Reasons to become an APA Member
As a leader in the presentation and promotion of performing arts in the Atlantic region, APA offers programs that are valuable to our members and to the betterment of the field. There are many benefits to being a member of the Atlantic Presenters Association including:
Block Booking
The ability to use members’ collective buying power can increase our ability to purchase shows that might normally be out of reach of individual theatres, or to buy shows that might not usually consider performing in smaller markets. The Atlantic Presenters Association use a block booking software program that members can access at any time, to either add artists to the wish list or to join a tour.
Contact East
Contact East, a regional trade show and showcase event, is produced every two years (annually after 2009) in a different part of the region, by a committee composed of APA members. APA members will have special access to the conference and associated activities. Please check out our Contact East website at www.contacteast.ca.
Communications
The association has established an office with staff, and is committed to ongoing, meaningful, and timely communication, essential in keeping members both interested and active. APA has an active website which will enable members to keep abreast of the latest APA news, pick up interesting and useful information, link directly with members' contact profiles and websites, and provide their input on matters of association concern. Although not yet in place, there will be a Members-Only section of the website for more specific association topics.
Professional Development
Very few presenters receive post-secondary training in their field. Most learn by doing, watching, learning, and availing of whatever professional development seminars are presented by associations such as ours. Professional development can be defined as the process of improving skills and competencies needed to produce outstanding results. For presenters, that means learning ideas and strategies to develop and keep audiences, sharing ideas on best practices and procedures and, particularly for new and emerging presenters, learning from experienced presenters the basic marketing, logistical, and financial skills to present an event/show.
The APA has had considerable success with professional development initiatives, particularly at Contact East, where high quality speakers were well received by participants. The APA will provide professional development sessions at its spring meetings, and at Contact East. Eventually, based on demand and resources, regional professional development sessions may be created, either on our own or in conjunction with other like-minded organizations.
Mentoring Program
Among APA members, within the staffs we have in our respective organizations, and among our colleagues across Canada, there is an amazing body of knowledge on presenting, production, promotion, and pricing. Being that we all love what we do, and we want to see the level of presentation continue to evolve in the region, these mentors can and should be tapped to assist new and emerging presenters in moving up a level on the learning curve. APA staff coordinates a Mentoring Program, and with funding to cover expenses, the APA team is ready to step forward and deliver.
Providing Funding Information
To some degree, all presenters require support from various funding agencies to deliver the quality and quantity performances in their communities. A role of the APA staff will be to stay on top of all programs and communicate the details to all members in a timely fashion. At some stage, the APA office will be able to provide assistance to new presenters in preparing funding applications.
Financial Benefits
APA is working with a number of commercial suppliers/event organizers to create opportunities to save members money when purchasing supplies or event passes that would be common to all members, such as stage supplies, ECMAs, CAPACOA, etc.
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