About Us

Holden & Arts Associates is a booking and management company serving performing artists and performing arts presenters. Founded in 1983 by Michael and Theresa Holden, HAA's clients and projects are national and international in scope. Each year, working with presenters like you, we arrange performances by exceptional theater, dance, and musical companies.

We are proud to welcome two new Arts Associates, Lynn Fisher and Spring Karlo, who bring their experience, enthusiasm and passion for the performing arts to our team. We know you will enjoy working with them.

Our artistic partners, among the leaders in their genres, represent a breadth of cultural experience and aesthetic approach. Each creates work with a unique and authentic voice, developed from distinct experience, radiant technique, and a passionate sense of place and purpose.

Our presenting partners are among the leaders and risk takers in the field and in their communities. Many undertake projects that explore the power of diverse audiences and educational programming for both young and adult participants.

Through the exceptional work of our entire staff, we seek, connect and support artistic and presenting partners for innovative and artistically excellent projects: shared stories that illuminate meaningful and challenging perspectives and have the power to create change. We hope you partner with us this year in sharing these stories with your audiences.

Please visit the Consultancy and Residencies page for information about our other services.

Our Message

Theater is a place and a moment that holds the culmination of the relationships that go into its creation. Performances themselves are the embodiment of interaction between playwrights, producers, directors, designers, actors, stage managers, technicians, marketers, agents, presenters, bus drivers, box office staff, house managers, ushers and audiences. Like other things built by humans, the quality of a performance is linked to materials, talent, and skill; but success also depends on trust, accountability, support and mutual respect. Our goal is to challenge, delight and inspire audiences with beautiful and engaging experiences. We and the artists on the road need you and your presenting organization to achieve that goal. Of course none of this is easy. For these relationships to be successful, we need the essential material and financial support you provide, and we also need your knowledge, creativity and supportive presence. When these relationships come together the results can be terrific. As they were for two children from Cleveland whose mother wrote to Australia's Terrapin Theater after seeing a performance of Boats at Playhouse Square. Parts of her letter (quoted here with her permission) follow:

Hello,

I took my kids to Boats Friday night and then Saturday at lunch, my daughter asked me "where are Nicholas and Jof?" and I said to her, oh well, they had to go, do you want me to tell you their story? I began and my son corrected me and said, "that's not how it starts, it starts 'Every sailor's story begins with a song…'" and then I said, oh yes, and continued to try to tell the story. They were so engrossed in the retelling, that I even took out two white cups, two spoons, a red napkin and a piece for yarn to make Okinawa Yukio for them. And I told the story of the play and they were so happy.

Now, one week later, while in the car, my daughter said to me, "Mom, I'm going to tell you a story ok." Of course I said sure. She then started, "Nichols and Jof were sleeping and then …." And she went on nothing so much to do with the Boats tale, but Nicholas and Jof were a launch point.

I loved the tale and performance of Boats as did my children. Their continued curiosity about Nichols and Jof and how to make a storm in a tea cup, and the chicken on the hat and the seagull is wonderful. Their asking me to retell the story (now more than once) has made me remember it. As a mother, the viewing of the play, the retelling of the Boat story and making up our own little puppet will be part of our family story telling and history.

Thank you so much. Your work, innovation, enthusiasm and wonder are appreciated. We will try to see you whenever we can. Please come again and continue the wonderful work.

Sincerely, Kauser S. Razvi

It is a gift that in a world so influenced by violence, self-interest and anger; that our work together is to create relationships & performances that value imagination and bring beauty and positive meaning to all our lives.

—Michael Holden