Freelance Pop Culture Events Producer & Promoter

Sofar Sounds•Chicago, IL

3d•Remote

About The Position

Sofar Sounds, a global movement that began in 2009 to bring magic back to live music, is seeking Freelance Pop Culture Events Producers & Promoters. This role involves conceptualizing, curating, producing, and promoting unique Sofar experiences inspired by current cultural moments, fandoms, and media obsessions. Producers will create events around themes like artist singalongs, film-themed performances, iconic franchises, viral trends, award shows, or major releases, tapping into the passions of highly-engaged fan communities. The ideal candidate is trend-hungry, culturally fluent, creative, strategic, entrepreneurial, and resourceful. This is a freelance, commission-based partnership offering flexibility and ownership, with work often occurring during evenings and weekends. Producers will be supported by Sofar's Global Communities team and have access to training and resources.

Requirements

1-3 years of experience in event production, pop culture or fandom-driven programming, community building, experiential marketing, social media marketing, promotions, and/or partnerships.
Plugged into global and national pop culture – music releases, film/TV premieres, fandom trends, viral moments, nostalgia waves, creator culture, internet micro-communities, and what’s about to peak.
Ability to evaluate what will actually sell: what fans care about, what communities mobilize, and which cultural moments have ticketable potential.
Experience participating in or producing pop culture-centric experiences (themed nights, singalongs, screenings, fan events, watch parties, viral trend activations, etc.) and a sense for what feels authentic.
Adaptable, reflective, and feedback-driven, continually interrogating what works, what doesn’t, and why.
Open to criticism, curious about perspectives beyond your own, and attentive to how different genders, identities, and orientations might experience the same event.
Maintain a growing network of performers, creators, venues, or fan community connectors you can collaborate with.
Commercially minded and understand how to turn cultural heat into real-world attendance, excitement, and shareable moments.
Excel at reaching niche fanbases and know how to speak their language across social platforms, subcultures, and community-specific marketing channels.
Confident pitching thematic concepts and partnership opportunities, ideally with experience in sponsorships or collaborative activations.
Bring creativity, ownership, and hospitality to every partner, performer, guest, and touchpoint.
Organized, efficient, and a clear communicator (written and verbal), capable of managing multiple ideas and timelines at once.
Thrive in flexible, self-directed environments while staying deeply collaborative with your Sofar teammates and fellow Producers.

Responsibilities

Launch and grow Sofar’s pop culture programming in your city: producing, promoting, and selling tickets using creative, self-directed local marketing tactics.
Conceptualize and produce events inspired by global and national cultural touchpoints: iconic artists, film premieres, award shows, album drops, viral memes, nostalgia moments, fan trends, franchise anniversaries, and more.
Tap into fandoms of all sizes and develop experiences that feel timely, exciting, and culturally relevant.
Identify trending moments, upcoming releases, creator-driven movements, or internet phenomena that can be turned into compelling ticketed experiences.
Promote events strategically by reaching the right audiences – leveraging fan groups, online communities, content creators, niche social channels, and cultural micro-communities.
Build relationships with performers, venues, creative partners, fan communities, creators, and local organizations aligned with your event themes.
Collaborate with other Producers in your city to align on event cadence, neighborhoods, and cross-promotional opportunities.
Work closely with the Global Communities team to uphold Sofar’s standards, share insights, and shape pop culture programming more broadly.
Own the atmosphere and guest experience, ensuring every event feels immersive, on-theme, and rooted in hospitality.
Support financial performance by tracking profitability and contributing to the sustainable growth of the city’s pop culture vertical.
Identify sponsorship or co-promotion opportunities tied to event themes.
Contribute to Sofar’s broader programming ecosystem through cross-genre ideas, such as pop culture x music integrations, film-inspired performances, and multi-sensory experiences.