High Point, N.C., — On Nov. 9-11, the ArtsMarket Performing Arts Conference will bring performing arts industry professionals from the U.S. and Canada to High Point, N.C. for a three-day intensive schedule filled with live stage performances, trade show exhibit hall sessions, professional development sessions and networking opportunities during ArtsMarket 2009.

Conference delegates will attend more than 10 hours of 15-minute showcase performances on stage at High Point Theatre. Close to 150 managers and agents, representing virtually every genre of touring performing arts, will be on hand in the Showplace exhibit hall.

Especially in today’s economic climate, ArtsMarket presents a cost-effective way for North Carolina performing arts presenters and presenters from neighboring states to be introduced to professional touring artists selected through a juried national selection process to perform during the showcases. Many performing arts venues throughout the country use such conferences to gather information about artists they wish to consider for appearances in upcoming seasons at their respective locales.

This year’s showcase line-up presents a variety of performing arts styles, including dance, comedy, theatre, and music representing genres including Bluegrass, Broadway, jazz, classical, singer-songwriters and more.

Delivering this year’s keynote address for ArtsMarket is acclaimed singer and composer Janis Ian, whose 1975 hit “At Seventeen,” written while she was a teenager, earned her the most Grammy Award nominations ever received by a single artist at that time. She was the first musical guest ever to appear on “Saturday Night Live.” Ian has since enjoyed a distinguished career, having recorded more than two-dozen albums with sales achieving platinum status in many countries of the world, and having seen her original songs recorded by more than 150 artists. Ian’s acclaimed autobiography “Society’s Child: My Autobiography” was released in 2008.

“Here’s how I look at it now,” she comments in the ArtsMarket program book. “Most things don’t matter as much as you think they do… When it comes down to basics, any day you’re vertical is a good day.”

Conference guests also include Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. of FTM Arts Law, a division of Fettman, Tolchin & Majors, PC in Fairfax, VA and New York City who will lead a workshop on issues dealing with copyright, licensing, taxation and artist immigration.

NC Secretary of Cultural Resources Linda Carlisle, NC Sen. Linda Garrou and NC Rep. Becky Carney and Rep. Susan Fisher will participate in an Arts Town Hall Meeting facilitated by ARTS North Carolina, the state’s arts advocacy organization.

ArtsMarket events are not open to the public, although arts presenters, educators and representatives of other not-for-profit arts organizations may register to attend the conference as official delegates.

For further information, visit ArtsMarket online. The ArtsMarket conference is officially co-hosted by the North Carolina Arts Council and NC Presenters Consortium.

– From Pinecone