APAP|NYC 2026

A call to evolve the performing arts industry

With programming models under strain, international touring increasingly complex and artistic risk-taking under scrutiny, the APAP|NYC 2026 Conference arrives at a pivotal moment for the performing arts. Lisa Richards Toney, APAP President and CEO, outlines how this year’s gathering will equip artists, agents and presenters to adapt to shifting realities while renewing their commitment to cross-border collaboration

Why is the 2026 APAP|NYC Conference particularly significant for the sector?

APAP|NYC 2026 comes at a defining moment. We’re not just gathering like we have for nearly seven decades; we’re coming together after years of global, economic and cultural disruption that have permanently changed how the performing arts operate.

The pandemic didn’t just test our resilience; it rewired audience behaviour, economics and expectations. Add to that shifting political landscapes, the rise of AI and digital creation, and a growing generational divide in how people engage with culture, and it’s clear that our field can’t simply return to business as usual.

That’s what makes this year’s theme so urgent. The 2026 conference is a call to come together – literally as a convening, and metaphorically as a movement. It’s about coalescing our efforts across sectors and disciplines to imagine what’s next, to strengthen our shared infrastructure, and to reaffirm the arts as an essential civic force.

When I say, “the arts are infrastructure”, I mean it. We are the connective tissue of civic life and the place where communities test ideas, feel emotions and rediscover belonging. APAP|NYC is where the people who make that possible – artists, agents, presenters, producers, funders and policymakers – align and act together.

What are the key challenges facing the field today?

There’s no denying the headwinds. The funding ecosystem is under pressure, with public and private investment stretched thin and expectations for impact higher than ever. Touring has become more unpredictable. Costs are rising, visas remain complex and climate-conscious travel demands new models.

At the same time, audience patterns are shifting. People are choosing how – and whether – to gather. The cultural conversation is polarised, and institutions are being asked to take stands they’ve never had to articulate before. But I don’t see this as a crisis of collapse; it’s a call to evolve. Our field has always been a mirror for society, and right now society is asking for relevance, courage and connection. That means the arts must meet the moment: listening outward, not just speaking inward.

How do this year’s four programme tracks address these challenges?

We designed four programme tracks that reflect both the needs and the opportunities of this moment:

Arts Advocacy anchors the field in purpose. It’s about finding our collective voice, understanding policy, building local relationships and telling our stories with clarity and conviction. Advocacy isn’t just about lobbying; it’s about listening. It starts in communities and expands outward.

Thriving by Design invites us to move beyond survival towards systems that actually sustain us, rethinking business models, partnerships and infrastructure. It’s the space where innovation meets pragmatism, where ideas are tested against the realities of running an organisation in 2026.

The Art of Belonging focuses on people. It challenges us to cultivate cultures of inclusion, care and access not as buzzwords, but as daily practices. Belonging is what keeps the tent open and the field alive.

Creative Edge: Embracing Technology helps us step into the digital frontier with confidence. Technology isn’t replacing artistry; it’s expanding it. Whether through AI-assisted creation, hybrid presentation or new tools for audience engagement, the goal is to empower creativity while keeping the human at the centre.

Together, these tracks reframe our challenges as opportunities to advocate, adapt, include and innovate.

Touring has become more complex and uncertain. How is the conference helping organisations adapt?

Touring has always been the lifeblood of our field; it’s how artists reach audiences and how communities connect with and through the arts. But the logistics have changed. Costs, visas, labour and travel sustainability are pressing concerns.

At APAP|NYC, we’re tackling this head-on. Our EXPO, which is the world’s largest performing arts marketplace, remains a critical hub where touring artists and presenters connect face to face. Our strategy and resource sessions go beyond booking. They explore sustainable touring models, collective touring routes and co-production partnerships that share risk and reward.

We’re also bringing international exchange and artist mobility issues. Our members have faced visa delays and policy uncertainty for years, and we’re advocating for better systems while helping the field adapt in real time. Touring may look different now, but the desire to reach across countries and borders remains unchanged.

How are you supporting newcomers and early-career professionals?

Every generation needs its entry point. At APAP, we take that seriously. The APAP|NYC Orientation is designed to make newcomers feel seen, supported and connected from day one. The 30 early-career professionals who will participate in APAP’s Emerging Leadership Institute in 2026 join more than 500 alumni whose professional trajectories were shaped by APAP.

We also recognise that mentorship opportunities and networking sessions are essential. As we do every year, we connect seasoned leaders with those new to APAP to co-create strategies, not just share advice.

Early-career professionals bring fresh eyes and urgency to questions of equity, technology and sustainability. Our job is to give them a platform to lead.

What role do diversity, inclusion and belonging play across the programme, especially now?

In a time when polarisation is deepening, the arts must model belonging. That means creating spaces where people can show up fully, where disagreement doesn’t mean fracturing, and where culture is a bridge to greater understanding.

Belonging runs through everything we do – from who’s on our panels to whose stories get told. It’s also about listening to those who haven’t always been at the table. As I often say, “The arts don’t belong to us. We belong to them.” That shift – from ownership to stewardship – is how we build trust in this climate.

Can you highlight sessions or events that best reflect this year’s themes?

Our Opening Plenary, From Scarcity to Abundance: Unleashing the Power of Place for Collective Renewal, sets the tone for the week, reminding us that abundance isn’t a matter of resources but of perspective.

The Arts Advocacy Track brings together national and local leaders to explore how cultural policy and civic engagement intersect. Thriving by Design sessions tackle funding innovation, cooperative producing and cross-sector resilience. The Art of Belonging includes community-rooted dialogues on inclusive leadership, mental health and care-based practice. And Creative Edge features artists and technologists pushing boundaries in storytelling and audience connection.

Of course, the hundreds of performance showcases remain the heartbeat of APAP. They are where we collectively discover new artists and where new collaborations are born.

What defines a successful APAP|NYC 2026 for you and for the field?

Success, for me, looks like movement – literally and figuratively. My hope is for APAP members to come ready for opportunities, connections and solutions, and to come away not only inspired but equipped: with new partners, new tools and new resolve.

It’s seeing the tent get wider – not just in who attends, but in how the field defines itself.

And it’s hearing what happens after, when attendees go home and translate what they’ve learnt into action. Because APAP|NYC is not the finish line – it’s the launchpad.

If performing arts professionals leave New York reconnected to purpose, to community, to possibility, then we’ve done our job.