Off The Leash was born in July 2007 and is now well recognised across the Top End as the what’s on guide to arts, culture and entertainment.

Off The Leash – where did it come from?
The publication grew from public and arts sector demand for a printed one stop guide to what’s on.

To ensure the ongoing success and usefulness of Off The Leash, Top End Arts monitors by talking regularly with our members, advertisers and regular listers. We also run yearly focus groups with our readers and potential readers to ensure the publication is working for them and enquire about whether anything is missing.

Basic Off The Leash facts
Off The Leash is printed monthly with 11 editions per year (there is a joint December/January edition). A square format, 20x20cm, each edition is at least 36 pages in full colour and contains:
•    Comprehensive event listings across the categories of music, performing arts, visual arts, movies, books & writing, festivals, workshops and communities.
•    A cover story.
•    Other stories and profiles as space allows.
•    Paid advertising. DOWNLOAD ADVERTISING PACKAGE NOW!
•    Paid festival and event programs.
•    A daily events calendar.

Print Run and Distribution
15,000 copies of each edition are distributed across the Top End.

A street distribution occurs across Darwin suburbs and Palmerston and copies are bundled up and posted to key outlets at remote and regional centres across the whole of the Top End including Katherine, Pine Creek, Timber Creek, Nhulunbuy, Alyangula, Daily River, Batchelor, Adelaide River, Elliot, Jabiru and may others.

Each month 5,000 copies are letter box dropped to different households across Darwin and Palmerston so that across the year each household receives 2 copies of the publication.

Where does the content come from?
The content for Off The Leash is drawn primarily from core arts organisations, however we receive submissions from a very wide range of people and strongly encourage relevant submissions from the broader arts community including;
•    Cultural groups and festival
•    Heritage organisations such as the National Trust
•    Pubs and clubs
•    Venues
•    Councils
•    Schools
•    Individual artists
•    Community groups

Listing in Off The Leash – it’s FREE!
It’s absolutely FREE to list your arts, cultural or arts related entertainment event.

How do I get my event listed?
To list get your event listed in Off The Leash you need to submit your event online at www.topendarts.com.au. If you have an image for your event you can submit that online too.

It pays to take time, write your listing well and submit a good image and your event could be spotlighted. Each month one listing per genre is chosen as the spotlight listing. This listing sits at the front of its section and usually receives a longer write up, a larger image and lots more exposure.

Should I be a member of Top End Arts Marketing?
If you regularly hold arts related events and activities we recommend that you become a member of Top End Arts. It’s free and you’ll be able to submit your information more efficiently online and you’ll also get reminder emails about important details and opportunities to promote your event.

What happens with my listing? Will it be published anywhere else?
When you submit your event online it will go into holding for the Communications Officerl to approve. Usually this will happen on the day it was submitted. Once approved, the listing will go live and be on our website for you to edit and change at will.

The best thing about online submission is that it’s a one point submit for publications, including www.topendarts.com.au event listings, Off The Leash, our ebulletin, the NT News (exhibitions only) and select local tourism publications.

What are the deadlines?
The Off The Leash deadline is the first day of the month prior to the edition.
For example, the deadline for the October edition of Off The Leash is 1st of September.

However, to make sure you maximise the benefits of listing with Top End Arts we request that you upload your event information as soon as possible – even if it’s 6 months or a year out from your event.

Remember that you can edit your listing so you can put up the ‘bare bones’ information well in advance and pad out the information as the date draws nearer.

The earlier we get the information, the more useful it is. We often get requests from media for event information 3-6 months out and if your event is online, we can pass on the details and you might just get yourself some additional free coverage.

Advertising in Off The Leash
Advertising in Off The Leash is an affordable way to standout from the crowd as the rates are well below other commercial advertising options. 2010 ads start at just $135 and there are a variety of ad sizes and placements available.

One of the major benefits of advertising in Off The Leash is that it gives you direct access to our regular readers who are active, social people who are good at networking and are often the seed that germinates that ever important word of mouth.

Sounds good, so how do I book an ad?
To book an ad download the booking form HERE and fax it back to Top End Arts on 8941 7369. 

The deadline to book advertising is always the 1st day of the month prior to the edition. For example if you want an ad in the August edition, you must have it booked by 1st July.

Programs
Is your festival budget too small to pay for designing, printing and distributing your program? Do you need to reach a new audience?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, Off The Leash has a solution.

You can have your program printed in 15,000 copies of Off The Leash for a fraction of the cost of designing, printing and distributing 15,000 independent copies of your program. And best of all, Off The Leash already has a guaranteed readership base so you know you’re information will get out there.

The costs of program inclusion is worked out on a case by case basis and depends on the number of pages you will take up and what level of design and support you require.

Please contact Top End Arts on 8941 7413 at least 3 months prior to your event if you are interested in placing a program into Off The Leash.

Front Cover

Would you like to be on the front cover of OTL?

We offer a front cover package which includes: • The front cover (your face on 15,000 copies of OTL) • The cover story • Professional photo shoot and access to photos for all publicity. Give us a call if you think your event should be on the front cover.

Stories

Each month we seek stories of all arts and entertainment related news. So if you think you’ve got an event or idea that’s worthy of a story please talk to us about it at least 2 months in advance. In a story we look for an engaging human interest story, maybe something that gives a behind the scenes look at your next production, provides insight into some of your key artists or raises an issue that celebrates or exposes key arts industry issues.