Carolina Theatre to host regional arts conference

Carolina Theatre to Host Regional Arts Conference
Three Days in Durham, Forty Performance Showcases, Hundreds of Arts Professionals in the Marketplace

DURHAM –  Plans continue to move forward as downtown Durham prepares to welcome hundreds of arts professionals from across the nation for the biennial ArtsMarket performing arts showcase conference to be hosted by the historic Carolina Theatre Nov 7-9, 2011.  ArtsMarket is a regional performing arts showcase and booking conference co-produced by the NC Arts Council and North Carolina Presenters Consortium.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to show Downtown Durham to the performing arts community throughout the Southeast and for the Carolina Theatre to show itself to the industry nationwide,” said Bob Nocek, Carolina Theatre President/CEO.  “I’m honored that we were invited to host the conference. I think it’s a great fit for Downtown Durham.”

Since 2000, North Carolina Presenters Consortium has partnered with the North Carolina Arts Council to produce the ArtsMarket event which features live stage performances, trade show exhibit hall sessions, professional development workshops and networking opportunities for performing arts professionals.
A total of 200 performing arts companies from across North America submitted applications for the 40 jury-selected showcase performances to be presented during the event.  The city-owned Carolina Theatre complex will host all the artist showcases, while the adjacent Durham Convention Center will house the trade show exhibit hall. The event is expected to fill over 500 room nights at the Marriott Durham City Center and utilize all public space in the Durham Convention Center.

“In our minds, Durham is the ideal host city for this event – due not only to Durham’s vibrant downtown but equally for the remarkably convenient configuration of the theatre, convention center and hotel,” said Stephen Barefoot, co-chair of ArtsMarket and Executive Director of the North Carolina Presenters Consortium. “ArtsMarket will prove a spectacular showcase to put the City of Durham front and center in front of hundreds of performing arts administrators, professional touring artists, arts agencies, and management firms from throughout the country.”

While the conference was initially created to be an opportunity for mid-sized to small performing arts presenters who often can’t afford to attend national or larger regional conferences, it has since grown to attract presenters from a broad variety of venues from 25 states and Canada.

“The ArtsMarket booking conference continues to grow in size and quality, attracting more and more performing arts professionals from around the nation.  We are thrilled that the conference is moving to at city that has such a vital performing arts scene.  Durham will be the perfect host city for ArtsMarket 2011,” states Vicki Vitiello, Senior Program Director at the N.C. Arts Council, one of the sponsoring agencies of the conference.

ArtMarket events are not open to the public, although arts presenters, educators and representatives of other not-for-profit arts organizations may register to attend the conference as official delegates.

For ArtsMarket’s Monday night kick-off, Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) will host the conference opening reception where North Carolina’s own Red Clay Ramblers will perform for the visiting guests. Delegates will then assemble in the Carolina Theatre’s Fletcher Hall for welcoming remarks and the keynote showcase performance by Adam Growe, comedian host of Canada’s “Cash Cab” TV series.

Official “Circle of Welcome” underwriting sponsors for ArtsMarket 2011 include:

Audio & Light, Greensboro, NC
Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham, NC
1st Mark Artists, New York, NY
Admire Entertainment, Palisades, NY
Alkahest Artists & Attractions, Chattanooga, TN
Baylin Artists Management, Doylestown, PA
Capitol Broadcasting Co., Raleigh-Durham, NC
Connie & Monte Moses Fund for the Arts of the
Triangle Community Foundation, Durham, NC
Diamondfield Entertainment, Toronto, Ontario
Durham Marriott City Center, Durham, NC
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, Durham, NC
Gardner Arts Network, New York, NY
Larry Weaver Entertainment, Durham, NC
Loyd Artists, Asheville, NC
Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, Durham, NC
Mixter Consulting Services, Greenville, SC
Our State Magazine, Greensboro, NC
SeaSoundStudio Entertainment, Raleigh, NC
Skyline Music, Whitefield, NH
Sweetwood Productions, Austin, TX
TG2 Artists, Carrboro, NC
The Brad Simon Organization, New York, NY
The Roots Agency, Westwood, NJ

For information, visit http://Visit NCPresenters