The WAA dogs, Buster and Emma

Western Arts Alliance (WAA) is a membership association of touring and performing arts professionals engaged in promoting and presenting performing arts throughout the western states and provinces. serving members since 1967, WAA's annual booking conference and its year-round programs are essential for artists, artist managers, presenters, and other performing arts professionals in the west. More than 680 artists, managers, presenters, arts service organizations, and state arts agencies know WAA as a trusted and vital resource.

History
WAA was first established as the Alliance of Western Colleges for Cultural Presentations in 1967 by presenters, located largely in California, concerned about the difficulty of scheduling artists’ tours in the western states. Twenty-six people attended the first booking conference that year in Los Angeles. In 1974, the name of the organization was changed to the Western Alliance of Arts Administrators.

In 1991, The WAA offices moved to San Francisco, California. A two-year strategic planning process was completed and a plan approved seeking to increase WAA’s cultural diversity, improve communication and advocacy, and strengthen the professional development program. In 1998, the trade name of the association was changed to Western Arts Alliance. In 2004, the WAA offices moved to Portland, OR.

Today, the association has 700 members, and over 1,000 people participate at the annual conference, with over 200 artists, managers, and agents exhibiting.