Arts Presenters: The past 52 Years

1957 – The Association of College and University Concert Managers (ACUCM) is founded at a meeting in New York. Willard Sistare is elected president. Wilson Paul, Jack Trevithick and C.G. White are elected vice presidents. Fannie Taylor is elected secretary-treasurer. The initial membership is approximately 35 presenters.

1959 – The first exhibitors participate in the annual conference. The first Award of Merit is presented to impresario Sol Hurok.

1966 – Fan Taylor goes to work for the National Endowment for the Arts, but continues to serve as ACUCM's chief administrator.

Field At A Glance: Economic Impact On Arts Presenting

Activity And Attendance Stabilize While Fundraising Is A Concern

Arts Presenters' latest tracking survey* of presenting organizations and performing arts facilities examined the continuing impact of the economic downturn on the field of arts presenting during the month of February 2009. The scope, focus and breadth of this survey explored the economic impact on activity, ticket sales and fundraising among 'presenter' members of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters. The response pool for the recent survey includes 173 member organizations, of which 141 member organizations are presenters with their own facilities. Our members and the wider field are concerned with the overall impact the current economic shift has on the performing arts field's operating environment and the increase in the difficulty of resolving many of the challenges presenting organizations had already been facing on the whole. These challenges include audience erosion, organizational sustainability and capacity building, adaption of multi-media and new technologies and leadership development. *AMS Planning and Research (Fairfield, CT) conducted this survey.