2020/21 2015-16

Musicians Contract
Miskin Theatre

North Kent College

Oakfield Lane
Dartford
DA1 2JT

01322 629472 - Teresa Rees-Boughton- Administrator

01322 629422- Nikki Moore- Theatre Manager

1
 MUSICIANS CONTRACT

Contents

WELCOME
THE 3P’S
KEEPING PERFORMANCE
ALIVE

TICKETS

PROFESSIONAL

PRACTICE

EQUIPMENT LIST

TERM DATES

PROFESSIONAL

COURTESY

RESPECT

PERSONALRESPONSIBI

LITY PERFORMANCES

FRONT OF HOUSE
CONCENT
COPYRIGHT
PLAGERISM

THE MISKIN NAME

EQUALITY AND
DIVERSITY

DECLARATION

2
 WELCOME

Congratulations on becoming a member of The Miskin Music

Company. While you are here you will have the opportunity to
experience an environment which is as close to a professional
music industry environment as we can possibly make it. We are here
to support you in becoming a well-trained, creative thinking
musician or producer. This contract is designed to remind you that
this is a place of work. As in any place of work, there are a set of
working practice guidelines need to be adhered to by everyone and
are completely non-negotiable.

We expect a lot from you and trust that you will quickly develop a
professional attitude whatever your age or experience

Miskin Music demands collaboration. You can rely on us and we will

rely on you to maintain and develop the unprecedented success and
reputation of The Miskin. We wish you well in your training, look
forward to working with you and hope you enjoy your time with us.

3
 THREE P’s Prepared – Punctual – Professional

Professional discipline is a vital part of every musician’s daily life. It is

Miskin Music’s job to ensure that your training is underpinned by a clear
understanding of the needs of the industry for which you are preparing
yourself. Major emphasis will be placed on the importance of self-
discipline, appearance, punctuality, courtesy and respect for colleagues
and peers, unselfishness and a great deal of common sense.
This contract represents a way of working that is about your course and
your industry and is designed to reinforce your own sense of responsibility
to your training, to your craft and to your company.
It’s important that you read and understand it and that you show willing to
undertake the responsibilities needed to achieve success in your chosen
field and make the most of your training here.
with NWPlease
You will also sign a learning agreement. K College.
note that your
contract with The Miskin augments all similar agreements.

Anyone taking GCSE’s or Functional Skills will need to be aware that

if you have not achieved 80% attendance for these sessions by the
end of the year then we do not get any funding to teach you on the
music course for the year and you will be withdrawn by the college
from the music course immediately.

KEEPING PERFORMANCE ALIVE

You are now part of a working production company, which is a commercial
organisation. In-order-to keep on working and producing we are dependent
on bringing audiences into all our events. It’s in everyone’s interest to
encourage new audiences to see live theatre, dance and music - that way
the industry will stay alive long enough for you to benefit from it.

You are a musician so it goes without saying you are passionate about
seeing a range of performance material. The wider Miskin Company
includes artists of all kinds including musicians, designers, photographers,
visual artists and dancers. You will be expected to see ALL the work of
your wider company as they will yours. This will include performances by
the dancers and actors in The Miskin Theatre venues as well as
performances by your other fellow musicians working at The Miskin.

4
 TICKETS
Tickets for all Miskin performances will be available four weeks before the
opening night, from the box office or online at -
https://miskintheatre.cloudvenue.co.uk/home

Miskin Theatre Membership Deal

As a member of the Miskin Theatre you are expected to attend ALL shows.
Your Student contribution entitles you to free tickets for these
performances. It is advisable to book early to ensure you can see the
performances on the night you want.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

There are no excuses for lateness to rehearsals and performances. It’s

your job to get yourself in and ready half an hour before your call. Avoid
the awkwardness of not being allowed to rehearse by planning-ahead and
allowing yourself extra time to travel. Calling in to inform your directors of
your lateness does not excuse you from college disciplinary procedures.

SIGN IN

When you get to the rehearsal spaces or venue, make sure you either sign
in or see your director who will be taking a register. ‘I forgot’ is not a valid
excuse.
Signing in tells us who is here and who is not. If you are in and haven’t
signed in or been registered, then legally you’re not here and will have
taken yourself out of rehearsals. If there is a fire or other emergency and
you have not signed in, you are not here and will not be rescued.

The college cross references your entry via your I.D badge with our
registers so you must only enter via your own badge or through reception
for your attendance to be registered. Letting anyone into the college with
your I.D is strictly prohibited. You will be seen on the CCTV at the gates
ILL OR ABSENT
If you are ill or an absence is unavoidable, you need to call the theatre
before 9:30am on 01322 629472

5
 Writing a post on Tumblr saying that you ‘won’t be in today’ or asking a friend
to report your absence is not acceptable.

HOLIDAYS
Holidays taken without prior consent will have a serious impact on your
training and casting. We work like a repertory theatre and are always in
production, which means we don’t work to school term dates, including
half terms. However, you will still be allocated holidays but these will be
arranged around the rehearsal and performance schedule. Holidays
cannot be taken during company time. Please see term dates on your
Tumblr site and make sure you go through it with a parent/carer

APPOINTMENTS
Appointments should be made for your day off. If this is not possible
then it must be discussed prior to booking and made as early in the
day as possible. An appointment card should be given to your director
on your return

EQUIPMENT LIST
EVERYONE MUST HAVE (ON A DAILY BASIS)

Pens and a notebook. USB or external hard drive

Instrument maintained and in good condition
Spare accessories to ensure your instrument is always in full working
order. (e.g. JACK LEADS, SPARE JACK LEADS, spare guitar strings,
guitar picks, DRUMSTICKS, SPARE DRUMSTICKS, Hot rods, brushes,
tuner etc…)

FRONT OF HOUSE:
As part of your training and experience all musicians will be required to
do Front of House (ushering) on some of our shows. You will be
required to wear smart black trousers or a skirt and smart black shoes.
You will be expected to wear your Miskin hoodie.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR EQUIPMENT:
If you are planning to leave your belongings at college you do so at your
own risk, we cannot accept responsibility for equipment lost or stolen
when left unattended

6
 TERM DATES
2015/2016
AUTUMN TERM
th
Monday
Monday7 7th
September
SeptembertotoWednesday 18th December
Wednesday 16th December 2015

(You may be required for Front of House up until 20th December)

EASTER TERM

Monday
Monday 4th January
4th January to Thursday
to Friday 24th March 2016
April 2nd 2021

SUMMER TERM
th st
MondayMonday
12th April 11 April 2nd
to Friday to Friday 1 July 2016
July 2021

USEFUL NUMBERS
01322 629400 Main College

01322 629472 Teresa Rees-Boughton

01322 629422 Box Office

01322 629400 ------ Student Services

01322 629420 ------Student Finance

PROFESSIONAL COURTESY
Telephones - Do not bring them into group sessions. Phones are a distraction and can
seriously disrupt the work. You can make notes using a notepad and pen. Rest assured,
Facebook and Snapchat will still be there at lunch time. Taking a ringing or vibrating
phone into the rehearsal room means you’ve taken yourself out of rehearsals. This also
applies to wearing headphones. Even if they are not plugged in DO NOT WEAR THEM
Don’t disappear from the rehearsal room or performance venue without being given
explicit permission from the production’s director. You need to ensure you are ready and
available at a moments notice.
Commit fully to each process, behave responsibly and carry out, to the best of your
ability, all direction given. If you don’t commit you will be replaced. You will only get out of
your training what you choose to put in.
Make yourself available for rehearsal/gigs/workshops and F.O.H as required. Don’t
expect to be excused for other part-time employment. You are expected to be in session
until 5 o’clock every day and will not be excused early for other employment.

Please be aware that an hour break for lunch is not enough time for you to get a shuttle bus
to Dartford town centre and back again as there can be problems with traffic.

7
 RESPECT
For Each other - you have a responsibility to your fellow company members.

For Music Directors - they can make your life miserable

For Crew - they can hurt you or make you sound bad

For Yourself - that means, value your contribution by taking care of yourself when
rehearsing and performing - keep healthy. The Miskin has a zero-tolerance policy
in respect of drug use. Alcohol consumption is only permitted at evening events if
you are over 18 purchasing only from our licensed bar (unless you are performing
at the event)

For Your Theatre – it’s your venue so look after it. It is up to you to ensure that the
rehearsal spaces, studios and all other spaces relating to the theatre and around the
theatre are kept clean and in working order. Take pride in the exceptional and unique
facilities you have. Don’t chew gum, vape or eat anywhere inside the theatre buildings.
Keep it out and away from the buildings. Don’t hang around the entrance to the theatre.
There’s a canteen for eating and an area for smoking and vaping. Drinking water is
permitted in a sealed container. Not adhering to the above means you will have taken
yourself out of your rehearsal.
Remember that your contract with The Miskin is based on a professional contract and is
rooted in industry practice.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Personal hygiene must be maintained from day to day. You’re working closely with
other people so make sure you shower daily and wear clean clothes.
Your reputation precedes you. A good reputation makes for good opportunities. The
performance industries are small universes. Directors talk to each other and will make
important decisions based on what they know and hear about you.

PERFORMANCES
The following are understood to be reasons for not being put in a performance or
dismissing a musician from a process:

Persistent absence - unless we are producing The Sound of Silence we cannot put you
in an ensemble– it is up to you to be here.

Repeated lateness - set your alarm and stop relying on someone else to get you out of
bed. You cannot enter sessions late, and information won’t be repeated. If you care, be
there.

Disruption to the work of others - If you want to act like a child, go back to school.
We are looking for musicians not distracters.

You will only get out of your training what you put into it.
8
 FRONT OF HOUSE

You will undertake Front of House Duties during your training as a musician. You are
part of a larger company and have a responsibility to the other companies as they do
yours. Doing FOH for each other enables us to keep working and producing. You will
need to dress smartly and elegantly and behave responsibly on FOH – you are
representing the theatre to the public and it is a major responsibility. Remember that
lateness or absence seriously compromises the safety of the public and could
compromise your theatre license. If there aren’t enough FOH staff, it means that the
theatre won’t be able to open, which means no shows, which means we are back at
school.

Please be aware that you will be putting professional practice into action within The
Miskin Theatre, which is a publicly licensed professional environment in which you are
effectively an intern being given the opportunity to publicly test your skills and gain
creditable industrial experience. This will be evidenced throughout FOH whereby you will
be graded on your contribution to the evening.

LICENSING
Enjoy your theatre and all the facilities at The Miskin. However, it’s important to note that
the public bars at The Miskin Theatre are subject to national licensing laws. If you’re over
18 have ID ready. Don’t be offended if you look younger than your years. It won’t always
be the case - ask your director.

CONSENT

Research is intrinsic to your development as a musician. This may mean watching films
and footage that have been categorised for an older age group. By signing the
declaration below you are consenting to viewing material which is appropriate to the
work you are undertaking on the floor.

9
 COPYRIGHT

Photographic, film and recorded evidence taken during auditions, rehearsals and
performances, remains the sole property of The Miskin Theatre, North Kent
College.
By signing the declaration, you are consenting to your image and voice being
used throughout and following your training. You may choose to opt out at any
point during or after your course by emailing miskintheatre@mac.com

PLAGIARISM

Your work as a musician will require independent research. Copying from the internet
and additional sources is not appropriate. It violates copyright and will be classed as
plagiarism unless fully annotated and credited. You must make your work your own. We
need to see that you understand the areas that you have researched. Copying work
directly from ANY source will not be tolerated. If you quote ANY existing material you
must put it in quotation marks, and in brackets attribute the source and author. For
example: “Copying is cheating” (The Directors)

THE MISKIN NAME

&
OUTSIDE PROJECTS

THE MISKIN NAME - Our name is important to us and will become very important to
you. To this end you need to be aware that use of "The Miskin" on the net or on social
media is seen by everyone and we expect it to be used with care and respect. Bringing
The Miskin into disrepute is taken seriously by us. Under NO circumstances should you
be uploading any footage to You Tube using the word Miskin unless agreed with one of
your directors.

OUTSIDE PROJECTS – There may be opportunities during your training to attend

castings, workshops and other activities which take place off campus. By signing this
declaration you as a musician are indicating that you are aware that it is your
responsibility to get there on time and behave professionally at all times.

10
MISKIN EQUALITY & DIVERSITY POLICY

We believe that all individuals training with us should have the opportunity to
maximise their full potential. It is the aim of The Miskin to make sure that:

• There is respect for and protection of each individual’s human rights

• There is respect for the dignity and worth of each individual
• Each individual has an equal opportunity to participate in society, and there is
mutual respect between groups based on understanding and valuing of diversity
and on shared respect for equality and human rights
• The ability to achieve each individual’s potential is not limited by prejudice or
discrimination

We are committed to equality, diversity, social inclusion and social justice. We

oppose discrimination in any form, including inappropriate conduct, bullying,
cyber-bullying, harassment and discrimination.

11
 DECLARATION

I the undersigned have read, understood and accepted the contract as laid out in this
document:

Signed:_

Print name:_

Course: _

Date:

Parent or Guardian (please sign below if the named musician is under 18)

I have read, understood and support the above contract

Signed:_

Print name:_

Date

12
13