The TN Arts Commission at South Arts’ Performing Arts Exchange

From Jared Morrison, Director of Performing Arts —

A few weeks ago I represented the Tennessee Arts Commission at South Arts’ Performing Arts Exchange (PAE) in Baltimore. PAE is the annual booking, showcasing and professional development conference for performing artists presenting and touring in our region.

Tennessee was well represented at the conference with presenter and agent colleagues from Memphis to Knoxville. They participated in showcases of live performances, networking and hospitality events to find just the right performances to bring back to their communities.

Meanwhile, my cohorts from South Arts’ other member states – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina – and I discussed ways that state arts agencies can better support the artists, agencies and presenters in our states. There were many questions about the Commission’s Individual Artist Fellowship and Touring Grant initiatives, both of which are considered models in the industry. There were also lively and important discussions on ways to increase accessibility for audiences and artists alike.

Opportunities such as this, in which creatives convene, share and challenge one another truly help strengthen the Commission’s ability to better serve constituents and bring wonderful performances to diverse audiences across our state. If you’d like to know more about Tennessee’s commitment to performing arts and presenting or opportunities for support, I’d love to hear from you.