Department Overview:
The Marketing Department is responsible for designing, building, and implementing all communications materials for the Festival, including e-blasts, print and digital advertisements, season programs, and supplementary season artwork. The Marketing Department is also the liaison between the Festival and the local and national press outlets. They coordinate press tickets, manage press opportunities (interviews, features, etc), and write press releases. The Marketing Department manages the Festival social media channels during the summer, including building and distributing Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube content. Finally, the Photo/Video team within the Marketing Department oversees the recording/documentation of most Festival events and performances, as well as the gathering of promotional assets, ranging from donor event photography, to behind-the-scenes photo/video, to internal archival video recording of all productions.
The Players:
Director of Development & Communications: Josh Martinez-Nelson
Director of Audience Engagement: Antonello Di Benedetto
Antonello has 20 years of fundraising and sales experience. Prior to joining WTF in 2017, he was the Director of Development at Second Stage Theater where he oversaw the $65M capital and endowment campaign to renovate the historic Hayes Theatre on Broadway. A native of Chicago, he started his professional career at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival while attending Illinois State University in the cornfields of central Illinois. Upon graduating summa cum laude, he moved to NYC to work for Manhattan Theatre Club. Six-and-a-half years and four fundraising positions later (most recently as Director, Special Events), he then moved to sunny San Diego to lead the individual giving efforts at La Jolla Playhouse. Antonello moved to bucolic Williamstown in 2017 with his partner Richard Duncan (who currently works in the HR Office at Williams College). He is the immediate past President of the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce and continues to serve as Chair of its Marketing Committee; he also serves on the Executive Committee for the Williamstown Cultural District, and on the steering committees for the 1Berkshire Creative Economy Cluster and ArtCountry. Antonello co-hosts the weekly television program, Window on the Weekend, on WilliNet TV about the various events going on in the Northern Berkshires on behalf of the Williamstown Chamber.
The Schedule:
Office hours are 10am-6pm during the season, plus occasional evening commitments (i.e. post-show talkbacks, celebrations, press performances, etc)
Marketing staff uses a staggered day-off schedule, allowing for one day off per week for each staff member.
Frequently Collaborates With:
Producing
Development
Producing
Audience Engagement
Literary & Artistic
COMMUNITY WORKS
Application Recommendations:
The Marketing Department looks for individuals who can see a project from concept to completion and who can work on predetermined schedules and deadlines. We look for individuals with a keen eye for detail, a creative aesthetic, and a passion for the performing arts. Experience with the Google Suite (Drive, Docs, Sheets, etc.) is required for all positions. Experience with the Adobe Creative Suite is required for Photo/Video and Design positions, specifically Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Premiere. Experience with social media management, and knowledge/awareness of press outlets and procedures strongly preferred. Experience with copywriting, proofreading, and editing is also a plus.