Each year a network of world music presenters/agents and outdoor festivals team up for some pre-conference sessions at the annual Arts Presenters conference. While conference registration is strongly encouraged, this is a great way to get a sample of the conference value even if you don't have a badge.
These sessions take place in the second floor conference rooms of the Hilton New York (53rd/6th Ave. NYC). Here are the sessions for 2010:
Joint Sessions of the World Music Interest Group and Outdoor Festivals & Programs Presenters: Engaging Audiences, Developing Community
Co-hosts: Alison Loerke (ALIA Productions) and Mario Garcia Durham (National Endowment for the Arts)
Friday, January 8
Session I
9:00 - 10:20am
Engaging and Sustaining Audiences
How do we face the challenge of continually developing new audiences, and continually engaging the audiences we already have? What role does education play in the marketing of our events to new audiences? Our invited guests will speak about models and innovative practices that are working for them. We are also interested in collecting examples from the field, so come prepared to not only listen, but contribute your knowledge and expertise.
Moderator: Michael Alexander, Executive Director, Grand Performances; Discussants: Jennifer Pickering, Executive Director, Lake Eden Arts Festival; James Early, Director, Cultural Heritage Policy, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Smithsonian Institute; Catrina Boisson, VP Marketing, New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Room: Hilton Hotel, Sutton Parlor.
Session II
10:30 - 12noon
Artists and Music From Latin America
As the diversity of artists touring continues to expand, we are seeing musicians from traditionally lesser known or perhaps less well-represented cultures looking to gain a foothold in the North American market. But who are these artists? And what are the cultures that they represent? This session will give a brief overview of the diverse cultures represented in Latin America, then we’ll hear from presenters with years of expertise in presenting artists from south of the border, and finally from the artists themselves who will address the question of authenticity versus ethnicity.
Moderator: Olga Garay, Executive Director, Los Angeles Dept of Cultural Affairs; Discussants: Joe Randel, Director, Artes Americas, UT-Austin; Claudia Toni, Music Advisor to Secretariat of Culture, Sao Paolo, Brazil; Claudia Norman, President, CN Management. Room: Hilton Hotel, Sutton Parlor.
In addition, Dmitri Vietze of rock paper scissors, inc. and DubMC has organized an additional special interest session for independent world music artists:
RENEGADE SESSION
4:00-5:00 pm
Independent World Music Artists Networking Session
More and more independent world music artists are emerging in North America and attending APAP. This session gives them as well as presenters and other performing arts field professionals a chance to discuss the challenges of the independent world music artist, brainstorm solutions, and share tools and strategies for carving out a career as an independent musician in the world music sphere. While past and current sessions at APAP address the field, this creates an entry-point specifically for the artist who is managing their own career, a growing segment of the world music field. Different room for this session: Hilton NY, Concourse G
We hope to see you there!
DubMC is the brainchild of Dmitri Vietze, founder of rock paper scissors, inc., a publicity firm for "music of global significiance."
