The Association of Performing Arts Professionals conference, affectionately known as APAP, annually floods the midtown Hilton for a weekend in January. Anyone who has participated in the conference knows it’s an exhausting tornado of chit chat, business cards and handshakes. Privately, fingers are crossed on all sides. Artists hope that the expensive endeavor of purchasing time and space will result in a season of bookings that allows them to do what they do best: perform. Agents work tirelessly to promote the artists on their roster, and presenters hope they find just the right shows to pack houses and please audiences. Despite the corporate hustle, it’s all done in the name of the beautiful human to human exchange of live art.

Photo by Christy Kissick for APAP A nice perk of the pre-conference days are free panel discussions and informational sessions. I attended a panel titled Are you Ready for an Age...