PAMC:
THE GOLD STANDARD & ITS SILVER ANNIVERSARY
Education and networking remain staples for a performing arts group that has experienced success through the years. By Kelly Pedone
together a professional conference in Chicago that attracted fewer than 100 people. Workshop presenters were recruited among the at- tendees. The budget was close to nothing. Sponsors could be counted on one hand. Today the Performing Arts Managers Conference (PAMC) is one
of the more vibrant professional development conferences under the IAVM umbrella. “We were craving for something like this and the conference just
Centers for the Arts. “It gave us a voice in IAVM that we never had.” Williams was one of the founding members of PAMC and will return to where it all started February 27 through March 1 in the Windy City. attend. PAMC has developed credibility over its 25-year history, not only among the people who work in the performing arts sector, but also among industry experts, allied partners, and sponsors, Williams says. Prior to PAMC, managers attended the general facility manager conferences and sat among professionals who operate large arenas, stadiums, and convention centers. While there was always valuable information at those meetings, there is a greater sense of understand- ing when you are among like-minded professionals who experience the same unique situations and challenges within the performing arts community, she says. “We are a relatively small group of people,” she says of performing
26 Facility Manager Magazine
arts managers. “When we were at the larger conferences we found and grabbed each other to talk about the issues we were experiencing. We developed a strong network of colleagues. We are a very collaborative group by nature, so once PAMC started it was nice to sit across from a table with someone who could relate directly to you.” Performing arts centers are unique from other venues because they
stadiums. Their mission today tends to be more community driven, Williams says. Finding new sources of revenue, keeping buildings sus- tainable, and creating programs that attract a diverse community are issues that all performing arts managers like to discuss with each other. “We no longer look at ourselves as this ‘high-brow’ segment in the
community as we had done traditionally,” Williams says. “We are try- ing to be part of the community’s fabric and not come across as some exclusive club. That’s a little bit of a mind shift for some of our col- leagues so being able to network within our industry is essential.” Over the course of the conference, attendees can choose from vari-
ous workshops ranging in topics from ethics to the handling of service animals that accompany guests. Security, concessions, front-of-house, and innovations in stage lighting are other workshop sessions planned this year. - cluding the historic Auditorium Theater at Roosevelt University, the Harris Theater at Millennium Park, and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater at the Navy Pier. A black-and-white gala reception is also planned to give attendees an opportunity to network with one another.
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