The Ultimate Travel Checklist for performing artists

As the end of the year drifts to a close, it’s one of the busiest times for entertainers and performers from all of the arts. If you’re dancing, singing, acting, or creating a storm this holiday season, here are some helpful tips from Hencilla Canworth to help make sure you stay safe on the road!

Get your documents in order

When you travel for work as a performing artist, it’s not enough to just refine your act and hope for the best! You need to make sure you have your passports and other documents in order. Let’s take a closer look.

The people:

Every member of your team, whether they’re in your act or just part of your roadcrew, has to have their passports and any other needed forms of identity ready to go. Hopefully, you’ve kept these up, or have already made sure they’re done, as it does take rather a while to get the turnaround handled for these official documents.

You would do well to make sure you check up on visas, too. Not everywhere needs a travel permit and work permit, but many places do. You don’t want to find out everything’s going wrong when you arrive on foreign soil! You can find out if you need an artist’s work visa for the length of your stay and type of function online, through the embassy or consulate of your destination. You can often apply for them from the same source. Sometimes, your show coordinator will handle this for you, but do make sure they have! You’re the one who will have to explain it all if it goes wrong. If any of you are responsible for a hire car, make sure you are licensed to drive and have all the documents organized for that, too.

The itinerary:

If you’re heading out for one show, or a series at a particular venue, you’re probably a-ok to go. However, if you will be moving, or if it’s an extended performance, you need to check in with your itinerary. Make sure it’s giving you plenty of time to rest, change, reset gear, and do anything else you need to do. If you’re on the road, it’s a good time to check that transportation for you and your gear is handled, too. No one wants to hop on a foreign bus with costumes and instruments in hand just to get to the venue! If you’re flying to your foreign destination, it’s also a good time to make sure your tickets are booked, and you’ve done everything you need to with the airline. This could involve organising oversized baggage for your props or instruments, or even shipping them separately.

The gear:

The thing to check is your gear. How is it getting where you’re going? Is it ready to use? Do you have everything you will need to make the best of your show? You don’t want to arrive in a foreign destination to find half your act is missing, so take care packing and prepping.

Organize your safety

Performing internationally can be a fantastic step in your career, but don't get too carried away! Remember that safety comes first. Check-in with the UK embassy in the destination country. They usually have programs where UK citizens travelling abroad can register. Should anything happen- from an accident at home to a disaster in your destination country- this lets the embassy know they have citizens there, and lets them respond accordingly.

Make sure you also know all the specifics of your gig, such as who to report to, who’s in charge, where it’s hosted, and so on. Possibly brush up on travel customs for your destination, too. Of course, it’s also worth checking up on how and when you will be paid!

Get insured

The very last thing on our performer’s travel checklist is your policies. If you want to use your credit card while abroad, make sure the bank knows your travel dates so they don't block it as fraud. If you carry separate medical policies, make sure you know how much coverage you have when you’re not at home.

Then it’s time to fire up the phone and get your performing artist’s travel insurance organised! Remember, all the good planning in the world sometimes isn’t enough to make sure nothing happens while on the road. Not only does artist's travel insurance act as an extension to any medical care you already have (or give you medical coverage if you don’t typically use a policy), it will also cover you for a range of cancellations and common travel issues faced by performers while performing internationally.

No one has time to try and track down medical care of critical parts of your act while travelling internationally. Make sure you have the comprehensive coverage of a specialist performer’s travel insurance that’s made with your needs in mind.

Keen to get your artist’s travel insurance cover ticked off of your travel checklist? The helpful team from Hencilla Canworth and Performing Arts Travel Insurance are on hand to help you find the perfect policy for your needs, so don’t hesitate to reach out today.

Start the process towards securing your travel insurance for working overseas by hopping over to our quote page. Here you will be met with key questions that will help us accurately shape a quote that fits your needs. Soon, you’ll be winging your way to an exciting foreign destination, secure in the knowledge that any troubles you meet on the road will be handled by your comprehensive artists’ travel insurance policy.