Stories & Writing

Founder Ellen Stanley has worked for over 15 years as a publicist, promoter, DJ and music writer. She has worked with venues, writers, arts orgs and some of the top names in folk, roots and Americana music, including The Wailin’ Jennys, Hot Tuna and Josh Ritter. As the former Director of Publicity & Promotions for indie label Red House Records, she launched many Billboard-charting releases and was voted “Best in the Industry” by Americana DJs five years running. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of the MN Music Coalition, a statewide nonprofit supporting artists of all genres, ages and backgrounds with mentoring, professional training and industry networking. As a musician herself, Ellen brings an artist perspective to the table, working to help clients get to the next level in their career.

EFS Publicity provides a variety of short and long-term services:

– National & International Media Campaigns
– Radio Promotions (Folk, Jazz, Blues, Americana, AAA, College)
– Tour Press (Domestic & International)
– Bios, Press Kits & Other Press Materials
– Websites & Social Media Support
– Crowdfunding Campaigns
– Career Consulting
– Event Promotion

I have extensive experience in event organization, administrative duties for nonprofits, and the conscientious and detailed implementation of an organization’s visions and goals. A majority of this work has been fulfilled on a remote basis, complimented by in-person support and community collaboration. Connecting my professional skills with the belief in cultural, social, and environmental responsibility remains at the center of my work. I seek to further utilize these skills by working alongside individuals and organizations whose creative and innovative work has a positive impact on our local and global communities.

Being a great artist doesn’t necessarily mean you’re great at the business side of the work, nor that you want to spend time on that. Let Arts Progress help you build an easy-to-maintain foundation that clears your time to focus on what you love doing the most. Robin Gillette and Jeff Larson bring years of experience in systems development, grant writing, marketing, creation of work-life balance, e-commerce and data management.