Association of Performing Arts Presenters

Association of Performing Arts Presenters
Name	Association of Performing Arts Presenters
Abbreviation	APAP
Formation	1957
Type	Nonprofit association
Headquarters	New York City
Region served	United States, International
Leader title	President & CEO

Contents

Association of Performing Arts Presenters is a North American nonprofit professional association that serves presenters, producers, presenters' boards, and performing artists by providing networking, professional development, and advocacy. Founded during the mid‑20th century, the organization has operated alongside institutions such as Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Music Center (Los Angeles), and Julliard School. It convenes members drawn from venues such as Sydney Opera House, festivals such as Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and touring networks involving companies like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Metropolitan Opera, and New York Philharmonic.

History

The organization's mission emphasizes service to presenters, producers, and institutions such as Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, and National Theatre (UK), advancing touring, artistic exchange, and capacity building. Programs include professional development linked to Tampa Museum of Art, residency initiatives partnering with Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, and diversity initiatives informed by networks like National Black Theatre Festival, Asian American Arts Alliance, and Latinx Theatre Commons. It administers awards and mentorships that have recognized artists associated with Yo-Yo Ma, Bill T. Jones, Annie Lennox, Wynton Marsalis, and institutions such as Museum of Contemporary Art and Broadway League.

Membership comprises presenting organizations, producing entities, and individuals from institutions including Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Symphony, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and international presenters like Royal Opera House and Teatro alla Scala. Governance follows a board structure with representatives from major venues such as Kennedy Center, university presenters from Harvard University, Yale School of Drama, and municipal arts agencies like Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and Boston Arts Commission. Executive leadership has included executives with prior roles at Americans for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, New Music USA, and foundations such as Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Ford Foundation.

The association organizes an annual conference that draws delegations from Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Glastonbury Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and presenters from touring companies such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, and Cirque du Soleil. Events include market sessions modeled on practices at International Society for the Performing Arts and plenaries that have featured figures from National Endowment for the Arts, Smithsonian Institution, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and leaders from Sony Classical and Deutsche Grammophon. The conference marketplace supports booking activity among presenters and producers comparable to markets at South by Southwest, MIDEM, and Classical:NEXT.

Advocacy activities intersect with policy debates involving National Endowment for the Arts, United States Congress, State Arts Agencies, and nonprofit funders such as Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Ford Foundation. The association has submitted comments and participated in coalitions alongside Americans for the Arts, League of American Orchestras, Broadway League, and Dance/USA on issues related to touring, visa policy alongside U.S. Department of State, cultural exchange with British Council and Canada Council for the Arts, and pandemic relief efforts linked to legislation such as the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Funding sources have included membership dues from organizations like Carnegie Hall, grants from foundations such as Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and corporate partnerships with companies like AARP, Delta Air Lines, Spotify, and IBM. Programmatic partnerships extend to academic institutions such as New York University, Columbia University, University of California, Los Angeles, and presenter networks including National Performance Network, Network of Ensemble Theaters, and international bodies such as International Society for the Performing Arts.

Proponents credit the association with strengthening presenter capacity at venues like Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and regional theaters including Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Arena Stage, and Brooklyn Academy of Music, and with facilitating tours for artists such as Eartha Kitt, Paul Simon, Nina Simone, Yo-Yo Ma, and Beyoncé. Critics argue that the association's reliance on large institutional members and foundation funding parallels critiques leveled at organizations like Americans for the Arts and League of American Orchestras for insufficient equity, citing calls from coalitions including Latinx Theatre Commons, Asian American Arts Alliance, and National Black Arts Festival for deeper investment in community presenters and artists. Debates continue over programming priorities similar to disputes involving Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art about representation, access, and the balance between major touring engagements and local artist development.

Category:Performing arts organizations in the United States Category:Non-profit organizations based in New York City