The Approval Status is a function of artists, which is:

• a sort function for artists
• visible from the main artist list view
• a workflow function which can trigger emails and forms direct to artists

The name is a little misleading - Declined is an approval status. Approval status can be anything. They're a really helpful tool for programmers to help keep track of the acts they're interested in while signalling to the whole team their intentions.

You can set approval statuses in two main ways - from the main artist list view, or from each artist's individual profile.

After you have navigated to the Artist module, you will see the list of artists. You can filter this view if you like.¹⁾ Then, click to tick the checkboxes next to the artists you wish to set a status for. Once ticked, you can then click on the “Select a Function” drop-down menu at the top left of the artist list. From this, select Set Approval Status: (Status XYZ). It will ask you if you really want to. It will then ask you again. You can say OK both times! Just make sure you know whether you're sending out an email with your selected approval status. You can check if there's an email by checking out the further instructions below, or just check in with Maisie to ask.

From an artist's profile (or indeed directly from the artist listing), click on the pencil icon to edit the artist. In the top section one of the drop-down options is for “Status”. You can select the approval status from here. Then hit the 'Update Artist' red button. You will again be prompted twice to make sure you mean it. You do mean it! Hit ok both times. (Again, just make sure you aren't triggering an automated email unless you want to be.)

You can create, edit and delete Approval Statuses.

Public forms can have an Approval Status automatically set. So our 2020 EOI form will leave new artists both unverified and unapproved.²⁾ However, our Performer Intake Form³⁾ may set the artist to Approved once completed. This saves you the step of having to approve an artist you are curating.

There is no limit to the number of statuses you make. However, it is worthwhile keeping some sort of system going, so there's no mystery surrounding artists with nonsensical statuses. We suggest uploading a document or creating a message in Marcato with a log of the different approval statuses, what they mean, who created them, and if the status triggers an email. To create a new status, click on the Artist Approval Statuses cog at the top left of the artist list view. This will take you to the Artist Approval Status page. You will see a list of existing approval statuses that have been added by programmers. The list does not include the 3 standard statuses: Approved, Declined and More Info Required.

To add a new status, just add the name to the box and click the “Add Artist Approval Status” button.

Once on the Artist Approval Status page, edit an existing status by clicking the pencil icon next to the existing status you would like to edit.

Clicking the bin icon next to an approval status on this page will delete the status.

It is possible to use the setting of a new approval status to trigger an email direct to the artist. These emails are highly customisable.

To edit what emails are sent, go to the artist approval status page, then click the 2nd tab at the top titled “Approval Status Emails”.

Some statuses will not require an email. For these, just ensure that all fields are left blank, and no email will be triggered.

To edit the email content triggered by an approval status, start by clicking the red down arrow next to the status name. This will display the edit section. There are four edit fields: the three 'header' fields at the top, and the main body field.

This part is relatively straightforward. The Subject field is the subject line of the email the artist will receive. Make your subject line informative and short.

The From field is the email address that the email will appear to have been sent from. Any replies to the email will be to this address.

The To (BCC) field allows you to enter an email address that the approval status email will be BCC'd to. You can enter multiple addresses in the email fields by separating the email addresses with a comma.

It is a good idea to make the From email address that of the relevant programmer. It is a good idea to have the To (BCC) email address be the head programmer and/or the artist admin.

The body is the body of the email that the artist will receive. It is possible to make this a generic email, but it is highly recommended to customise the email by using shortcodes. Display the shortcodes you can use by selecting an artist from the “Sample Artist” dropdown at the top of the page. This will display the shortcode on the left, and the corresponding field for the selected artist on the right.

Below the main artist shortcodes table is also displayed shortcodes for public forms (these will display as a clickable link in the email), and artist contact shortcodes.

See the wiki pages for shortcodes and conditional shortcodes for more info on how to use the shortcodes in these emails.

Use the body of the email to remind the artist of what they will be contracted for, what their fee is, and what information they have already provided. Provide the link to the relevant public form, and remind them of what further info they must provide, and by when. You can also provide them a link to a standard contract, standard info packs, and more.

Below is a list of the current approval statuses that we have created for the 2020 festival.⁴⁾ As mentioned above, this list does not include the 3 standard approval statuses of Approved, Declined, and More Info Required.

• Approved BACKLOT
• Approved CHILDRENS
• Approved DANCE
• Approved INTER
• Approved LOCAL
• Approved NATIONAL
• Approved PSR ARTS
• Approved TEEN ARTS
• Blackboard
• Early notify NO
• Early notify YES
• Ellie NO
• Ellie YES
• Marie NO
• Marie YES
• Paige MAYBE
• Paige NO
• Paige YES
• Rhian MAYBE
• Rhian NO
• Rhian YES
• Rod NO
• Rod YES
• Sam NO
• Sam YES