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 Marketing 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 24 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 double page cover story.
• Other stories and profiles as space allows.
• Paid advertising. Download ad booking form 09
• Paid festival and event programs.
• A daily events calendar.
Please go to the bottom of this page to view back issues of Off The Leash.

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 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 get your event listed in Off The Leash you need to submit your event online at www.topendarts.com.au. Images are essentail, you can upload them on the form too. Click on register to contribute and off you go.

It pays to take time, write your listing well and get a good image as 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 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 Officer to approve. Usually this will happen on the day it was submitted. Once approved, the listing will go live and be there 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 Marketing 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.