Press release for artists: how to write one step by step

A press release is not a long email. It is not a summary of your artistic project. It is not your biography with a date added at the end. It is a one-page document that answers five questions in order and that a journalist can publish with minimal editing.

If you have never written one, it is understandable that it might seem complicated. It is not. It follows a very specific structure that works because journalists recognise it and can process it quickly. Learning it means learning to speak their language.

If you first want to understand why a press release is different from an EPK and when to send each document, read Press release vs EPK: what’s the difference? first.

The five questions it must answer

A well-written press release answers exactly five questions. All five. In this order.

The first sentence is everything

The journalistic angle must be in the first sentence. Not the third. Not the second paragraph «to provide context». The first sentence.

A journalist reads the first sentence and decides whether to continue. If the news is not there, they stop.

Opening sentences that do not work:

• «I am very excited to announce that…» (first person, not a news item)
• «After many years of artistic work, the group X presents…» (starts with context, not the news)
• «On 18 September, Sala Apolo in Barcelona will host a concert by…» (the date is not the angle, it is logistics)

Opening sentences that work:

• «Contemporary dance company Arrel premieres its first piece with live music on 18 September at the Apolo, the result of three years of research into movement and sound.»
• «Girona-born saxophonist Marc Puig releases his debut solo album featuring five European jazz musicians who have never recorded together.»
• «Actor Laia Font returns to London with the production that sold out the National Theatre last season for three exclusive performances at the Barbican.»

The difference: the good sentences say who, what and why it matters, all in one.

The headline: a sentence, not a poster title

The headline of a press release is not the name of your concert or the title of your album. It must be an informative sentence.

Poster title (does not work for press): «MARC PUIG — DEBUT — AUTUMN 2026»

Journalistic headline (works): «Saxophonist Marc Puig releases debut solo album with five European musicians»

The test: you could publish the journalistic headline directly in a newspaper. The poster title, you cannot.

Length and format

One page. 300–400 words of body text. Not one more.

If you need three pages to describe your premiere, the problem is not the press release: you have not identified the angle. Cut until only the essential remains.

Recommended format: Times New Roman or Arial, 12pt, 1.5 line spacing, left-aligned. Indicate at the top the intended publication date: «For immediate release» or «Embargoed until [date]».

The photo caption

If you attach photos to the press release — and you should — each image must include a caption with:

1. A brief description of the image
2. Photographer credit: «Photo: [photographer’s name]»
3. Usage note: «Free editorial use for coverage of this event»

Without credit and usage rights, professional journalists cannot legally publish your photo. Many will do it anyway, but you risk rights disputes later. The more careful ones will look for a photo that does have a clear licence.

To understand how to manage licences for your press images, read Press photos for artists.

Template

Copy, fill in the [brackets] and adapt to your situation:

[HEADLINE IN ONE INFORMATIVE SENTENCE]

[City], [date] — [Opening sentence: who does what, when and where, and why it matters now].

[Paragraph 2: Brief context for the project. Two or three sentences. Not your full biography.]

[Paragraph 3: Quote from the artist or director/producer, in quotation marks, followed by name and role. «I wanted to explore the tension between silence and urban noise», says Marta Solà, director of the piece.]

[Paragraph 4: Practical information. Dates, times, exact venue, ticket price, where to buy tickets. How to request press accreditation if applicable.]

For further information and press accreditation:
[Name] · [email] · [phone]

— End of press release —

High-resolution photos available at: [URL or note on how to request them]

Common mistakes

Who to send it to and when

Culture desks at newspapers, radio and television: 15–20 days before the premiere for print and weekly programmes; 7–10 days for websites and digital publications.

Specialist blogs and media in your field (jazz, theatre, dance, visual arts): 10–15 days in advance.

Long-lead magazines or cultural supplements: up to 6–8 weeks ahead, if the coverage involves a longer feature piece.

Do not send the same release to everyone at once in a mass email. Personalise the covering email — one sentence is enough — and send individually or in small groups. The body of the press release can be identical; the email that accompanies it should not be.

A press release is one of the core materials in your professional press kit. If you have not yet put together your EPK, read Press release vs EPK: what’s the difference? to understand how a complete communication strategy is structured.

Ressona works with artists to prepare professional communication materials: press release, EPK, press photos, biography and distribution strategy. If you want us to accompany you through this process, tell us about your project.