead to a falling out.
Having said that, if you can give me some more details I will be happy to try and steer you in the right direction.

 

[krys]

Thank you for answering dearnis.
The situation is quite difficult as you will see it.

Do you have a school?

I don't have a school, I am training filipino Silat alone or with my GM in the Philippines and other friends abroad.

Do you have a network of people who know you and who will support you?

I have a small network of peoples knowing me, they told me they will support me but they themselves have very few students and no school (they rent places a few hours a week to teach).

Is your instructor in UK or abroad?

My instructor is in the Philippines.

Is your instructor looking to spread the art, to increase his name recognition, or is he looking for an immediate payday?

He is internationally known (in South East Asia, international referee, headcoach....) and was already invited to the USA to teach a well known Silat instructor there for two months.



My GM would like to spread the art in Europe, he actually was thinking of staying one year in the UK with me but this is impossible given that he is unknown there, that we would need a Gym, and that my job keeps me busy and unable to look after him for that long time...

He is not looking to get wealthy (I give him a modest symbolic payment, as is silat tradition in SEA, when I learn with him) but he really hopes that the funds raised by the seminar will help him to open a training center for southern filipino arts. Actually he has no place to teach properly.
Times are also difficult in the Philippines and he has a large familly.......


Thanks again for answering deanarnis, any advice will be welcome.

Christian.
Mabuhay ang filipino Silat at Arnis

 

[dearnis.com]

OK. This is not going to be real easy for you. What you need to do well on in advance is get out, showcase your art, make do small seminars at different schools as a preview (maybe as a free preview).
You need to think about what it will cost to bring your teacher over (fixed cost), put him up (helps if he can stay w/you), feed him, transport him around. You then need to figure that figure as your minimum break even expense. Based on that can you get enough dates, with enough people in attendance, to get you past the break even point. To do this how many seminars do you need, how many people at each semianr, and how much to charge per person. (too little is bad as people figure the teacher is not good; too much if they don't recognize the name is also bad.)
Sometimes you can get a community center very cheap as a place to host; maybe check filipino/indonesian community centers in the area. Check also with college/university martial arts clubs.
Also dont forget that your teacher can boost earnings with sales of other items, from sarongs to videos.
Hope this helps; I'll post more as I think of it.
Chad