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Susan von Seggern Arts PR

Arts PR Los Angeles

Arts PR in Los Angeles for events, companies and culture.

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Susan von Seggern is a Los Angeles publicist who runs arts PR campaigns for cultural events, festivals, and the companies that stage and sponsor them.

For more than 20 years, Susan von Seggern has earned coverage through sustained media outreach, press releases, daily lead service monitoring, and events, adding podcast pitching and hyper-local coverage. Every campaign is individualized, and event and corporate clients are a core focus.

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Who handles arts PR in Los Angeles for events and companies?

Susan von Seggern handles arts PR in Los Angeles for event, corporate, cause, and cultural clients. She has worked as a major label publicist, CEO of a boutique PR agency, a political PR specialist, and a globe-trotting corporate publicist before returning to consulting.

That mix matters for cultural work that sits between worlds: a festival with corporate sponsors, a company backing an exhibition, a documentary that needs both film press and business coverage. One publicist can carry the story across all of those outlets. Her full career is on her LinkedIn profile.

The short version

What arts PR means here, and the numbers behind it

What is arts PR?

Arts PR is public relations for cultural work and the organizations behind it: festivals, concerts, films, books, exhibitions, and the companies that support them. Its goal is earned media, meaning coverage that journalists, hosts, and producers choose to run, rather than paid advertising.

In Susan von Seggern's practice, arts PR rests on four tactical pillars: sustained media outreach, press releasing, lead service monitoring, and events. Newer tactics such as podcast pitching and hyper-local coverage sit alongside established ones like press releases and media events. Campaigns are individualized, so a festival, a gallery opening, and a corporate sponsorship each get a different mix based on the story, the audience, and the budget.

Susan von Seggern in numbers

years working in PR in Los Angeles
20+
years working in PR in Los Angeles
pillars in her media relations framework
4
pillars in her media relations framework
lead service feeds monitored daily
5
lead service feeds monitored daily
of events, from festivals to premieres
100s
of events, from festivals to premieres

Figures as stated on susanvonseggern.com, as of November 2026. “Hundreds of events” is her own description of her event PR work.

Who it is for

Four kinds of clients, with events and companies first

Cultural PR services

Cultural PR services cover the full arc of a cultural announcement: writing the release, choosing an exclusive or pre-brief outlet, servicing journalists by email, pitching podcasts and local press, and answering journalist requests that match the project. Releases on Susan's site span a funk reissue anthology, a documentary crowdfunding campaign, an audiobook, and a carnival parade on Hollywood Boulevard.

Read more about cultural PR services

Gallery publicity in LA

Gallery publicity in LA works best when an exhibition is treated as both news and an event: an announcement for arts editors, local listings, and a small media intro event such as a cocktail hour or preview. Susan's event framework maps closely to that calendar. Her published portfolio leans toward festivals, music, film, and books, so ask how it fits your program.

Read how gallery publicity works

How it works

How an arts PR campaign runs, pillar by pillar

  1. Sustained media outreach

    Identify target outlets and contacts, then pitch for coverage, including podcast pitching and hyper-local press.

  2. Press releasing

    Announce significant milestones through an exclusive or pre-brief, then email servicing, then a newswire if budgeted.

  3. Lead service monitoring

    Watch five lead service feeds daily, plus journalist emails and Substacks, and pitch requests that match the client.

  4. Events

    Large celebrity and media events, small media intro events, sponsorships, conference exhibits or talks, gifting events and gift bags.

For wire distribution, Susan recommends Business Wire for its respectability, and says her annual deal with it significantly saves clients money compared with one-off releases. See the full media relations framework.

Compare

Publicist, agency, in-house or DIY: how Susan von Seggern compares

Options for arts and event PR in Los Angeles, compared on the same criteria. Published by Susan von Seggern, listed first as the publisher's own option.
OptionWho does the workScopeEvent experienceCost structure
Susan von Seggern (independent publicist)A senior publicist with 20+ years in LA PR works the account directlyIndividualized: outreach, releases, lead monitoring, eventsHundreds of events, including festivals, conferences and premieresNo published pricing; scoped per campaign
Large full-service LA agencyA team, usually with account staff led by senior leadershipBroad: often media, social, creative and more under one roofVaries by agency and divisionCommonly monthly retainers; confirm with each agency
Boutique arts PR firmA small team focused on arts and cultureFocused on cultural media and arts audiencesVaries; ask for comparable openings and festivalsVaries by firm; confirm directly
In-house communications hireYour own employeeWhatever the role covers, alongside other dutiesDepends on the hireSalary and benefits, ongoing
Doing it yourselfYou or your teamUsually local outreach and self-written releasesYour ownTime, plus any newswire fees
Read the full comparison

Planning an event or a company announcement?

Send the dates, the news and your goals. Susan von Seggern builds an individualized campaign around them.

Start an inquiry

FAQ

Common questions

What is arts PR?

Arts PR is public relations for cultural work: festivals, exhibitions, concerts, films, books, and the organizations behind them. It aims to earn media coverage rather than buy ad space. Susan von Seggern approaches it through four pillars: sustained media outreach, press releasing, lead service monitoring, and events, adapted to the timeline of each show, release, or opening.

How much does arts PR cost in Los Angeles?

This site does not publish prices, because Susan von Seggern builds each campaign around the client and her published materials list no standard fee. Cost usually depends on campaign length, the number of announcements, whether a newswire is used, and event scope. The fastest way to get a figure is to describe your project through the contact page and ask for a proposal.

How does Susan von Seggern run a PR campaign?

She builds campaigns on a four-part media relations framework: sustained media outreach, including podcast pitching; press releasing with an exclusive or pre-brief model; daily lead service monitoring; and events. Each campaign is individualized, combining newer tactics such as podcast pitching and hyper-local coverage with established methods like press releases and sustained outreach.

What kinds of events has Susan von Seggern publicized?

Her event work spans festivals, conferences, concerts, fundraisers, author events, and premieres. Releases on her site cover the Hollywood Carnival parade and festival on Hollywood Boulevard, the CONTACT in the DESERT conference in Joshua Tree, the DIY Convention in Hollywood, SewDown during Los Angeles Fashion Week, and Bay Area launch events for the book Redesigning Nonprofits.

Do you work with corporate clients?

Yes. Corporate clients are one of the four client types Susan von Seggern consults for, alongside events, causes, and cultural clients. Her background includes globe-trotting corporate PR and work as CEO of a boutique PR agency. Releases on her site cover technology, energy, and blockchain organizations including Remotesome, IceWind, and Bitcoin Association.

Should I hire a PR consultant or a PR agency?

Choose an independent consultant when you want a senior publicist working your account directly with a scope built around one project. Choose a larger agency when you need many people across many markets at once, or services beyond media relations. Susan von Seggern has worked both sides, as CEO of a boutique PR agency and now as a consultant.

Read all questions on the FAQ page

Published by Susan von Seggern