International Society for the Performing Arts

Ann Summers of Ann Summers International encouraged me to attend the pitch sessions of the ISPA
Conference http://www.ispa.org/, held in NYC the same week as the APAP Conference and Chamber  Music America.

Here's what ISPA says about itself:
ISPA is a network of over 350 individuals, organizations and institutions from more than 40 countries around the world.  Members include some of the world's most significant presenting organizations, independent artists, performing arts organizations, artist managers, cultural policy groups, foundations, consultants, and many others who share the desire to advance the field of the performing arts on a global scale.

And it's expensive! Over $1000 if one wants to attend all 3 days. I attended only one day and it was $350.
I'll admit I don't have a whole lot of experience to go on, just one day at ISPA. But something that struck me very much at ISPA: this is a "good old boys club." Everybody knows everybody else. Mind you, this is a world-wide good old boys club, but nevertheless...

The pitch sessions were given in an auditorium, and since the theme of the conference was "The Art of Collaboration" the pitch sessions were indeed about collaboration. Each pitch was limited to 15 minutes and included video footage of a project. Some of the pitches were simply about finding bookings. Others were about finding cash to back the next stage in the project.

They were impressive. These are the artistic establishment, perhaps the avant garde establishment, but still the establishment. None of the projects were being produced in someone's basement. . None of the projects was from an individual artist, all were collectives, high octane collectives. A group fro Vancouver, for instance, had a multi-media project including 3 dimensional images projected on stage, at a cost of $700,000/

Make no mistake about it. This is an opportunity to make high stakes connections around the world. The next ISPA Conference happens in Toronto in June. Ann Summers wants me to pitch the Pocket Madam Butterfly. She's in Italy raising money. I'm keeping my powder dry but I've got my fingers crossed.