This list of ideas will help you to publicize Music in Our Schools Month (March) and The World's Largest Concert.
Publicity Ideas for Music in Our Schools Month
- Submit MIOSM articles to state music educators journals.
- Submit articles about MIOSM to state educators journals which are distributed to school board members and administrators.
- Supply local newspapers with regular press releases on all of your activities.
- Contact program chairpersons of local civic organizations (Lion's Club, American Legion, Garden Club, etc.) and suggest an MIOSM program for their February and March meetings.
- Contact the local Chamber of Commerce, telephone companies, banks – anyone who publishes a calendar of events – and ask that they include a notice of MIOSM/WLC events.
- Schedule an outstanding musical group to perform for your local or state government officials.
- Write articles for the local newspapers emphasizing the value of music education. Ask them to cover as many MIOSM events as possible. Many newspapers include MIOSM activities in their calendar of special events. Many also include nationally syndicated children's sections or similar local pages that offer creative possibilities for MIOSM coverage.
- Contact local businesses and suggest that they invite school music groups to perform for their employees. Businesses have run articles and photographs of MIOSM presentations in their publications in the past.
- Ask local businesses to publicize MIOSM. In the past, music education messages have been displayed on milk cartons and on grocery store shopping bags. Please contact Deidre Healy in the Outreach Department at 800-336-3768 for specifications on the use of MENC and MIOSM logos.
- Ask business people to donate previously purchased billboards to promote music education.
- Encourage businesses to purchase MIOSM awareness items and display them in bank lobbies, hotel lobbies, restaurants, store windows, libraries, and community centers.
- Send photos and descriptions of your events to MENC for possible inclusion in Teaching Music and other MENC publications. Be sure to include contact information.
Here is a list of some additional publicity outlets that may exist in your community. Be sure to consider them as you promote your programs. Find out the names of the publications' editors and their deadlines.
- Area high school and college publications
- Chamber of Commerce publications
- Civic club publications
- Women's club publications
- Church and synagogue bulletins
- Fraternal organization publications
- Municipal and state publications
- Educational publications
- Magazines
- Monthly papers
- Business publications
- Suburban advertisements and shopping guides
- Retirement community publications
- MENC offers information/suggestions on the following topics. Please check our website at www.menc.org or call the Special Programs Assistant at 800-336-3768.
- How to Get a Resolution Passed (with sample resolutions)
- Working with the Media Newspapers (including sample letters)
- Radio and Television (including sample PSA's and news releases)
- Speakers
