IPAY

Showcase and Spotlight Selection Process

The respect that I received from IPAY, demonstrated early on through a cheerful willingness to address any problem, left me feeling welcome, important, and confident. The cocktail parties, mixers, buffets, and other meetings open to ALL participants, not only represented a profound return-on-investment, but also proved invaluable professional networking opportunities. Over twenty-two years of touring I have exhibited at APAP some fifteen times, six times in Frieburg, Germany, at WAA, Arts Midwest, SAE and at many other regional presenting conferences. IPAY vastly surpasses all the others in creating a nurturing, morale-building environment. IPAY's policy of presenting a limited number of hour-long, fully teched showcases further illustrates a general respect for artists and their projects."
—Andy Horowitz, President & Director/Performer, Galumpha

Nightswimming, Canada, Showcase 2009 Performer

The Selection process adopted by IPAY (International Performing Arts for Youth), while subjective, is founded on a desire to create an equitable balance for the showcasing and presentation of professional programming for young audiences that reflects the needs of presenters, agents, artists and educators.

Through an extensive review process, the IPAY selection committee, comprised of leaders in the field of family programming, is charged with honing the field of Showcase applicants to a size manageable and practical for the presenting host. During this two-day process the aim is to create a programming balance of international arts disciplines reflecting diversity in age range, performing arts genres, trends, and audience draw—with a common denominator of high artistic standards. Shaping a forum for the range of national and international work that is being created in this field at the time, and focusing on quality work that is appropriate for a variety of venues and markets, is crucial.

If a work is not selected for Showcase, the artist (or applicant) will be automatically entered into a lottery for a chance to perform a 10-minute, low-tech excerpt of the show called a "Spotlight."

There are generally 5-6 Spotlight sessions scheduled during Showcase, each with 4 slots, for a total of 20-24 total Spotlight opportunities. Spotlight sessions are scheduled in both the morning and evening and all sessions have historically drawn high attendance and interest.

Spotlights will be chosen or offered as follows:

  1. One 15-minute slot per Spotlight will be held and offered to the organization or company that sponsors* that Spotlight. These artists or their sponsoring managers or agents do not need to apply to Showcase in order to perform during the spotlight session.

  2. Three 10-minute slots per Spotlight will be drawn by lottery (selected at random) by the Selection Committee Chair. Artists will be drawn via lottery from the applications received for Showcase based on how far the applicant made it through the jury process. Artists will be drawn in the following order:
    1. Spotlights will be drawn from the applicants who were selected as alternates by the Selection Committee.
    2. Spotlights will be drawn from those applicants who were moved forward to Day 2 by the Selection Committee.
    3. Spotlights will be drawn from all remaining applicants.

The Selection Committee Chair and the IPAY Production Manager will work together to schedule the Spotlights.

*To find out more information about sponsoring a spotlight session at Showcase, contact Jane Stojak, IPAY General Manager at 267.690.1325.

Want to save $75 on your artist application? Become an IPAY member and join our growing community of nearly 300 presenters, performers, and agents in the field of performing arts for youth who use the services IPAY provides year round! Memberships begin at $100 for Organizations.

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