Creating a Contract

To create a contract for an event please read the following information first and then fill out a Contracting Worksheet. Note: Before you contract anything ( DJ, Civic center, band, speaker, etc.), contact Department of Student Activities and Leadership Development for help! We can make the process easier for you, and insure that all legal issues related to a performance are addressed.

Remember, students are not authorized to sign contracts.   You should rely on either Maribeth Overland (x5273) or Gwen Schimek in Student Activities to create a legal contract for you.  Students put themselves at significant risk for liability issues when they hire an outside party without a contract signed by a Student Activities staff member.  In addition, if a student signs a contract, they are personally responsible for paying any fees promised in the contract.

Also note that clubs are prohibited from sponsoring events beginning the last day of classes each semester and continuing through the duration of finals week.

The successful presentation of an artist always starts with a good contract. What follows is not intended to be a complete guide to contracts. It is instead a checklist of the more obvious pitfalls in editing a contract or in writing your own. Which brings us immediately to the first point: If you can, develop your own standard performance agreement and use it whenever possible. You know what is in it, you can incorporate paragraphs from an agency’s contracts that are acceptable, and you will save hours editing and possible anguish of realizing you have overlooked a critical paragraph.

Remember all contracts are negotiable. You never have to accept a contract the way it is sent to you. A contract is a mutual agreement to reach a goal with benefits for both parties. It should contain as much information as possible and be as straightforward as possible. All contracts must be approved and signed by the Director or Assistant Director of Student Activities and Leadership Development.

When the date and fee for a performance are agreeable to you, it is accepted practice among artists’ representatives and the American Federation of Musicians to send a confirming fax or confirming letter generally considered binding upon both parties. This is sent by the university accepting a date for an appearance at a specified fee in response to a written offer to a certain date within which time a contract must be received.

It is important that such a fax or letter be issued by the college official authorized to schedule and/or sign contracts, in our case, Maribeth Overland or Gwen Schimek. Impulsive offers by well meaning but untrained persons can be costly if later they choose not to enter into a formal contract, or if they university/college staff member responsible refuses to sign the contract.

Know your artist and his/her representative. Deal only with reliable firms. If in doubt, check with someone at another school who may know. Students are not authorized to sign contracts.  Remember that the Director (Maribeth Overland) or Assistant Director (Gwen Schime) of Student Activities & Leadership Development has to sign all club/organization contracts.

What to Ask the Agent

Explain to the agent that this call is only for information purposes and that no commitment will be made at this time! Things to ask the agent about an artist (ALWAYS know what you want before you even begin talking to the agent):

• Date you want the artist
• Cost of the artist
• Does the cost reflect a block booking price or not
• The time you want the artist to perform
• The place where you ant the artist to perform (make sure the space is available before you call!)
• How many sets you want the artist to do
• What the artist supplies technically (this includes sound, lights, power, staging, equipment, etc.)
• Does the artist require hospitality, at their cost or yours (this includes meals, housing, etc.)? Remember that we are not allowed to provide alcoholic beverages!)
• If the artist requires a meal, are there any special circumstances (kosher, vegetarian, etc.)
• What promotional materials are supplied for advertising
• Is there a contact person for the artist
• When will the artist arrive
• Will the artist need people to help unload and load the equipment
• What time and how much time before the show will the artist need for set up
• Is the artist from Minnesota (WI, ND, SD, or MI)? If not, they will need to pay the 2% Minnesota Entertainment Tax (it will be taken out of their check).

Submit a contracting worksheet to Student Activities and Leadership Development.