Eliconie

APAP changes name to Association of Performing Arts Professionals
APAP and its annual conference (APAP;NYC) aims to widen access and embrace change

Today, APAP officially launched the organization’s name change while retaining the familiar acronym. In response to a vote by the members of the organization at the 2017 APAP;NYC conference in January to change the organization’s name to the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, APAP also announces a new initiative to include more arts professionals in its membership.
This marks the third name change in the organization’s 60-plus year history.
Each name change has reflected a period of growth for the organization. Beginning in 1957 as the Association of College and University Concert Managers (ACUCM), it became the Association of College, University and Community Arts Administrators (ACUCAA) in 1973.
From 1988 until this most recent change, it was the Association of Performing Arts Presenters.
“Our name has changed once again to reflect not only growth, but also the range of experience and expression in our field,” explains Mario Garcia Durham, president and CEO of APAP.“The new name more perfectly describes the full range of distinctive roles professionals play, from the creation to the presentation and dissemination of the performing arts.” “APAP is dedicated to developing and supporting a robust performing arts presenting field and the professionals who work within it, and we aim to deliver on our promise in a number of ways,” says Durham. In addition to the updated name, this year the organization has introduced a pilot initiative called Artist Access, a one-year introductory membership program allowing qualified individual professional artists who have never been an organizational member of APAP, and who have never attended APAP as a full registrant, to become an APAP member and attend its annual members conference at reduced rates. More information is found at artistaccess.apap365.org.
APAP announces the dates of its 61st annual member conference, APAP;NYC, which will take place January 12-16, 2018 at the New York Hilton Midtown and Sheraton New York Times Square. Pre-conference events begin January 11. This year’s conference theme, “trans.ACT” focuses on the transformative power of the arts, inspired by the multiplicity and the fluidity of the word “trans” and all its iterations—transformation, transcendence, transdisciplinary, transition, and the importance of transgender artists in our field and our communities—and the word “ACT”—action, activism, activate, actualize. In addition to the leading performing arts EXPO Hall in the world and 1000+ performance showcases, the conference will provide plenary sessions and professional development forums for our attendees to explore and discuss critical issues such as artistry, aesthetics, equity, support for the arts and our evolving industry.
“As artists and arts makers, we must embrace our role to engage in the constant and dynamic societal transformation that we are a part of by acknowledging it, reflecting it, discussing it, and leading it,” says Durham.
Registration for the APAP;NYC 2018 conference is now open at https://www.apapnyc.org.

About APAP, the Association of Performing Arts Professionals
APAP, the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, based in Washington, D.C., is the national service, advocacy and membership organization dedicated to developing and supporting a robust performing arts presenting field and the professionals who work within it. Its more than 1,600 national and international members represent leading performing arts centers, municipal and university performance facilities, nonprofit performing arts centers, culturally specific organizations, foreign governments, as well as artist agencies, managers, touring companies, and national consulting practices that serve the field, and a growing roster of self-presenting artists. APAP is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization governed by a volunteer board of directors and led by President & CEO Mario Garcia Durham. In addition to presenting the annual APAP;NYC conference—the world’s leading forum and marketplace for the performing arts—APAP continues to be the industry’s leading resource, knowledge and networking destination for the advancement of performing arts presenting. More information is found at https://www.apap365.org.

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