About OAPN

Click here to read OAPN's Strategic Plan for 2011-2013

Mission

In the conviction that live performances, by celebrating and nurturing the human spirit, are vital to the quality of life, our mission is to promote a network of performing arts providers to improve the quality and presentation of the performing arts in Ohio.

Purpose

Our purpose is to provide programs and services that strengthen the quality and scope of the performing arts in Ohio. We serve our membership which includes presenters (organizations that engage performing artists), as well as artists, management agencies, and service organizations.

Currently our membership includes presenters consisting of theaters, community arts councils, parks and recreation commissions, libraries, museums, universities, and schools. Our artist membership and artist management membership represent the fields of dance, music, family entertainment, and theatre.

Membership in OAPN offers easy access to a variety of services and substantial discounts on conference fees, workshops and advertising in our publications. In addition, we partner with many other state-wide arts organizations, such as Ohio Arts Council and Ohio Citizens for the Arts, on other programs and services.

History

Founded in 1960, OAPN is a professional association that provides a forum for developing business relationships, partnerships, and cooperative ventures among organizations that present arts and entertainment programming as well as performers, arts service organizations, and artist management agencies doing business in Ohio and nearby states.

Highlights

1. OAPN is a non-profit, 501(c) 3 organization.
2. OAPN was formed in 1960 by a group of university-based arts administrators.
3. We were incorporated in 1980 as Ohio Regional Association of Concert and Lecture Enterprises (ORACLE).
4. At our October 1991 Annual Meeting, the membership voted to change the organization’s name to Ohio Arts Presenters Network (OAPN).
5. Also at our October 1991 Annual Meeting, the membership voted to include artists and managements as full members with voting rights. Prior to this only presenters had these rights.
6. Our annual Showcase Conference began in 1988.
7. In 1992 OAPN began working in partnership with the Ohio Arts Council in the coordination of the Dance on Tour project, which was funded through FY2003.
8. During FY2000-08 we worked in partnership with the Ohio Arts Council on the Faith-Based Institution tour, currently known as IMPACT (International Music and Performing Arts in Communities Tour).
9. In 2001 we developed our website: www.oapn.org. A re-design was done in 2010.
10. In 2010 we will celebrate our 50th year anniversary as an organization and hold the 23rd Annual Showcase Conference in Columbus.