Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
about the Cultural Calendar System

and

Troubleshooting

• How do I search for an event?
  
• What's the easiest way to search?
  
• Why did my search yield no events?

• How do I add an event?
  
• Why won't the system accept an event I tried to add?

• How do I register?
  
• Should I create more than one account?
  
• If I register, can others in my organization use the sytem?
  
• If I register, can other organizations list their events at my location?
  
• I lost/forgot my account id and/or password!
  
• What are you doing with my registration information?
  
• Is my organization a "Producer/Presenter", "Event Location", or both?
  
• What do I do if the location/space of my event is not listed as an Event Location?

• How do I update or change event information?
  
• How do I update or change information on my organization/location?

• The system won't accept my userid and/or password!
  
• When I try to log-in to add or edit an event I am placed back at the log-in page.
• I get an error message when I attempt to add my event but everything appears to be correct.
• My producer/presenter or venue information appears in the pull-down menu on the "Add Event" page but it does not appear in the Lookup window.
• I added an event to the calendar but it does not show up when I do a search.

• What browsers work best on this system?
  
• Is there a charge for this?
  
• Do I have to log in each time?

• What is Arts Over America?
  
• Who are the partners?

How do I search for an event?
You can search for events based on art form, date, type of event, location or none of these at all. There are no rules. It's worth noting, however, that providing some limitations will result in more focused results. Searching based on NO variables will pull up the entire database. That might not be a good idea.
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What's the easiest way to search?
We suggest starting with a region and a date or range of dates.
You may select a region either by clicking on the map's specific region or by entering a city or zip code into the appropriate text box.
As for dates, you can select choose among "today," "this week," "this month" or enter your own range of dates.
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Why did my search yield no events?
It could be the web browser you are using. Check the answer for What browsers work best on this system?
Most likely, you were too restrictive in establishing search variables. You might try broadening the search. We suggest expanding the range of dates searched, the region, or the discipline(s).
If you're still having trouble, please contact the system administrator.
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How do I add an event?
Before you add your own events, it's a good idea to try searching for a few events yourself to see how the event information is displayed, and what type of information you'll want to enter. (Click on the link to your state at the top of the left-hand column of this page.) You also may want to try adding events in our Demo State. Keep in mind, though, that you'll have to register Demo locations in the Demo State unless you want your test events to show up as actual locations in your home state!

To add your own events to the calendar, click on the "Add Event" button. Once you've logged in, the system will give you a blank event info form to complete. Enter as little or as much information as you like. (Remember, though, your patrons are looking for details! Keep them in mind!) The only information you must specify are the event's title, the type of event, ticket price (or specify Free), the event's location, and a brief description.

For a more detailed answer, click here to download a PDF file on how to add events. If you have not already done so, you will need to download Adobe's free Acrobat Reader to view this document.
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Why won't the system accept an event I tried to add?
There are two answers to this question. First, you may not be entering information in all of the required fields: see the answer to the previous question. Second, your Web browser may not be Javascript-enabled. You must use Internet Explorer 4.0 (or better) or Netscape Navigator 3.0 (or better). If either of these solutions do not resolve the problem, please contact the system adminstrator.
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How do I register?
Registration is a simple process. The first time you attempt to add an event, register an event location or producer/presenter, or change existing events, the system will ask you to register. You will need to create an account id and a password, and we need your name, email address and a daytime telephone number. You will receive an email confirmation of account id and password information. The system administrator also will receive a notice of your registration.
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Should I create more than one account?
It's not really necessary. If you wish to have more than one person at your organization enter or modify event information, simply pass the account id and password along to those you authorize.
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If I register, can others in my organization use the system?
Of course, simply pass along your account id and password.
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If I register, can other organizations list their events at my location?
Yes. Any producer/presenter can include your performance or exhibition space in their event information. The system was set up this way so that you would not be burdened with entering all events at your site.
NOTE: You do have permission to change or delete any event from the calendar that features your site.
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I lost/forgot my account id and/or password!
Click here to have them emailed back to you automatically. If that doesn't work for you, contact the system adminstrator. Once your id is confirmed, the administrator will provide you with your account id and password.
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What are you doing with my registration information?
Your registration information will be used solely for the purpose of providing more personalized service; it will not be shared with any outside entities.
We use your email address to send a verification of your registration. As the system expands and evolves, we will notify you of updates and revisions through your email address.
Your phone number is a contact backup in the event we cannot reach you via email.
When you log-in, your account information is used to customize your access privileges. For example, when you go to add an event, the locations and producers/presenters you created will show up in the pull-down menu so that you need not scroll through a long list of organizations.
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Is my organization a "Producer/Presenter", "Event Location", or both?
Register as a Producer/Presenter if your organization creates, develops, sponsors, presents or produces events, whether at your own space or in someone else's. Register as an Event Location if your space is used by your own organization and/or other organizations as a venue for performances, exhibitions, meetings, festivals, workshops, etc.
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What do I do if the location/space of my event is not listed as an Event Location?
You can do one of two things:

1. You can register the event location yourself and let the appropriate person at that site know what you've done. Please, however, do this only if you are confident that you are providing complete and accurate information about the site.
2. Contact the site and ask them to register themselves. Give them the URL http://www.artscal.org

How do I update or change event information?
Click on the "Change Event" button. All events entered by you -- and any events listed as appearing at your event location -- will appear on the screen. Click on the event name to change information specific to that event. Click on the producer/presenter or event location name to edit this data.
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How do I update or change information on my organization/location?
Click on the "Change Event" button. All events entered by you -- and any events listed as appearing at your event location -- will appear on the screen. Click on the event name to change information specific to that event. Click on the producer/presenter or event location name to edit this data.
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The system does not recognize my userid and/or password!
The system is "case sensitive" (as in UPPER and lower case letters) in reading userids and passwords. You must type your userid and password exactly as you entered it when you first registered, including any uppercase letters. Have you forgotten whether or not you used uppercase letters? See I lost/forgot my account id and/or password! If you keep getting sent back to the log-in page it may be a corrupt cookie file; see the next question...
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When I try to log-in to add or edit an event I am placed back at the log-in page.
Your cookie file -- the file in your computer that manages your access to the calendar may be corrupt. This can happen if you have logged into the calendar system under more than one userid/password. And sometimes it's simply an "act o' the browser gods," a corrupting glitch by the browser when creating or accessing cookie files. To fix this, you need to erase your cookie file. The process varies based on browser. (Instructions below) If that doesn't work, please contact the AOA administrator.
NETSCAPE:
* Close down Netscape
* Open the "Program Files" folder on your hard drive
* Open the "Netscape" folder
* Open the "Users" folder
* Open the folder that has your userid as its title
* Find the text file titled "cookies"
* Delete it
* Close the windows and restart Netscape
EXPLORER:
* Close down Explorer
* Open the "Windows" folder on your hard drive
* Open the "Profiles" folder
* Open the folder that has your userid as its title
* Open the "Cookies" folder
* Find the text document titled <userid>@artscal
* Delete it
* Close the windows and restart Explorer
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I get an error message when I attempt to add my event but everything appears to be correct.
This problem occurs most commonly when people try to enter ongoing dates (for an exhibition, for example) and a specific date (for the opening reception of that exhibition) on the same form. You need to one or the other, save it and then go back to "Add Event" and enter the remaining data. If that's not what you were doing when the error occured, or if that process doesn't work, please contact the AOA administrator.
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My producer/presenter or venue information appears in my pull-down menu on the "Add Event" page but it does not appear in the Lookup window.
This situation occurs when the producer/presenter or venue address is outside the current state calendar system. (For example, your official producer/presenter address is in Camden, New Jersey, but you are performing in Philadelphia and you are entering information in the Arts Over Pennsylvania calendar system.) It is not an error. If your address is within the state calendar system, you may have mistyped the state abbreviation. Enter an event, save it and utilize the "Edit" feature to review and change your producer/presenter information. If that doesn't work for you, contact the system adminstrator.
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I added an event to the calendar but it does not show up when I do a search.
The cause for this problem is most often a venue location outside the current state calendar system. You may have mistyped the state abbreviation or left the space blank. Enter an event, save it and utilize the "Edit" feature to review and change your venue information. If that doesn't work for you, contact the system adminstrator.
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What browsers works best on this system?
We recommend that you use Netscape Communicator or Netscape Navigator 3.0 or better. Everything should also work okay with Microsoft Internet Explorer (4.0 or better). (You can search the calendar system with an earlier version of Explorer but to add events you will need version 4.0 or better.) You will need to enable Javascript and accept a cookie in order to register and add your own events to the calendar.
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Is there a charge for this?
No, this system is provided as a service of Arts Over America and your state arts agency.
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Do I have to log in each time?
The system will recognize you for two hours after you log in. If you are entering event information for more than two hours, you may be asked to log in for another two hours. (If this happens, we suggest you take a break, get a breath of fresh air or, better yet, send us the phone number of your supervisor. More than two hours of data entry? That's inhuman!)
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What is Arts Over America?
Arts Over America is the entity established by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) and the Carnegie Mellon Center for Arts Management and Technology (CAMT) to oversee the development, creation, implementation, maintenance and expansion of an on-line calendar of arts and cultural events in the United States. Assisting NASAA and CAMT in the project is Arts Wire.
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Who are the partners?
Check out the Arts Over America page on the Calendar System Web Site.
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