Becoming a presenter for the first time can be daunting. Where can I find the best artists for my community? How do I apply my marketing and management skills to a new position? How do I negotiate contracts to be fair to my organization and the artist? Who can I call for advice?

Launchpad is designed to provide a year-long support system to professionals who are new to the performing arts presenting field in our nine-state region. This new program of South Arts offers professional development, mentorship, and a travel subsidy for participation at the 2017 Performing Arts Exchange in Atlanta, GA. In addition, there is an opportunity to receive funding to join your statewide presenters’ network and to support artist fees for presenting one of our 2017 juried showcase artists. Up to ten presenters will be selected in the second cohort.

The goals of this pilot are:

Provide professional development for new presenting professionals
Share resources for identifying high-quality artists
Support learning through a peer network group and individual mentoring
Selected applicants will receive:

Travel subsidy for attending the 2017 Performing Arts Exchange (PAE), September 25-28, 2017 in Atlanta, GA (up to $1,000)
Presenting grant to book a 2017 PAE juried showcase artist for the 2018-2019 season (up to $2,500)
Support for statewide presenters’ network annual dues/fees (up to $200)
Connection to a mentor
Applicants are encouraged to contact Nikki Estes, Program Director, at 404-874-7244 ext. 16 to discuss eligibility prior to submitting an application.