Connecting Presenters • Artists • Agents
TNPresenters (TNP) is an association of professional performing arts presenting organizations, agents, and artists throughout Tennessee & surrounding states who aim to strengthen the quality and scope of the performing arts in Tennessee and the region. Since being founded in 2006, TNP has helped hundreds of arts professionals work together to develop business relationships and cooperative ventures that accomplish that mission.
To assist our members with this goal, TNPresenters offers the infrastructure for communication, education, and networking that enhances the role of performing arts as a vital component of life in large and small, urban and rural communities.
That infrastructure includes a website listing our members, a members-only section of the website with training and member details, database of members, valuable professional development sessions, and regular virtual & in-person meetings. These tools enable members to pursue collaborative booking opportunities, share resources, and address issues of interest. TNPresenters also partners with the Tennessee Arts Commission to co-sponsor ArtsConversation, Tennessee’s bi-annual performing arts conference, which is scheduled so as to provide a complementary networking opportunity to North Carolina’s ArtsMarket.
TNPresenters meet twice annually, at varying locations throughout our membership territory, and offers a chance to gather during regional professional conferences such as OAPN, GA Presenters, and the yearly meeting of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) in New York to share booking information, artist development opportunities, and funding options.
Thanks to the TN Arts Commission for providing assistance with LEP free services through AVAZA Language Line Services.
Simply call their dedicated number at 615-532-3400 Code: 51607
On this page you will find: TNP Scholarship Fund • Exciting Happenings • Member Spotlight • Professional Development Webinars
PLEASE check out the update on the Fix the Tix legislation near the bottom of the page.
Exciting Happenings:
Help us welcome new member(s):
Christina Scott Sayer, new Artistic Programming Manager - Clayton Center for the Arts
Do you know of someone who would be a great addition to our consortium?
Please ask them to go to TNPresenters.org, then to the Membership page. There they can pick the category that best describes them and apply for membership.
Free Webinars
Webinars & Professional Development
The Role of the Arts in Climate Adaptation and Migration
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET
June 12, 2024
Increasing population shifts are predicted in the future resulting in communities throughout the United States receiving newcomers. This presentation provides an introduction to climate adaptation and migration in addition to strategies and resources to help prepare communities to welcome newcomers, whether they are climate migrants, refugees, or immigrants. Since both environmental and cultural changes disproportionately impact marginalized communities, planning should not be color-blind to help not replicate past injustices. Discussions include roles, players and issues in your location, assessing your situation, and taking action.
*Register through the link in the title of each webinar.
Did you know you can watch previous South Arts webinars & workshops? You can!
Check out this page for a bounty of helpful videos.
TN Arts Commission Ongoing Grant Opportunities
Student Ticket Subsidy Grant
Deadline: April 24, 2024
The Tennessee Arts Commission’s Student Ticket Subsidy grant program is currently still accepting applications from schools in your district for projects occurring before May 24, 2024. Applicants should submit an application by April 24th. Schools that have already received an STS grant not exceeding $3,000, may apply for additional funding!
Humanities Tennessee General Grants
Humanities Tennessee is offering grants totaling $100,000 in 2024! These grants are for public humanities projects in Tennessee. These projects will help people learn about and discuss history, literature, ethics, and other cultural topics. The grants are intended for one-time projects or pilot projects for new ideas or small-scale projects that can be tested.
This forum will be hosted by South Arts' Director of Presenting & Touring, Nikki Estes, and facilitated by the Executive Artistic Director of Dance Canvas, Angela Davis.
Creative Capital Applications Now Open
For our 25th Anniversary, Creative Capital welcomes innovative and original new project proposals in visual arts, performing arts, film/moving image, technology, literature, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms. The Creative Capital Award provides unrestricted project grants which can be drawn down over a multi-year period, bespoke professional development services, and community-building opportunities.
NEA Research Awards Application Deadline Approaching
Research Grants in the Arts supports research studies that investigate the value and/or impact of the arts, either as individual components of the U.S. arts ecology or as they interact with each other and/or with other domains of American life. The NEA will award 18 organizations grants totaling of $1,024,755.
Last month, we announced that APAP is undertaking a Sustainability Planning Process working alongside ADC Consulting and with a Sustainability Planning Committee of your peers.
As the performing arts sector is at a critical juncture, APAP’s placement within and service to the field is essential. The purpose of APAP's Sustainability Planning Process is to conduct a rigorous assessment of the changing needs of the presenting, booking, and touring field and the impacts of the global, economic, and societal shifts in which we are operating.
The information we gather will shape APAP's strategic priorities and action steps for the next three to five years in support of the livelihoods of performing arts professionals and our collective vision for a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable future.
APAP Community Survey: The purpose of the survey is to understand who you are, how APAP can best serve you, and what you envision for the future of the field and APAP's role in it. As an incentive, when you submit your survey, you will have the opportunity to be entered in a drawing for a registration to the APAP|NYC 2025 conference. Take the APAP Community Survey by Friday, March 8, 2024.
APAP Focus Groups: As part of the Sustainability Planning Process, we will host 90-minute Focus Groups the week of March 25th. These groups will meet online via Zoom with our consultants to provide insights on needs, experiences and desires for the future. Focus group participants will be selected to ensure representation of the greatest cross-section of APAP membership and the field. Participation is voluntary and may not include everyone who indicates interest. To nominate yourself for a Focus Group, complete the Focus Group Interest Form by Tuesday, February 20, 2024.
The purpose of the Sustainability Planning Process is to work together to envision the future of the field and APAP’s role within it. Our vision is to chart bold, ambitious, and equitable next steps for APAP. We thank you for embarking on this journey to our collective future.
As the opportunities above are open to everyone, we encourage you to forward this email to your colleagues in the performing arts.
Have questions? Contact us at sustainabilityplan@apap365.org.
Americans for the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 report is out.
For the past few years, the Tennessee Arts Commission has invested in art classes for people ages 60+ and recently gained funding from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) and E. A. Michelson Philanthropy to continue this work in our state.
We are now accepting applications for funding through our Creative Aging grants initiative – https://tnartscommission.org/grants/creative-aging-tennessee-iii/. 501c3 nonprofits and/or governmental entities are encouraged to apply for up to $5,000 in funding for artist fees, materials for participants, marketing, and salary support for the applying organization. There is no match. The only stipulation is that the artist who conducts the arts classes 1) go through virtual training which will occur in Feb – March 2024 and 2) conduct a series of 4-10 sequential classes (i.e., not a one-time class but 4-10 classes ideally using the same participants.
For more information and to apply, visit https://tnartscommission.org/grants/creative-aging-tennessee-iii/
The Targeted Arts Development Initiative (TADI) is a strategy developed to reach counties identified by the Tennessee Arts Commission as under-represented in Commission investments. TADI is designed to build capacity and leadership potential while encouraging applications from the identified counties to existing Commission grant categories or programs.
Last week, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced their list of counties identified as distressed and at-risk in fiscal year 2024. Notably, the number of distressed counties in the state has reduced to eight, the fewest in Tennessee history.
The Tennessee Arts Commission’s TADI grant complements this administration-wide mission to expand opportunity for Tennesseans in rural areas by supporting arts projects in underserved, rural communities. This special focus on distressed and at-risk counties aims to expand accessibility, participation, and inclusion in the arts for all Tennesseans.
ON GOING GRANTS
Applicants Can Now Request Funds to Support Childcare Expenses During Their Tour.
Are you a creative and a parent or caregiver? Big news, Jazz Road Tours grants, open to jazz artists across the United States, now support childcare expenses! Now you can hit the road and take care of your little ones at the same time.
SADF will explore the state of the field in the South and beyond, discuss current and future trends, and ask what support is necessary for a vibrant dance field in the South. We want to encourage all voices from within the dance community of South Arts' nine-state region (AL, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, and TN) to participate.
Professional Development & Artistic Planning Grants
Up to $1,000 to support the professional development needs of Southern presenters, programmers, or curators. Rolling submissions now accepted.
In case you missed it, Thursday, April 25, more than 250 major artists—in coordination with the Fix The Tix coalition—voiced their support for the Fans First Act with a signed letter sent to Congress. The Fans First Act aims to curb the predatory practices of ticket resellers and combat illegal bots that hurt the entire live performance industry.
Read the full letter here, including the list of artists who have signed on.
Why it matters:
If passed, the Fans First Act would ban fake "spec" tickets and deceptive marketing tactics that price gouge consumers and offer tickets that don't exist. It would also take the teeth out of a ticket reselling industry that, according to a study by the National Independent Talent Association, makes tens of millions of dollars off the backs of consumers and the artists, venues, and organizations who make live events happen.
Help us Fix The Tix!
The Fix The Tix coalition is making good progress in advancing the bipartisan Fans First Act, but we have not crossed the finish line yet!
We have momentum.
The bill has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Amy Klobuchar and John Cornyn (the team that brought you SVOG), and is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of Senators. We need your help enlisting additional co-sponsors from the Senate.
It's not too late to make a difference.
Here's what you can do today:
Presenters and Venues—Send this letter to your Senators, asking them to co-sponsor the Fans First Act. If your organization is based in any of the following states, we especially need outreach to the following Senators. Here are some talking points, should you need them.
Senator Budd (NC): Contact charlie_hobbs@budd.senate.gov
Senator Capito (WV): Contact tara_mcgee@capito.senate.gov
Senator Cassidy (LA): Contact nick_molling@cassidy.senate.gov and darren_rutledge@cassidy.senate.gov
Senator Daines (MT): Contact joshua_sizemore@daines.senate.gov
Senator Kennedy (LA): Contact wesley_davis@kennedy.senate.gov
Senator Tillis (NC): Contact Cirilo_Perez@tillis.senate.gov and Caleb_Tierney@tillis.senate.gov
Senator Young (IN): Contact Dan_Cheever@young.senate.gov and lucy_sadler@young.senate.gov
Everyone—Fill out the form on this page to send a letter to your Congressional representatives telling them we need comprehensive ticketing reform and then forward this email to your colleagues and networks.
Let's make the ticketing experience better for everyone!
Thanks for taking action.
The APAP Team
Archive Webinars for Professional Development:
There's No Business Like podcast.
If it is true that the only certain things in life are death and taxes, this workshop will make navigating one of those things considerably easier. We’ll review federal income tax basics for creative individuals, including common deductions claimed by creative entrepreneurs. We’ll also outline how the tax landscape changes based on the type of income an artist earns and highlight key aspects of tax law that impact financial wellness, including deducting interest for student loan payments and saving for retirement. We’ll touch briefly on some 2023 updates (like the new Venmo and Paypal 1099s!), and we’ll conclude by reviewing some tips and best practices to keep excellent records.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
As part of this workshop, learners will master the basics of U.S. Federal income taxes so they can file 2022’s taxes with ease (or at least less stress) and plan for 2023’s. To do that, we’ll:
Identify ordinary and necessary deductions common to creative businesses.
Review the overall U.S. Federal income tax landscape.
Identify records to retain for tax purposes and effective systems for tracking expenses and income.
Join Amy Schwartzman's workshop where you will build a peer support network and walk away with tangible assets you will use and the Preparedness Mindset you need to finish the work.
People often feel creating an organizational Preparedness or Business Continuity Plan is hard. However, there are basic techniques you can quickly learn; in this participatory workshop, you’ll work with others to start creating yours, build a peer support network and walk away with tangible assets you will use and the Preparedness Mindset you need to finish the work.
The Performing Arts Readiness project was formed in the recognition that performing arts organizations are especially vulnerable to disasters and emergencies which can halt performances, sometimes indefinitely, and can put an organization out of business overnight. The project includes:
Outreach and community engagement efforts
Information resources
An online resource
“Circuit Rider” mentoring programs
Grants
This workshop, led by Donna Walker Kuhne, presents the vocabulary of DEIA and its application to arts organizations. This includes unconscious bias, microaggressions, allyship, and becoming an anti-racist organization.
Join Maria Lamardo, Head of Accessibility Training and Education at CVS Health, to learn how to create accessible constituent forms, webpages, and other digital content.
