International PR & Media Relations for Artists & Cultural Institutions

From Local Visibility to International Impact

Many artistic works, productions, and programs have the potential to resonate beyond their own linguistic and cultural boundaries:

• A piece that can connect with audiences across different countries.
• An exhibition that engages in international discourse.
• An artistic practice that addresses global themes.
• A festival or institution aiming to strengthen its international network.

Between this internal international orientation and actual presence abroad, however, lies a hurdle: communication.

International PR & media work means translating your work in a way that people in other linguistic and cultural contexts can understand, contextualize, and incorporate into their programs, media, or collaborations.

This page shows you what matters in this process and how we can support you along the way.

What Makes International PR Different

International PR is not just a “larger version” of local press work.

It follows its own rules:

• distinct media landscapes
• different temporal rhythms
• different standards for materials and professional presentation”
• distinct cultural codes and contexts

Simply translating an existing press release verbatim is usually not enough.

The key point is:

• How does your work come across in a different context?
• Which elements are important in that context?
• Which wording resonates – and which falls flat?
• Who is your target audience?

International PR is, in essence, translation work—linguistic, cultural, and structural.”

When International PR Is Worthwhile

International media work isn’t necessary for every project.

International PR is especially effective when you:

• plan to present your work internationally (tours, guest performances, exhibitions, residencies)
• aim to work with international festivals, venues, or galleries
• work in multilingual or cross-border contexts
• seek funding or programs with an international scope
• aim to deliberately position yourself as an artist in the international discourse
• as an institution, seek to raise your profile internationally

At this stage, it’s useful to think ahead about:

• Where do you want your work to be recognized?
• By which audiences? (venues, festivals, media, partners)
• And what story are you telling?

Essential Elements for International PR

Before starting international PR efforts, it’s helpful to take a look at the fundamentals.

Typically, the essentials include:

1. A profile with international visibility

• Artist profile, biography, and institutional profile in English—and other languages if relevant
• clear and concise, avoiding internal abbreviations
• aligned with international discourse

2. An electronic press kit (EPK) in English

• a compact portfolio including texts, images, references, and links
• ready for media and project use (festivals, institutions, galleries, partners)

3. A website presenting key content in English

• at least the core pages: profile, projects, contact
• intuitive navigation and a clean layout
• fully polished translations only

4. Press and project texts adapted for international audiences

• Descriptions of performances, exhibitions, or programs
• Context that extends beyond local references

5. Images suitable for an international audience

• Portraits and scene shots with a polished, professional aesthetic
• easily understandable visuals, regardless of language

These elements provide the essential foundation for effective international PR.

Language regions & cultural contexts

International PR goes beyond simply choosing between German and English.

The focus is on:

• Language regions: DACH, English-speaking countries, Turkey, Southern Europe, Scandinavia, and more
• Cultural spheres: local art scenes, institutions, funding mechanisms, and media structures”
• Discourses: the topics currently at the forefront in different countries
• Practices: how festivals, venues, and media choose projects on an international level

A text that resonates in Berlin may be received very differently in London, Zurich, Vienna, or Istanbul.

Therefore, in our work together, we focus on:

• Selecting terminology that is clear and comprehensible across cultures
• Presenting topics in a manner that connects cultures
• not to oversimplify your work, but to situate it accurately

Key Challenges in International PR

Common challenges include:

• translations that are too literal, failing to capture tone and context
• Content designed only for the home audience
• unclear roles and points of contact
• varying standards of professionalism and accountability
• Overlooking time zones, deadlines, and application cycles

This often creates the impression that:

“We shared something externally – yet nothing came of it.”

Often, the issue wasn’t the project, but rather its format, timing, and target audience.

How We Guide International PR & Media Relations

Favori Media operates internationally, maintaining connections across the German-speaking region, Europe, Turkey, and beyond.

In guiding international PR, we concentrate on:

1. Defining your objectives

• Which countries or contexts are you aiming to be visible in?
• What are your international goals: residency, guest performance, exhibition, festival, collaboration, or profile exposure?

2. Creating materials for an international audience

• Artist profile and biography in English—and other languages if relevant)
• an international edition of your electronic press kit (EPK)
• Project and exhibition texts tailored for international understanding
• Optimizing your website layout for an international audience

3. Developing a strategy for international media and partners

• Pinpointing suitable media outlets, festivals, venues, and platforms
• Tailoring messages to suit various target groups
• Creating cover letters, dossiers, and supporting materials

4. Guidance throughout the process

• Assistance with applications, requests, and discussions
• Getting ready for interviews, panel discussions, and artist talks
• Managing PR efforts with international partners

Our aim is for your work to do more than just get translated—it should make an impact in different contexts.

International PR for Cultural Institutions & Programs

For cultural institutions, festivals, or schools engaged in or seeking international work, the question takes a slightly different form:

• How can we raise the international profile of our institution and programs—without just creating standard promotional brochures?

Here, it’s about:

• a concise and clear institutional profile available in several languages
• Sharing program profiles and application calls
• Developing and nurturing international networks
• Public relations for residencies, co-productions, and exchange initiatives
• Multilingual electronic press kits (EPKs) for venues, festivals, or program series
• Media relations extending beyond local reporting

We assist in building these layers systematically and crafting communication that resonates internationally.

Behind-the-scenes systems and structure

International PR highlights the need for structured processes:

• separate contacts for each country or region
• Multiple language versions of texts and materials
• Schedules for applications, festivals, and programs
• Press clippings, references, and documentation tailored for international audiences

Using tools such as Favori Flow, you can:

• Organize contacts by country, language, and media category
• Neatly categorize materials such as EPKs, texts, and images
• Leverage email campaigns for applications, follow-ups, and invitations
• Organize international projects into dedicated pipelines

In this way, international PR becomes not a chaotic extra, but an integral part of a system that sustains you over time.

Within the framework of the FAVORI Visibility & Flow Program

International projects rarely emerge in isolation; they typically rely on well-established local structures:

• Clear positioning
• Professional website
• Coherent visual language
• effective PR and systems in the background

In the FAVORI Visibility & Flow Program, we can explicitly incorporate an international dimension:

• Which aspects of your work hold relevance on an international level?
• Which materials need to be adapted or supplemented?
• Which contexts should we focus on first?

In this approach, international PR doesn’t form a separate system, but expands your existing structure outward.

Next step: Determine if it’s the right time for you to go international

You might sense that your work extends beyond local contexts, or that international inquiries are already coming in, requiring significant effort at the moment.

Then it may be useful to take a focused look at international PR & media work:

• What is your current position?
• What do you already have?
• What is still missing?
• And what steps make sense for the next phase?

We’re happy to explore these questions with you.

👉 Explore the FAVORI Visibility & Flow Program

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