9 AM  – I’m sitting here in a PAE workshop about small operations. This is supposed to be a group discussion, but we have a strong leader w/ obvious background in higher ed who is enjoying giving us a play-by-play account of the previous year’s conference. It’s been 20 minutes and he keeps talking about letting each of us introduce ourselves; I hope it’s soon!

9:24 -  I just introduced myself.  Yay me.

9:30 – Cheri Clark from Enterprise/Coffee County Arts Alliance is here;  2 Alabama folks in the same workshop.  She’s funny…and telling about booking a dance troupe that couldn’t keep  their clothes on.  Small world.

9:45 -  Moderator is talking about screening performing acts for healthcare venues.   In summary, find someone who survived prognosis X, put call the media and get some press, then have them at your venue.

“Wanted – performer who is a breast cancer survivor for 300 seat venue.  Send demo / EPK to _____  .”

Huh?

9:50  – Still  introducing folks.   This guy one venue guy is offering an orchestra a “Ticket-split” and gets 4 shows a year without any monetary outlay.  Amazing.  He’s trying to “raise the bar” in his community above the ordinary “All-female Big truck mud wrestling shows” that his community seems to prefer.

10 AM –Now we’re talking about “performance accreditation” and QEP documentation for venues linked to universities.  Will adminis-trivia never cease?  Can’t we talk about the real world?

10:05 – This guy is doing a one-man show about being stranded for 4 days in an airport after the 9/11 Terrorist Attack.  He says it’s a comedy.  Is this a good thing?

10:07 – This presenter from Sarasota tells us that location is everything.  His venue is located INSIDE A GATED RETIREMENT COMMUNITY!!!    He has about 300 seats, does 35 shows, and co produces as much as he can with another venue close by.   Very cool.

10:10 – One venue is holding a dance festival very successfully.  I’ve never been to a dance festival.  5 troupes perform an evening w/ masterclasses during the day.  Last year, they started a gospel choir festival during MLK week.   Wow!  That’s cool.

10:15 – An agent is in the room that actually wrote a grant for a presenter to get one of her groups in his venue.  Is that a good thing?  She’s selling us on the importance of having a great relationship with an agent who will “look out for our best interests”.  Hmmm…

10:30   – Ticket splits…seems to be a trendy thing.  Promoting using public radio is another trendy thing.

10:35 – Finally, we’re “talking”   Why couldn’t we have been doing this all along?