A guide for getting press coverage for your Make Music Vermont chapter — from writing press releases to pitching stories to local media.
Why Media Coverage Matters
Local media coverage helps you:
- Recruit musicians and venues before the event
- Attract attendees on June 21st
- Build credibility with sponsors and partners
- Document your impact for future years
- Spread the Make Music Day movement in Vermont
Vermont Media Landscape
Newspapers
Statewide:
- Seven Days (Burlington) — arts-focused, wide readership
- VTDigger — news-focused, online
- Vermont Business Magazine — for sponsor/business angle
Regional dailies:
- Burlington Free Press
- Rutland Herald
- Times Argus (Barre-Montpelier)
- Brattleboro Reformer
- Bennington Banner
Local weeklies:
- Most Vermont towns have local papers or community newsletters
- These are often your best bet for coverage!
Radio
Vermont Public:
- Morning Edition and All Things Considered for news
- Vermont Edition for longer feature stories
- Arts and culture coverage
Commercial radio:
- Local stations often do community calendars
- Morning shows may do interviews
Community radio:
- WDEV, WRMC, college stations
- Often very receptive to local events
Television
- WCAX (CBS)
- WPTZ (NBC)
- Local access/community TV
Timeline for Media Outreach
When | What to Do |
April | Identify key media contacts; send "save the date" to calendars |
Early May | Pitch feature story ideas to weekly papers, Vermont Public |
Late May | Send press release announcing schedule/highlights |
June 1-15 | Follow up on pitches; send calendar listings everywhere |
June 16-20 | Pitch day-of coverage; confirm any interviews |
June 21 | Send real-time updates, photos to media |
June 22-25 | Send post-event press release with highlights and photos |
Writing a Press Release
Structure
- Headline — Clear, engaging, includes location
- Subhead — Additional detail (optional)
- Dateline — City, State — Date
- Lead paragraph — Who, what, when, where, why
- Body — Details, quotes, background
- Boilerplate — About Make Music Day/Vermont
- Contact info — Name, phone, email
Sample Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Make Music Day Returns to [Town] on June 21 with [X] Free Performances
Annual worldwide celebration brings live music to front porches, parks, and storefronts
[TOWN], VT — [Date] — On Saturday, June 21, [Town] will join more than 1,000 cities worldwide in celebrating Make Music Day, an annual free celebration of music on the summer solstice.
This year's Make Music [Town] features [X] performances at [Y] locations throughout the community, from [time] to [time]. Events include [highlight 2-3 interesting/unique performances].
"[Quote from organizer about what makes this year special or why MMD matters]," said [Name], [Title/Role].
Make Music Day is a free, open celebration where anyone can participate — professional musicians, students, amateurs, and first-timers. Performances take place in public spaces like parks, sidewalks, porches, and storefronts, making music accessible to everyone.
[Add 1-2 more paragraphs with details about specific events, notable participants, or local angle.]
For a full schedule of events and locations, visit [website]. Follow Make Music Vermont on social media at @makemusicvermont and #MakeMusicVT.
About Make Music Day
Make Music Day is a free celebration of music around the world on June 21st. Launched in 1982 in France as the Fête de la Musique, it is now held on the same day in more than 1,000 cities in 120 countries. Make Music Vermont is coordinated by Chandler Center for the Arts, The Underground and the White River Craft Center and is part of the Make Music Alliance network.
Media Contact:
[Name]
[Phone]
[Email]
###
Pitching Story Ideas
What Makes a Good Story?
Media want stories that are:
- Local — Featuring people and places their audience knows
- Timely — Connected to something happening now
- Human — Centered on interesting people
- Visual — Good for photos or video
- Unique — Something they haven't covered before
Story Angles to Pitch
Human interest:
- First-time performer overcomes stage fright
- Multi-generational family performs together
- Musician returns to hometown for Make Music Day
- Unlikely venue hosts music (hardware store, farm, covered bridge)
Community:
- Neighborhood comes together for porch concert crawl
- Local business district activates with music
- Schools and students participate
The bigger picture:
- Vermont joins worldwide celebration
- History of Make Music Day / Fête de la Musique
- How Make Music Day differs from festivals
Sample Pitch Email
Subject: Story idea: [Town]'s covered bridge becomes concert hall for Make Music Day
Hi [Reporter name],
I'm reaching out with a story idea for Make Music Day on June 21st.
This year, [Town] is hosting a unique performance inside the [Name] Covered Bridge — one of Vermont's oldest covered bridges turned into an acoustic concert venue. Musician [Name] will perform original folk songs inspired by Vermont history.
It's a great visual story and speaks to how Make Music Day uses unexpected spaces to bring music to communities.
I'd be happy to connect you with the musician, provide background on Make Music Day, and coordinate access for photos/video.
Available for a quick call if helpful?
[Your name]
[Phone]
Calendar Listings
Send calendar listings to every outlet that publishes community events:
Include:
- Event name: Make Music Vermont
- Date: Saturday, June 21
- Time: [Start time] to [End time]
- Location: Various locations throughout [Town]
- Cost: Free
- Description: (2-3 sentences)
- Website/contact for more info
Where to send:
- Newspaper calendar sections
- Radio community calendars
- Library bulletin boards
- Town websites and newsletters
- Front Porch Forum
- Chamber of commerce calendars
- Tourism websites
Working with Reporters
Before the Interview
- Prepare 2-3 key messages you want to convey
- Have facts ready — number of performances, venues, years running
- Identify good spokespeople — articulate organizers, enthusiastic musicians
- Prepare visuals — high-resolution photos, b-roll video if available
During the Interview
- Be enthusiastic — your energy is contagious
- Speak in soundbites — short, quotable sentences
- Tell stories — specific examples are more compelling than general statements
- Bridge to your message — "What's really exciting is..."
- Offer to connect them with others — musicians, venue hosts, attendees
Key Messages for Make Music Vermont
- It's a celebration, not a festival — Anyone can participate, no auditions needed
- It's free and accessible — Music in public spaces for everyone
- It's global AND local — Part of a worldwide movement, but deeply rooted in Vermont communities
- It's the summer solstice — The longest day of the year, perfect for celebrating outdoors
Creating a Press Kit
A digital press kit makes it easy for reporters to cover your event. Include:
Essential Elements
Nice to Have
Hosting Your Press Kit
- Google Drive folder (share link)
- Dropbox
- Your website's media/press page
Day-Of Media Coordination
Designate a Media Contact
One person should be the point person for all media inquiries on June 21st. They should:
- Have phone charged and accessible all day
- Know the schedule and be able to direct reporters to good performances
- Be able to speak on behalf of the event
- Have contact info for key musicians/venue hosts
Real-Time Updates
Send updates to media during the event:
- Morning: "Make Music Vermont in [Town] kicks off at [time]!"
- Midday: Share a great photo with caption
- Afternoon: Highlight an interesting moment
- Evening: Early attendance estimates, standout performances
Photo/Video Tips
- Capture crowd shots — Shows community participation
- Get performer close-ups — Emotion, engagement
- Include venue context — Show the unique locations
- Shoot horizontal for video — Better for TV/web
- Get releases if needed — Especially for children
Post-Event Follow-Up
Post-Event Press Release
Send within 48 hours with:
- Attendance estimates
- Number of performances/venues
- Highlights and memorable moments
- Quotes from participants
- High-resolution photos
- Thank you to sponsors and partners
Media Coverage Tracking
- Set Google Alerts for "Make Music" + your town
- Save/screenshot all coverage
- Share coverage on social media
- Include in annual report
- Send thank-you notes to reporters who covered you
Resources
- Make Music Alliance Media Kit: makemusicday.org/media
- Vermont Press Association: Directory of Vermont media
- Vermont Public: https://www.vermontpublic.org/
Good media coverage multiplies your impact. Start early, tell good stories, and make it easy for reporters to cover you!