Arts Midwest

These turbulent times call for a special set of leadership skills, not just to help our staffs and our organizations weather the current challenges, but to thrive and be ready when opportunities come our way. In this session, we will focus on developing the practical leadership skills, tools, and attitudes you need to work more effectively in your current (or future) leadership positions. Specifically, we will develop the problem-solving and strategic-thinking skills that are key competencies needed by leaders to successfully navigate a challenging and changing environment.

Note: This session requires pre-registration and payment. If you have already registered and would like to add the session to your registration, e-mail us. If you haven’t yet registered, just sign up for this session when you complete your Conference registration and payment.

Research data show discernible trends in donor choices in charitable giving. In this session, we will examine best practices for approaching corporations and foundations for funding and sponsorships, explore some of the these charitable-giving trends, and learn how fundraising can be more effective through the hard work of engaging donors in ways that help them meet their own philanthropic goals while funding your organization’s programs.

Note: This session requires pre-registration and payment. If you have already registered and would like to add the session to your registration, e-mail us. If you haven’t yet registered, just sign up for this session when you complete your Conference registration and payment.

What does it mean to be a good presenter? Even newcomers recognize that this work involves wide-ranging skills—from crunching numbers to finding an artistic vision, from developing a marketing plan to leading an organization, and much more—but how does one effectively integrate the day-to-day tasks with the conceptual work? Whether you’re new to presenting or you simply haven’t had a chance to reflect upon your work in a while, this is your opportunity to take a thoughtful look at the art of presenting, explore how theory and practice come together, and learn about a wealth of practical concepts that you can put into use right away.

Note: This session requires pre-registration and payment. If you have already registered and would like to add the session to your registration, e-mail us. If you haven’t yet registered, just sign up for this session when you complete your Conference registration and payment.

Presenting 101 is a standardized professional development curriculum offered by the Network of Regional Performing Arts Conferences – the Performing Arts Exchange, Midwest Arts Conference and Western Arts Alliance Conference – with support and assistance from the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts and the Cultural Human Resources Council of Canada.

What do I do? Where do I begin? How do you balance the actual making of art with the demands of self-promotion, while also acquiring the requisite marketing skills that bring your talents and work into sharper focus? And when is it a good choice to showcase? Join this discussion on building a strategy and acquiring the basic skills needed by a self-managed artist to compete in the marketplace.

Artist managers and agents play a critical role in the performing arts field, and it’s a challenge to simultaneously nurture and support touring artists while writing contracts, arranging tours, and advancing performances. So, what qualities make for a good agent or manager? What philosophies and principles drive—or ought to drive—agencies and management? How do (and how should) agents and managers interact with their presenting colleagues? Join us for a candid discussion about the work of agents and managers and their integral relationship with artists and presenters.

Open to consortium members only; general business & block-booking discussion.

Note: Also meets on 9/16/10 from 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.

Open business meeting.

Note: Also meets on 9/16/10 from 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.

Note: Also meets on 9/16/10 from 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.

Open meeting; general business & block booking discussion.

Note: Also meets 9/16/10 from 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.

Open to consortium members only; general business & block-booking discussion.

Note: Also meets on 9/16/10 from 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.

Open to presenters only.

Note: Also meets on 9/16/10 from 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.

Open business meeting.

Note: Also meets on 9/16/10 from 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.

Join Mario Garcia Durham, director of artist communities and presenting at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), for an update on NEA programs, initiatives, and funding opportunities. He will also give his popular “insider’s tips” for applying to the NEA for funding, including best ways to communicate with staff, strategizing for maximum effectiveness, and his “Do’s & Don’ts.” This session is essential for first-time applicants and those who wish to improve their organization’s grantwriting knowledge and capabilities.

Join Chamber Music America’s (CMA) Marc Giosi to learn about CMA’s grant and award programs for ensembles and presenters of all styles of chamber music, including early, classical, contemporary, jazz, and world-music genres.

Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) has supported regional touring in the performing arts since 1972. Through its regional Artists’ Registry and grants to presenters, M-AAA seeks to promote artists and public programs throughout its six-state region (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas). This session will focus on two grant programs: the Community Engagement with Touring Artists grants emphasize the promotion of deeper community engagement with touring artists; the new Regional Touring Program focuses exclusively on the talented registry artists in our six-state region. The session will feature practical tips on preparing applications and provide examples of applications that successfully demonstrate the goal of each program.

Join Jane Forde as she presents the 2010 National Dance Project (NDP) Touring Awards available for support in 2011–2012. She will also present updates on program criteria, eligibility and deadlines, show video clips of NDP–funded artists’ work, and information on how to obtain up to 50% in touring support to present one or more of the NDP Touring Award projects.

The global sounds available for touring in America continue to expand; if you program (or are considering programming) world music in your series or your community, you’ll want to check the pulse of the field at this session. Topics will include: new sounds hitting American stages (this is not your mother’s world music anymore); methods for integrating world music with other programming; innovative approaches to reaching new audiences and educational offerings; programming world music suitable for a diversity of settings; and making world music accessible to your audiences.

This session will explore innovative strategies for programming geared to 21–40-year-olds, a demographic underrepresented in the concert hall. How can a programmer maintain artistic standards while also appealing to a broad audience? How can a presenter choose venues that optimize attendance? What other activities can be planned alongside the performance? Discover new approaches that have been successful in reaching this target audience.

Organizing support for this session provided by Chamber Music America.

This discussion will focus on the importance and value of investing in the creation and presentation of new work for young people. Budgets, time, and even inspiration are in limited supply, but our young audiences need to be engaged now to help ensure the future of live performance. Artists, presenters, and managers are welcomed at this session, as we explore opportunities and strategies to help build the canon of touring work in North America.

How about an artist residency that makes money and creates real connections between businesses, schools, community leaders, and your venue? We’ll discuss residencies that have taken dynamic new approaches, including Mobilizing Our Community – an innovative partnership between schools, local businesses, and The Grand Theater in Wausau, Wisconsin. Bring your ideas and successes to the table – tell us what worked and what was different – and we’ll discuss what new models we can imagine to engage your community in a whole new way.

Join your colleagues as we discuss topics of interest the outdoor festivals and programs field, such as hot trends in outdoor curation and effective marketing strategies; suggestions for working through your local decision-making and governmental agencies, for enhancing an entrenched program, or for starting a new one; and many more. This is also a great opportunity to discuss upcoming projects or to network to facilitate tours.

This session is intended to help those of us who are just getting started with social media become more comfortable with and better understand what it is and how it is best used. Over the course of our conversation, we’ll discuss beginning social media concepts that can make your on-line presence more effective and successful. We believe there’s no such thing as a dumb question when it comes to social media!

Bigger initiatives, bolder plans, broader scope…come hear the latest trends for fundraising victory at this rapid-fire interchange and share your most effective fundraising ideas and trends. Let us know what worked for you – and what didn’t: your successes may lead to a colleague’s future triumph. Learn about new ideas and initiatives that will lead your organization to a successful 2011.

When the next emergency happens, will you and your organization be prepared for business the following day? South Arts’ ArtsReady is an online, web-based program that helps organizations prepare a business continuity plan for the event of a minor disruption to business or a major crisis. Share your plan during this discussion, or learn how you can create one by asking “what if?” today instead of “why me?” tomorrow.

What are the key ingredients for success for small arts presenters? Learn how one award-winning arts center in small-town America has been thriving and growing for more than 35 years! The Jasper Arts Center features performing arts, visual arts, arts-in-education, and an annual arts festival, as well as being a Kennedy Center Partner – all with a budget of less than $1 million. Bring your questions to this discussion and share your own experiences.

What is a presenter network, and how can I organize a showcase conference in my state? What are the benefits for agents and artists? Join us to learn more about presenter networks, the benefits of becoming a member of a network, and successful collaborations with other state organizations from the perspectives of a presenter, artist, and agent. There’s something for everyone to take away from this discussion.

Which comes first, the dance programming or the dance audiences? At this session, you’ll learn how Dance St. Louis reshaped its programming to incorporate a dance festival that not only changed its audience dynamic, it created a new community around dance. This open discussion will focus on ideas about how dance programming can be the catalyst that will build and engage audiences for dance. Presenters and anyone interested in sharing ideas about building audiences for dance in their communities are welcomed.

The arts face the same legal and business challenges that any other businesses do, but getting the answers and clarifications you need can be challenging and frustrating. Languish no more! – from contracts, copyrights, and licensing to visas and taxes, for-profit and non-profit organizations, practices, and management, Brian will answer your questions, concerns, quandaries, and consternations in this lively forum, where you’ll get important updates and be amazed, and after which you’ll leave entertained, enlightened, and empowered.

Can our industry take a more collaborative approach to programming? To finding new paradigms in making deals? To seeking more interaction between agent/managers/artists/presenters in marketing the product? Join in the dialogue as we seek solutions for this ever-changing environment.

Organizing support for this session provided by NAPAMA.