By Jim Bessman, The Examiner

The Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) is readying the schedule for the APAP|NYC 2015 58th annual member conference, slated for Jan. 9-13 in New York and headquartered at the New York Hilton Midtown and the Sheraton New York Times Square hotels.

Among the prominent performing arts industry speakers addressing the conference are Grammy-winning singer/activist Angélique Kidjo, public radio personality Ira Glass, ballet soloist Misty Copeland, Polaris Prize-winning Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq and Tony-winning spoken word artist and author Lemon Andersen. Nearly 370 exhibitors have signed up to promote their artists and acts, and over 1,000 performance showcases will take place in the hotels and throughout the city.

This year’s APAP conference theme is Together, and the many sessions are especially geared toward expanding the reach and relevance of presenters through collective action.

Sessions will focus on targeting untapped and more diverse audiences, working with artists to better draw and sustain those audiences, and using performance to make a social or humanitarian impact on individuals and their communities. Programs and projects where APAP members have successfully collaborated with their peers and other partners will be highlighted, as will innovative business strategies and tools for thriving in the performing arts presenting environment.

"Our plenary sessions bring together performing arts professionals to hear from some of the most inspiring thought leaders and creative artists from around the world who influence our field and our future,” says APAP president/CEO Mario Garcia Durham. “This year we take that opportunity to honor and champion the creativity, collaboration and reciprocity that effects important change in the communities we serve together.”

APAP|NYC brings together some 3,600 performing arts professionals—artists, agents, presenters, producers and others—to explore the latest trends in performing arts and to network and conduct the business of arts presenting. Leaders in the performing arts from across America and around the world preview showcases and decide on artists to bring back to their communities.

“Feedback from our past participants surveyed indicates that there is no substitute for meeting and networking face-to-face, regardless of the immediacy of access we have to one another through technology," says Durham. "Our conference theme ties to that notion, as does our partnership with colleagues who plan performing arts industry events just before and after our conference.”

Besides APAP proper, there are preconference forums on Jan. 8 and 9, including APAP World Music Preconference and sessions on dance (presented by Dance/USA), classical music, family programming, festivals and relevant topics including economic realities and global performing arts. Many forums are free and open to the public.

The Association of Performing Arts Presenters is the national service, advocacy and membership organization for presenters of the performing arts. APAP is dedicated to developing and supporting a robust performing arts industry and the professionals who work within it.

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