A tree grows in January (from International Arts Manager Magazine - December 2024)

By Lisa Richards Toney, President and CEO, APAP

If you’ve read any of my earlier columns, you’ll know that I often discuss sustainability in the performing arts—how to achieve it and why it’s more critical now than ever. There are several strategies to achieve this goal, but one of the most powerful can be found within us: partnerships.

Since it’s APAP conference time, I want to highlight one example of which I am most proud.

January in New York

Being in New York City in January brings a unique, undeniable energy that erupts from the performing arts unfolding all around you. While New York is already an arts epicentre, in January the performing arts truly dominate the city. But it wasn’t always like this.

January in New York was once a quiet, cold, post-holiday slumber after the city’s famous New Year’s Eve ball drop. In fact, this lull is precisely why APAP moved its conference from December to January many years ago. And hotels were cheaper!

By moving to January, APAP sparked a ripple effect. Over the years, other festivals and industry gatherings adjusted their schedules to align with the influx of arts professionals flocking to New York. While APAP wasn’t the first such gathering, it has proven to be the most enduring.

And so, the seeds were planted.

A partnership is born

Following APAP|NYC’s lead, events like globalFEST (founded in 2003), New York Winter Jazzfest (2005) and Under the Radar Festival (2006) soon emerged. Other events quickly followed. Over time, this phenomenon developed organically, much like roots breaking through cracks in an asphalt jungle.

Now, in January 2025, we celebrate 12 years of JanArtsNYC—a collection of events that bring vibrancy to the winter season.

Many festival organisers and industry leaders involved in the JanArtsNYC collective are APAP members. APAP provided fertile ground for their growth, fueled by the energy of conference attendees. This energy has been vital for their success.

As the largest service organisation in the presenting, booking and touring industry, APAP takes great pride in being the roots from which so much artistic innovation has sprung. We are also grateful for the support JanArtsNYC receives from the New York Mayor’s Office.

Strength in Numbers

APAP is at the core of a much larger organism—an ecosystem rooted in our collective efforts. By growing together, we’ve grown stronger.

Consider the myriad benefits of this shared strength: enhanced creative collaboration, more efficient use of resources, stronger community engagement, expanded educational opportunities, greater funding and increased adaptability. If all this emerged from APAP and continues to grow, then we truly are vital—a sustainer of the sector.

Symbiosis

Many festival organisers have grown through their connections to APAP, benefiting from the conference’s professional development opportunities and extensive industry networks. In turn, APAP has also flourished from their presence, innovation and reach.

We’ve grown together. Like the giant sequoias, our growth is interdependent. The presence of other “trees” in our family—our APAP members and the independent showcases they produce—sustains us. Over the years, this ecosystem has expanded into a thriving forest, one that includes tens of thousands of arts professionals and enthusiasts. Together, we form a network that is integral to our collective sustainability.

From this phenomenon, I am reminded of the power of giving, of mutual support and of our symbiotic relationship. Like a proud tree family, we fuel one another and create space for the next generation to thrive.

We’ve grown together. Like the giant sequoias, our growth is interdependent. The presence of other “trees” in our family—our APAP members and the independent showcases they produce—sustains us. Over the years, this ecosystem has expanded into a thriving forest, one that includes tens of thousands of arts professionals and enthusiasts. Together, we form a network that is integral to our collective sustainability.

New beginnings: An invitation

The transition from one year to the next is a time to open ourselves to new possibilities. I hope the story of the JanArtsNYC partnership and its collective growth inspires you as you embark on your own new year, whether with us at the APAP conference in New York or elsewhere in the world.

What have we learned from JanArtsNYC?

• That the most enduring growth is organic. The strongest partnerships start with connections and the most fruitful opportunities are within our reach and sometimes within ourselves.
• Look for the buds. Nurture them. Provide them space to grow.
• The symbiosis, the give and take, ensures that we get what we need to flourish.

I’ll end with an invitation and a challenge: Lean into this new beginning. Seek growth opportunities through giving and collaboration. Be open, with fresh eyes and to the seeds you might discover. They are both the gifts you create and those which you offer.

For more information about JanArtsNYC, visit janartsnyc.org. The APAP|NYC Conference takes place from 10 to 14 January 2025 in New York City. You can preview the schedule here.