It is the plan for each Kings to choose their champions, but if you 
are like me you will find it hard to ask these people for places. I 
am expecting at each King with easily fill the first five spots but 
each king will either have empty spots at the event or just not have 
enough time to find people. 

I plan to go to each King with a list of available performers. It 
will up to the Kings to decide but it doesn't hurt to have someone 
pitching you.  I will try to get a deal like I got out of His Grace 
Hogarten last year. He promised to sponsor the Bardic Arts. He 
offered to help performers find places to perform in front of 
important people at the Wars. Of Course he has been a patron of 
performing Arts for many years so this is not different or difficutl 
for him.

Also I hope to encourage the "Kings" and the King of Ansteorra to 
sponsor some performing at their campsites. I will try to make sure 
that we have the best performing venues as possible. 

Lastly it is my plan to create a public performing area for a "late 
night' performing circle. Many times there isn't a place for us to go 
to or we end up "taking over" someone's campsite. This isn't good so 
I will create an area for us to interact at. 

Why am I doing this? Because I am a Noble and I patron the Arts. I do 
not plan to do anything but introduce people. Each of  you can work 
your own "deal" out. I will offer a piece of Largess because 
depending on how the "Kings' work out the spoils you may or may  not 
get anything. Last year by the time the performers got to the 
treasure chest there was nothing left. 

I view what I am doing as a way of lobbying for increase attention on 
the Bardic community. Last year the Bards were mentioned as equals to 
the fighting community four times at court.  

I am also trying to get a better position of the spoils for the 
performers and all the champions. 

I will also be encouraging an audience for the competition. In the 
past we have performed before the judges and that is all. Most of us 
perform our best when we have people watching. Also if people gather 
around our performing area we become more important to the community. 
Organizing people to come watch us is easy enough, but if you are 
performing some people feel strange doing it. 

If you look at our performing competitions in the last 10 years you 
will see less and less people coming to them. Before that the Bardic 
College would provide individuals who had the job to make sure the 
word got out that the contest was happening at such and such a time 
and make sure the populace was informed. If the group didn't provide 
heralds we did it and we would walk through the crowd saying the 
Bardic is starting why won't you come and watch. These services were 
arranged and when we went to the "natural" format they stopped. The 
result a final round at Warlord with the Baroness and us. This is a 
far cry from the 150 people at the bardic circle at the 15 year 
Warlord. 

One of the reasons that fighting is so important to the SCA is it a 
focus for social interaction. This is seen in the research on the 
effect of Football in adolescence society. You can also see how this 
works with rock stars and bartenders. If we are seen as a focus our 
art will increase in the respect it gets. I don't think a little PR 
hurts anyone. 

When many of you stated you were not interested in a 
organized "Bardic College" there were statements that Master Robin, 
Master Ulf and myself would just continue doing what we do and 
therefore you don't need an organization. The Bards made me remember 
my duty and in repayment for their respect I am trying to make sure 
we have the best experience as possible. If I had money I would 
provide drink as it is I can encourage us by arranging places for us 
to preform and giving largess and having cookies. 

If you personally would rather interact personally with the kings 
please feel free to do so. You will not hurt my feelings and please 
when the parties die down come over and eat my cookies and perform in 
the light. This area will be gift from a member of the community to 
everyone in the performing community.

I have made a point of stressing the performing community. I included 
everyone. 
willow    

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