The annual
Association of Performing Arts Professionals
conference descended upon New York City this weekend.?
And friends, despite my?deep desire?to stay home and crack open a new novel in my pajamas...?
...I put on actual pants and hopped around from hotel ballroom to black box theater to major stage to rehearsal studio to mingle with my colleagues in the dance world.
Here's what I'm taking away from the experience:?
- All hail, the buddy system!?I went to many events with two of my consulting colleagues,
Erin Donohue
&
Mariclare Hulbert
, which allowed us to: introduce each other to new people, brag about each other warmly and easily, reflect on events to gain new perspectives, and remind ourselves to eat and take breaks.?
- In-person connection is deeply meaningful!?My firm works remotely with all of our clients. We have been Zooming since pre-pandemic, collaborating across cities for years. But there is always a little magic in seeing our clients in person. (Hi again,
Leela Dance Collective
,
Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
& KINETIC LIGHT!!) It was very special to connect with artists we've worked with in the lobby of the theater, or arts administrators who support our strategies on the escalator to the presentation...
- Small talk is significant!?This one is always tough for me to remember. I'm someone who finds comfort in the depths — but when you only have five minutes before curtain, you have to hang in the shallow end. During the conference, I must have chatted briefly with two dozen folks in the performing arts field, and even when we didn't cover much ground, I still took in their good energy and remembered their devotion to their work. Now, if I want to dive deeper, those warm feelings provide an opportunity to reach out and do so. (You all can message me, too!)
- Dance, for me, continues to be a metaphor!?I was lucky to witness a showing of movement material very much in-progress and currently unshaped for performance. It reminded me how precious it is to make room and time for?trying and?iterating?and?seeing.?I often speak about how marketing is a series of experiments. You have to do/act to learn what works. This means you can't be a great marketer and a staunch perfectionist. I feel the same way about choreography and art.?
Am I exhausted still, two days later? YES.
Am I filled with a renewed love of dance and new/renewed connections in a field I'm passionate about serving with our marketing support? ALSO, YES.
What a rich experience filled with people I admire and enjoy.?
Arts marketing has always been a big part of what
Amy Jacobus Marketing
offers the world:?
