Getting Started
Welcome! This guide will walk you through creating your account and setting up your first festival in Stagecraft. By the end, you’ll be ready to start managing your festival.
What You’ll Learn
- How to create a new account
- How to log in and reset your password
- How to create your first festival
- Understanding the dashboard
- What to do next
Stagecraft offers a 14-day free trial with access to all features. You don’t need a credit card to start.
Creating Your Account
Visit the Sign Up Page
Go to the Stagecraft website and click the Sign Up button in the top right corner, or navigate directly to the sign up page.
Enter Your Information
Fill in the sign up form:
- Email Address: Use a valid email address. You’ll need to verify it.
- Password: Choose a strong password (at least 8 characters)
- Confirm Password: Re-enter your password to confirm
Click Sign Up when ready.
Check Your Email
You’ll receive a confirmation email at the address you provided. Open the email and click the Confirm Email link.
Check your spam folder if you don’t see the email within a few minutes.
Email Confirmed
After clicking the confirmation link, you’ll be redirected back to Stagecraft and automatically logged in. You’re now ready to create your festival!
Logging In
Once your account is created, logging in is simple:
- Click Log In in the top right corner
- Enter your email address and password
- Click Log In
You’ll be taken to your festival dashboard (or the festival creation page if this is your first time).
Stagecraft will keep you logged in for convenience. You only need to log in again if you log out manually or clear your browser cookies.
Forgot Your Password?
If you forget your password, don’t worry:
Go to Login Page
Navigate to the login page and click Forgot your password? below the login form.
Enter Your Email
Enter the email address associated with your account and click Send Reset Link.
Check Your Email
You’ll receive an email with a password reset link. Click the link in the email.
Set New Password
Enter your new password twice and click Update Password. You’ll be logged in automatically with your new password.
Creating Your First Festival
After signing up, you’ll be guided through creating your first festival:
Enter Festival Details
On the festival creation page, you’ll see a form:
- Festival Name (required): The full name of your festival (e.g., “Yackandandah Folk Festival”)
- Description (optional): A brief description of your festival
Fill in at least the festival name, then click Create Festival.
Free Trial Starts
Your 14-day free trial begins automatically when you create your festival. No payment information is required to start.
Festival Created
You’ll be taken to your festival dashboard. Congratulations! Your festival is now set up.
When you create a festival, the system automatically creates a “slug” from your festival name. This is a URL-friendly version of your name (e.g., “yackandandah-folk-festival”). You’ll see this in your festival URLs.
Understanding the Dashboard
After creating your festival, you’ll see the festival dashboard. Here’s what you’ll find:
Festival Overview
The main dashboard shows:
- Festival name and description
- Your role (Admin, since you created it)
- When the festival was created
- Active event statistics (once you create an event)
Navigation Menu
The sidebar on the left provides access to all features:
- Dashboard - Overview of your festival
- Events - Manage different years of your festival
- Artists - Your roster of performers
- Users - Team member management (admins only)
- Settings - Festival settings, subscription, and API keys (admins only)
Next Steps Section
If you don’t have an active event yet, you’ll see helpful prompts guiding you to:
- Create your first event
- Add artists
- Create stages
- Build your program
What Happens During the Trial?
Your 14-day free trial includes:
- Full access to all Stagecraft features
- No credit card required to start
- No automatic charges - you’ll be notified before your trial ends
- 14 days to explore and use the platform
You’ll receive reminders as your trial approaches its end. Add a payment method any time during the trial to ensure uninterrupted access.
Understanding User Roles
When you create a festival, you’re automatically assigned as an Admin. Here’s what each role can do:
| Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Admin | Full access - can manage everything including users, billing, and settings |
| Editor | Can manage events, artists, stages, and programs but cannot access billing or invite users |
| Viewer | Can view festival information but cannot make any changes |
You can invite team members with different roles. See Inviting Users for details.
Your First Steps
Now that your account and festival are set up, here’s what to do next:
Create an Event
Go to Events in the sidebar and create your first festival event. An event represents a specific year or instance of your festival.
Add Artists
Start building your artist roster. Add artists with their bios, images, and social media links.
Create Stages
Define the performance venues at your festival. You’ll need at least one stage to build a program.
Build Your Program
Once you have artists and stages, use the visual program builder to schedule performances.
Common Questions
Can I create multiple festivals?
Currently, each account is limited to one festival. This keeps things simple and focused. If you need to manage multiple separate festivals, you’ll need separate accounts.
What if I make a mistake?
Don’t worry! Almost everything in Stagecraft can be edited or deleted. You can update festival details, modify artists, reschedule performances, and more at any time.
Can I invite my team?
Yes! As an admin, you can invite team members to help manage your festival. They’ll receive an email invitation and can sign up with their own credentials.
What happens after the trial?
Before your trial ends, you’ll be prompted to add a payment method. If you choose to continue, you’ll be charged annually for your subscription. If you don’t add payment information, your access will be paused after the trial ends, but your data will be preserved.
Learn more about Subscriptions →
Need Help?
If you run into any issues:
- Check the Troubleshooting page
- Review the relevant feature documentation
- Contact our support team
What’s Next?
Now that you’re set up, learn how to:
Welcome to Stagecraft! We’re excited to help you organize an amazing festival.