Association of Performing Arts Presenters

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Arts Presenters Members Mobilize For Haiti
When tragedy struck the nation of Haiti on January 12, 2010, the global community responded. The catastrophic disaster has inspired the performing arts community to rally in dance, theatre, and song. Arts Presenters members are working together to raise money, and gather goods and services. From benefit concerts and cultural exhibitions, to community gatherings and fundraising drives, we have heeded the call.
Read more

USCIS Reinstates Multi-Employer Petitioning Process
In response to concerns expressed by the national performing arts community, the USCIS has reinstated the ability of a petitioner to file a single petition for artists coming to the U.S. for an itinerary of events with multiple arts organizations. A November 20, 2009 USCIS memo offers some clarification for petitioners.

When seeking visa approval for an itinerary involving multiple employers or venues, the petitioner does not have to demonstrate that it normally serves as "an agent" outside of the petition process.

Find the the latest visa petition requirements here.

Arts Presenters Issues Statement Regarding Health Care Reform
"As Congress moves towards securing health care reform, we hope this critical debate includes affordable access to health coverage for the arts community, which represents artists, small businesses and nonprofit organizations. A public program should truly be affordable and be inclusive of every segment of our industry and it is important that such a program prohibits denial of coverage or increased rates for pre-existing conditions. Artists especially have gone too long without access to health care coverage. A public program that does not lend itself to affordability does not address the basic tenets of health care reform."
– Sandra Gibson, President and CEO, Arts Presenters

New: Rocco Landesman to Open APAP Conference NYC 2010
Rocco Landesman, NEA Chairman, will speak at Friday’s opening plenary, adding his perspectives on the state of our industry. He joins a list of our exciting and dynamic speakers, including Wynton Marsalis, Paula Moreno Zapata and Alondra de la Parra. Check www.APAPconference.org for all the latest speaker news.

Now Accepting Applications for Cultural Exchange Fund (CEF) Travel Grants
Arts Presenters added a new funding round to the 2009-2010 CEF travel subsidy program supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to meet the individual and group travel needs for our members who are building partnerships and collaborations with international artists. The deadline for travel taking place June 2010 - December 2010 is May 14, 2010.
Find out how to apply

White House Warns of Fall Swine Flu Resurgence
As the potential for a significant outbreak in the fall is looming, please visit www.flu.gov for up-to-date information.
Additional info can be found here

Arts Presenters in the News
See Arts Presenters in Bisnow, Bethesda Magazine, and Richmond Times-Dispatch.

NEA Stimulus Funds Preserves Jobs
Federal grants to 18 Arts Presenters' members will preserve jobs in communities nationwide, thanks to stimulus grant awards totaling $825,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment funds.
See complete list of grantees

NPAC Latest Report
June 14 marked the one year anniversary of the National Performing Arts Convention in Denver, 2008. To view a report on the considerable progress made since the convention on the recommendations generated in 2008,
click here.

The Nation’s Arts Report Card Is Out
Take a look

NEA Announces 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts Highlights
Find info here

Expanding Access to the Arts
When arts organizations extend a knowing hand to their community members and understand neighborhood history, accessibility become part of their success.
Latest Inside Arts article

Impact of the Economy: Agents and Mangers Respond On Tuesday, August 18, 2009, Arts Presenters held a webinar conversation to explore how the economic climate is affecting agents, managers, and self-represented artists while exploring ways in which these groups are navigating the ongoing recession. The panel of arts professionals shared their observations on topics such as contracting, changing artist fee and engagement structures, tours and block booking, changes in the global marketplace, and what is happening in the presenting world, from their points of view. Listen to the call

AMS/Arts Presenters Economic Tracking Survey One of the ways Arts Presenters is leading the way in keeping our members updated on the latest economic trends affecting our field is by introducing new economic tracking surveys with AMS Research and Planning. These surveys gather crucial information from APAP members as well as from members of the Performing Arts Center Consortium and the League of Historic American Theaters. January 2009 Report

Impact of the Economy: Leveraging Technology Resources Call Available When the economy is tight and budgets get cut, one of the first areas of reduction is an organization's technology resources. In response to the growing need for technology solutions in these challenging economic times, Arts Presenters offered a webinar phone-in with nonprofit TechSoup.org to discuss ways your organization can use its non-profit status to access greatly reduced software licenses and services, as well as benefit from TechSoup.org's other programs and services. TechSoup.org is a trusted technology resource for the nonprofit sector. Download the recording of the call

Economic Tracking Survey: Activity and Attendance Stabilize When compared to the December results from the first AMS/Arts Presenters Economic Tracking survey of presenters and facilities, some areas have shown improvements while fundraising continues to lag far behind initial goals. More than half of presenters and facilities reporting have cut expenditures with a third freezing staff. Ten percent have cut staff. March 2009 Report

Impact of the Economy on the Field of Presenting 3 Recording Available On May 20, Arts Presenters hosted a third conversation with field experts on the relationship between the economy and presenting, building on the dialogue started with last December's call and APAP Conference NYC 2009. Listen to the audio recording

New Podcast Feature "A New Agenda for the Arts in America", an arts roundtable hosted by the Aspen Institute with Clive Gillinson of Carnegie Hall and Don Randel of the Mellon Foundation is now available for podcast viewing. Check it out

Impact of the Economy on the Field of Presenting 2 Recording Available On March 18, Arts Presenters hosted a second conversation with field experts on the relationship between the economy and presenting, building on the dialogue started with last December's call and APAP Conference NYC 2009. Listen to the audio recording

First Impact of the Economy on the Field of Presenting Recording Available Download a recording of the Thursday, December 18 conversation

Presenting Matters
December 2009
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