HOLDEN & ARTS ASSOCIATES
SHARING STORIES AND CREATING PARTNERSHIPS SINCE 1983
Looking to meet up up a booking conference?
We're planning on attending:
Western Arts Alliance (WAA) in Oakland, CA, Sept. 8-11, 2025 - booth #311
Midwest Arts Xpo (MAX) in Milwaukee, WI, Sept. 22-25, 2026 - booth #230
Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) in NYC, NY, Jan. 15-19, 2027 - booth #TBA
TYA/USA Festival and Conference in Minneapolis, MN, May 2027
Contact us soon to schedule an appointment at the conference
or drop by our booth during Exhibit Hall Hours.
Please also take note of the following events and showcases, featuring some of our wonderful artists and staff, as well as other Youth & Family conference programming and professional development that you should know about.
Western Arts Alliance (WAA) in Oakland, CA,
Sept. 8-11, 2025 - booth #311
ONE BIG FAMILY
from Uncle Jumbo
Pitch during the Youth & Family Showcase
Wednesday Sept. 9 at 4-5:40pm (exact pitch time TBA!)
Grammy-nominee Uncle Jumbo layers heartfelt lyrics with messages of positivity that inspire young minds to dream big and chase their passions. His family concerts and student matinee performances include hits from his Touch the Sky and Garden Groove albums, as well as the new hit single 7 Days of the Week Dance! His music draws on rhythms and melodies that merge soul, funk, R&B, and more, with uplifting songs and dance-alongs that focus on connection, kindness and wellbeing. Find more information on the production here.
CRITICAL ISSUES AND APPROACHES IN YOUTH & FAMILY PERFORMANCE
Part of WAA's Youth & Family Circle
Thursday Sept. 10 at 10:30-11:45am
Youth and Family programming has unique audience considerations and a complex ecosystem of gatekeepers and stakeholders, and there isn’t often time or opportunity at the conferences for all the conversations we might want to happen. This forum will be structured with an opening panel of “Voices from the Field” who will share stories to inspire and provoke conversation, and then attendees will break into small group round tables around critical issues and “Nuts and Bolts” questions. There will be time for sharing out with the larger group and time for switching tables so that the attendees can engage in multiple conversations and have different take-aways from each. HAA Co-Director Spring Karlo will moderate this session and is also Co-Chair of WAA's Youth & Family circle along with Ruth Juliet Wikler, Clark College Foundation, and Makaveli Gresham, WAA.
WAA's Youth & Family Circle initiative includes: a White Paper (published in print and online); Before the Circle Online Session (July 8); two at-conference professional development sessions: Risk and Impact in Performing Arts for Young And Multigenerational Audiences and Critical Issues and Approaches in Youth & Family Performance; as well as a designated Juried Showcase with four performance spotlights and three project pitches. For more information and details on the schedule, please visit WAA's website here.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A PROBLEM?
from Inlet Dance Theatre of Cleveland, OH
Pitch during the Youth & Family Showcase
Thursday Sept. 24 at 10:15-11:45am
A dance theatre adaptation of the #1 New York Times bestseller by Kobi Yamada, What Do You Do With a Problem?—a powerful story for all ages about a child facing a persistent problem. At first, the problem feels overwhelming, growing larger the more it’s ignored. But when the child bravely confronts it, the problem reveals unexpected possibilities. This moving production invites audiences to see challenges in a new light—reminding us that within every problem may lie a hidden opportunity… and a chance to discover something meaningful about ourselves.
Please check out the other Youth & Family showcases and pitches during MAX's YOUTH & FAMILY SYMPOSIUM & SHOWCASE:
