PRESS RELEASE — Western Arts Alliance Launches International Video Showcase Opportunity For US-Based Artists
Portland, OR – November 15, 2021 – Applications for the Performing Arts Discovery (PAD) program — an international video showcase opportunity for US-based performing artists — opened today. PAD will accept applications through January 7, 2022, at 5:00 pm Pacific Time.
Western Arts Alliance (WAA) manages the PAD program in partnership with the six US Regional Arts Organizations (RAOs) and the National Endowment for the Arts. The ROAs appointed a national panel of arts professionals to review the applications.
All US-based performing artists with readiness to tour internationally are eligible for the program. PAD encourages those who self-identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and/or LGBTQ+ to apply. The panel will select twenty artists/ensembles in this phase of the program. WAA will notify artists chosen by March 4, 2022.
The selected artists/ensembles will work remotely with the PAD team to develop professionally produced, live performance videos for international markets.
The Performing Arts Discovery program — launched in 2015 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) — kindles international relationships among performing arts professionals and promotes US artists for international touring.
In pre-pandemic years, PAD brought international programmers and festival directors to the Arts Midwest, Performing Arts Exchange, and Western Arts Alliance conferences. The virtual format, introduced this year, ensures the program’s continuation during COVID-19 and provides US artists with the resources and relationships to support international touring once travel is restored.
WAA’s Executive Director, Tim Wilson, said, “At a time when international travel is so restricted, and funds are so tight, the PAD program’s video showcase will keep US artists in front of international programmers, festival directors, and venue managers.”
The Performing Arts Discovery Program is made possible by a grant from the NEA in partnership with WESTAF, South Arts, Arts Midwest, New England Foundation for the Arts, Mid Atlantic Arts, and Mid-America Arts Alliance.
Full details on the program, including application and eligibility requirements, are available at westarts.org/pad-2021
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Phase 1 PAD artist selection took place in July 2021. Ten artists were selected to showcase virtually at the 2021 Western Arts Alliance and Arts Midwest conferences.
Under phase 2, an additional 20 artists/ensembles will be selected for additional showcase opportunities.
All 30 groups will be featured on a dedicated platform and included in selected international online showcases.