Attend Arts Events Regularly:
- Scout out artists at festivals, exhibitions, performances, and other events.
Tie Into the Network:
- Get recommendations from other programmers.
- Ask artists for recommendations.
- Talk to curators, folklorists, and experts in your region or state
- Ask staff of the Texas Commission on the Arts, Texas Council on Humanities, Texas Historical Commission, etc.
- Contact your local arts agency, statewide assembly of local arts agencies, or other regional arts service organizations.
- Explore the talents of local college or university faculty or students through art departments, outreach programs, and speaker bureaus.
- Join state, regional and/or national service organizations that represent your interests, such as the Southwest Performing Arts Presenters, Texas Association of Museums, Southwest Alternate Media Project, Texas Folklife Resources, Arthouse, Texas Photographic Society, Dance Umbrella, Association of Performing Arts Presenter, Theater Communications Group, or National Association of Artist Organizations.
- Attend booking conferences, film screenings at festivals, studio tours, etc.
Identify Sources of Artist Lists:
- Artist agencies and representatives
- State arts councils (applicants and recipients of fellowships, project and artist residency grants; council mailing lists, slide registries)
- Regional arts organizations, including New England Foundation for the Arts, Southern Arts Federation, Arts Midwest, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Western States Arts Federation, sources of performing arts touring rosters, touring exhibitions
- Artist organizations (contact the National Association of Artist Organizations, Washington DC, for its directory)
- Association of Performing Arts Presenters
- Young Audiences
- Affiliate Artists
- Local or regional libraries
Find traditional or community-based artists:
- Churches
- Local libraries
- Music stores
- Local newspaper, radio, or television
- Ethnic clubs, associations
- Senior citizen clubs, homes
- Civic organizations
Adapted from
Arts Extension Service Fundamentals of Local Arts Management
