For Showcasers 

Overview: Showcases

Showcases are the 1,000+ excerpted and full performances and works in progress produced by artists, presenters, managers and agents and scheduled to take place in a variety of venues located throughout the New York City area during APAP|NYC 2012. Admission to showcases is complimentary for all members officially registered to attend APAP|NYC 2012. Please be advised that APAP does not jury, curate, endorse, produce or provide funding support for showcases.  All marketing, promotions and costs associated with producing a showcase are the responsibility of the showcase producer.

Important Listings and Advertising Deadlines:

• Showcase Listings Book
  Ad space reservations – Monday, November 21, 2011
  Listings – Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 5 PM
  Receipt of ad materials/artwork – Thursday, December 8, 2011
• Inside Arts Magazine
  Ad space reservations – Monday, November 21, 2011
  Ad materials/artwork due – Thursday, December 1, 2011

Scheduling a Showcase

APAP|NYC 2012 opens on Friday, January 6. The most popular dates for showcasing are Saturday and Sunday evenings during the conference, when the greatest number of attendees is in New York. These days are almost always the most competitive in terms of numbers of showcases and artists to see. Many showcases are repeated in order to offer presenters and other conference attendees with as many opportunities as possible to see an artist's work.

EXPO Hall Hours

Saturday, January 7, 2012: 2:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Sunday, January 8, 2012: 1:30 pm – 6:30 pm (Accessible hours: 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm)
Monday, January 9, 2012: 9:00 am – 11:00 am & 1:30 pm – 6:00 pm (Accessible hours: 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm)

Showcases and the EXPO Hall are the two most prominent reasons presenters from around the world attend APAP|NYC. Many exhibitors and showcase producers try to schedule showcases outside of established EXPO Hall hours listed above.  New this year are accessible hours when exhibitors do not have to staff their booths.  The EXPO Hall is open during these more flexible hours but exhibitors are not required to occupy their booths.

Producing a Showcase: FAQs 

As a first time attendee should I consider producing a Showcase?

We suggest that for you register as a delegate the first time you plan to attend APAP|NYC to experience all aspects of the conference and gain insight as to the ways the conference will advance you business and to make contact with colleagues in the field. Experience the conference first -- network, visit the EXPO Hall, participate in plenary and professional development sessions and go to showcases -- and before you invest the money, time, and effort to produce a showcase. APAP|NYC offers you the opportunity to learn more about the field, the marketplace and who’s leading the field.  Getting the full conference experience will help you determine the best ways to present and promote your work or your artists’ work in subsequent years. Careful planning is essential to a successful showcase and to achieving your business goals.

If I find an APAP member who is willing to include my work in their Showcase, what questions should I ask and what services or expenses should I anticipate?

You should:

• Obtain information or a fact sheet that lists the services the producer will provide to produce and support your showcase.
• Understand and confirm your costs and share of showcase expenses, such as production or equipment costs, rehearsals, sound checks, insurance, etc.
• Understand and confirm the details of your showcase schedule – performance and rehearsal times, green room availability, etc.
• Understand and confirm what assistance, if any, is provided for travel, housing and per diem costs to bring your showcase to New York.
• Understand and confirm what, if any, support the producer provides before, during and after the Showcase in terms of cultivating showcase attendee interest.
• Determine in advance and confirm with the showcase produce when and how you will obtain the list of those who attended your showcase.
• Make sure you have everything in writing and be sure you understand and formalize everything that has been promised to you by the showcase producer responsible for the showcase.

Why Showcase?

You have the potential of reaching an audience of nearly 600 presenting organizations – more than 3,500 presenting professionals – and 250 artist companies and artist management agencies from around the world at APAP|NYC. It is the most comprehensive opportunity in a year to experience a wide array of artists, work, genres, forms and formats. If you decide to showcase, you need to be confident you have the capacity to create awareness of your showcase in advance of, during and after the conference. Showcases are a top reason for presenting professionals to attend APAP|NYC. Artist showcases and hospitality events produced by our members are what make APAP|NYC an exciting, global, live performance celebration throughout New York City and a good way to build your business.

Should I produce a Showcase?

You should think carefully before deciding to invest the time, energy and significant resources required to produce an outstanding, well-produced, well-promoted and well-attended showcase. Ultimately, you are responsible for making your showcase a success. It takes not only money, but hard work and an ability to successfully promote your work to an audience whose time is stretched to the maximum during the five days of APAP|NYC. In order to maximize the effectiveness and promotion of your showcases, your decision to produce showcases should be made no later than October 1, of the year prior to the January Conference. Many presenters determine which showcases they will attend and who they will meet with during APAP|NYC by early November and certainly no later than December. You will need to spend time in the summer and early fall preparing/scheduling/designing your showcases – as well as marketing them to the presenting professionals you want to reach.

What factors should I take into consideration before deciding to produce a Showcase?

• You should have work that has a high degree of artistic integrity.
• A budget and plan to cover your expenses.
• A history of good relationships with prospective presenters who are or are likely to be interested in seeing and presenting your work or your artists.
• An understanding of the types of presenters who might be interested in your work or your artists.
• Managerial and administrative capacity to solicit and follow through on the interests of presenting professionals in you or your work prior to and after your showcase.
• Determine well in advance the type of venue in which your showcase will take place. Select the work you feel best represents your artistry and what you wish to have presented. Some artists produce work-in-progress pieces during the conference. If you choose to do this, make sure the audience understands they are seeing a work that is not yet finished and has an opportunity to learn about the concept for and full realization of the work.
• Provide conference attendees with program notes, your contact and biographical information as well as an artist statement about the work. This can also be provided in advance of the conference and certainly during your showcase. If you are showcasing a work-in-progress, use program notes and an artist statement to give them a fuller idea of exactly what the piece they are seeing is to be like when it is fully produced.
• If you have a colleague who is well-respected in the field and who knows your work or has experience in your art form, ask him/her to introduce your work to the audience and ask this colleague to provide comments about your work for the program notes.
• You are responsible for the expenses and coordination of the venue, sound, lighting, instrument rental, tech crew, musicians, production manager, rehearsals and artists' contracts. As the producer you will manage sound checks, front of house, maintenance, artist and presenter hospitality, promotion, advertising and printing. Should you contract with a producer, you need to still be responsible for associated costs and follow up with those who attend your showcase.

What are some of the expenses for me to consider in planning for a Showcase?

• Rehearsal salaries and rehearsal space.
• Travel expenses to include roundtrip travel to New York City, housing, per diem and ground transportation in New York City.
• Freight for any costumes, props, sets or instruments.
• Phone bills, postage, overnight shipping, promotional materials, advertising and catering for presenters and artists in attendance. APAP fees, which include membership dues, exhibit booth fees (if you are also exhibiting) and showcase listing fees.
• Space rental plus crew plus production costs to include: staging/flooring, lights, sound, backline and soft goods.
• Lead follow-up: telephone and email to presenters, printing and distribution of press kits, CDs, DVDs.

Do I have to be an exhibitor and have a booth in the APAP|NYC EXPO Hall to produce a Showcase?

No. You are not required to be an exhibitor in the EXPO Hall in order to showcase. You must be registered for APAP|NYC 2011 to showcase. Many showcase producers choose to purchase a booth in the EXPO Hall in order to have a location during the conference to promote their artists and showcases. For more information about exhibiting, please visit the Exhibitor FAQs.

Where are the Showcase locations?

View a selected list of showcase venues and locations.

How important is it to Showcase in the hotel?

Showcases are held throughout the city in a variety of theatre, club and other venues.  And showcases are also produced at the conference headquarters, the Hilton New York and Towers. Presenters travel to many locations throughout the city and outside the hotel to see artists of interest, and most showcases are produced outside the hotel. While the hotel is a convenient location, space is limited, room sizes are limited and production costs must be considered and tend to be high.

How is showcase space in the Hilton New York Hotel managed?

All showcasing space within the Hilton New York is managed by the hotel. Each year the needs of the conference may change and as such, the availability of rooms for showcasing may change. It is best to contact the Hilton early to get on the list of potential showcase producers; contact Carol Ann Mancuso via email, carolann.mancuso@hilton.com. Once the conference room schedule is determined, the Hilton will begin the showcase space rental negotiation process. The Hilton and APAP work together to define specific showcase locations in the hotel, security needs, codes of conduct for showcasers and showcase management standards that are part of the Hilton New York contract with the Showcase Producer. Showcase Producers who are found in violation of these contract requirements will have their showcases closed down immediately during the conference and will potentially face the loss of the ability to showcase at the hotel in future years.

I am an independent artist or artist company without an agent or manager. Can I use my showcase as an opportunity to try to get the attention of an agent or manager?

Agents, managers and producers have a heavy schedule of meetings, showcases and their own roster of artists to represent during APAP|NYC.   You should not plan your time to search for or obtain an agent or manager in the EXPO Hall or during the conference.  Exhibiting agents, managers, producers and artists spend considerable time and dollars to exhibit and are specifically there to promote the work and artists they are currently representing. They have scheduled their meetings in advance of coming to the conference and will not have the time to talk with you about representation. If you have chosen to showcase and have researched appropriate agencies, managements or producers for your kind of work, be sure to invite them and their entire staff to attend the showcase and plan to follow up after the conference.

What artists may appear in Showcases?

Any artist can appear in a showcase. However, only artists who are APAP members or who are formally affiliated with an APAP member and who is a registered attendee can appear in the official showcase and showcase listing. For information about membership, please visit the website at www.apap365.org or contact Sue Noseworthy, Membership Manager at snoseworthy@artspresenters.org.

How long should the actual Showcase be?

There is no single answer to this question. It is strongly recommended that you not organize a showcase for more than an hour or for one set. Conference attendees have the opportunity to see an incredibly large amount of work in the space of four or five days. So, the length of time someone can commit to any one showcase will be limited.  Should you decide to showcase a full length work, be clear in all your promotions, and confirm the length of the showcase with all who plan to attend.

Can I require reservations be made for my Showcase so that I know who's coming?

Yes, but if you require reservations, you MUST list a contact person, phone number and/or email address in your showcase listing. In lieu of requiring tickets or reservations, purchase a lead retrieval unit from Arts Presenters' vendor, etouch, to capture the names and contact information conference attendees or plan to collect business cards of attendees at the door.

What is a VIP Hospitality Suite and can this space be used for showcasing?

In 2004, Arts Presenters began offering conference sponsorship opportunities that include access to VIP Hospitality Suites on the 4th Floor of the Hilton New York. Many sponsors choose to use these rooms for showcasing or welcoming clients. For information on APAP|NYC sponsorship and access to a VIP Hospitality Suite, contact John Fernandez, jfernandez@artspresenters.org. Access to a VIP Hospitality Suite is only one of the many benefits of sponsorship at the conference. Sponsorships that include access to a VIP Hospitality Suite are available at $4,500 per 24 hour period or $8,500 per 48 hour period, commencing at 12:01 am through 12 midnight. Once the sponsorship is confirmed and an agreement is signed with APAP, the actual scheduling of how the room is used is the responsibility of the sponsor and not APAP.   Sponsors planning to use a VIP Hospitality Suite for showcasing must comply with all codes of conduct and showcase management requirements outlined by the Hilton Hotel and APAP for showcase producers.

How do I create and manage my showcase listings?

This is done using the online Showcase Management System.  You can log into the system, or visit our Showcase Help Center for tutorial videos, instructions, and more FAQs.

How can I promote my Showcase?

The presenting and touring field places high value on professional relationships that develop over time between presenters, managers, artists, producers, artist agents and other presenting professionals. APAP recommends showcase producers research the types of artists with whom different presenters have worked previously and begin to develop a relationship with these presenters in advance of the conference. Complement your research with targeted mailings, telephone and individual personalized email contact. Develop a promotional plan to ensure your showcase is well attended.

Your promotion plan should include:

• A direct mail or targeted flyer invitation and/or press release to presenters.
• Personalized email announcements (not lots of generic e-blasts).
• Telephone contact with the presenters you feel are your strongest potential venue/programming matches.
• Use of your website and any current online multimedia materials (audio, video, etc.) you have for the artist and artist's work.
• If you are also an exhibitor, promote your booth location with your showcase information and vice versa.

Are there ways for me to promote my Showcases once on-site at APAP|NYC?

If you are an exhibitor, you should have flyers or some promotional material available in your booth. Exhibitors, showcase producers and artists cannot place promotional and advertising materials of any kind in any common area of the hotel or at conference events, workshops and other showcases. No public announcements at any conference activity or showcase can be made about your showcases.

How does APAP assist in publicizing a Showcase?

Arts Presenters helps conference attendees find out about your showcase in the Showcase Listing Book and on the APAP|NYC website in an online showcase directory. The Showcase Listing Book is considered the most authoritative guide to the showcases taking place throughout New York City during the Members Conference. If you decide to showcase without being included in this publication, you risk losing the ability to find the broadest possible audience. Please keep in mind that you must be a current APAP member and a registered conference attendee in order to have your showcases included in the official APAP|NYC Conference Showcase listing and in the online showcase directory.   APAP provides a kiosk onsite at the conference for registered attendees to find out about any late changes to showcases that are listed.

• Showcase Listings: $70 per listing
  Any registered conference attendee may purchase a showcase listing for $70 per listing. APAP promotes showcases in our Showcase Listing Book distributed onsite to registered APAP|NYC attendees and in the online showcase directory.  APAP accepts showcase listings before and through the conference.
• On-site Showcase Listing Book: $1,950
  Along with the online directory, this is the bible of showcase information. Attendees use the book onsite to finalize plans, look for opportunities to see new artists, and make their schedules. It is an excellent opportunity to provide the latest information about your organization's activities and showcase plans.
• Online Advertising: from $950
  Place your ad online on the most-trafficked areas of the APAP|NYC website. Online ads will appear on each page view, providing advertisers with clickable links to their websites. This is a great way to communicate about your artists and their work.
• Tote Bag Advertising: $1,950
  Get your message in the hands of each arriving presenter. Insert a CD, flyer, brochure, water bottle or pen (you cannot advertise a conference showcase).
• Inside Arts Ad Savings for Sponsors
  Extend your conference sponsorship with a year-round presence in front of the thousands of readers for Arts Presenter's premier magazine, Inside Arts.
• Platinum sponsors: enjoy 60% off the rate card
• Gold sponsors: enjoy 50% off the rate card
• Silver sponsors: enjoy 30% off the rate card
• Bronze sponsors: enjoy 20% off the rate card

FOR ALL ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP INQUIRIES CONTACT: John Fernandez, jfernandez@artspresenters.org, (888) 717-2727.