To help our students break into that wider world, we take a select group to New York each year to attend the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) Conference and connect with our growing network of TPA alumni. With the conference returning to an in person format in 2023, we are excited to continue this tradition. We hope that their blog entries reflect their experiences and inspire them to become the next generation of arts leaders. Read on below! —Tim Rogers, Director of Education & Engagement

Jacob Zamarripa
When I was given the opportunity to go on this conference trip, I was ecstatic for the opportunity to go back to NYC. As a theatre artist, I find myself at home every time I travel to NYC, so I was very appreciative for the chance to both learn and network at the conference and also experience New York while doing so. The APAP conference sessions and showcases were very interesting and

Jacob Zamarripa

worth attending. One learning session I attended focused on mental health while touring as a musician, and while I’m not a touring musician, I hope to tour as a technician in the future, so I enjoyed the discussion about recognizing mental health and taking it into consideration while touring with a show. One dance showcase I attended utilized the shape of their bodies to create a story with images and projection technology as well, this was a very interesting representation of art in a small space.

While we were there in NYC, we were given the chance to network with past students that attended UT and worked for TPA. This was very helpful in getting me connections in the Broadway industry, meeting with these alumni gave me the chance to broaden my perspective on living in NYC in the future and guide me in the steps I need to take to move and start working there. During my free time, when I wasn’t attending learning or plenary sessions, I took the opportunity to see Broadway shows and prioritize those experiences while I had the opportunity to be in NYC for the weekend. It was a very successful trip, I learned so much and gained great friendships with my peers I traveled with.

Lee Rodgers
When I heard of the TPA trip to the 2023 Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) conference, I immediately knew it was an opportunity I wanted to take. I’ve been unsure of the specifics of my future career goals lately, so the chance to participate in some professional development programming and see the industry up close was not to be missed.

Feeling confident after surviving my first-ever flight and landing in New York City, I was ready to take on the conference. I chose to

Lee Rodgers

attend multiple sessions focused on welcoming guests into theater spaces, as well as a mentoring session for the students. It was fascinating to meet professionals and learn about their variety of jobs. I also had some great conversations with other arts students from around the country about our thoughts on the current state of performing arts and our dreams for the future. Aside from learning sessions, APAP also hosts showcases for companies and artists. My favorite featured jazz duo Acute Inflections - I attended their performance two days in a row!  

In between the scheduled APAP programming, I took in the sights of Midtown Manhattan along with the other TPA students. The Rockefeller Tree is even larger and brighter in person, and the local food did not disappoint. I saw Wicked on Broadway, The Play That Goes Wrong off Broadway, and visited one of my favorite paintings, Starry Night, at the Museum of Modern Art. Long walks through peaceful Central Park, around Times Square, to The Met… so much walking!

Perhaps the most memorable part of the trip was the wonderful opportunity to meet multiple UT alumni who are now living and working as arts professionals in New York. As someone who is both an animation student in Arts & Entertainment Technologies and a worker in the performing arts with a deep theater background, I’ve felt conflicted over which of these “two” paths I should take. After chatting with the alumni and hearing about their own journeys, I feel confident that I can pursue my passions and combine my skills and experiences into something new and exciting. I’m incredibly grateful for their advice and for everything I gained from this trip, and I eagerly await what the future holds.

Braden Newlun
When hearing about the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) Conference in New York for the first time, I had no idea what to expect. I knew there would be a conference set in the stunning city of New York, but I didn’t know what we would be doing and how fun it would be. Boy, was I wrong!

The conference was filled with Arts Professionals from the United States and Canada looking for shows and ways to expand their theater and art spaces. As a student, I was immediately drawn to the learning and plenary sessions, as they were behind-the-scenes looks at what these art people do and say and where the profession is headed. There were also a ton of free showcases, where artists got to show off their work in the hopes of being booked. I, on a whim, decided to see a Jazz Performance by “Acute

Braden Newlun

Inflections.” This was unusual for me as I am not particularly drawn to jazz. However, I was surprised as they had such beautiful music and knew how to sell a crowd. It was pure 60s jazz that reminded me of the Jazz Clubs in the black-and-white movies. I loved it so much that I went to both days of their performance. 

One of my particular favorite learning sessions that I went to was “Mentor for a Moment.” We sat at this event at a table with three other students and three arts professionals. We then, in sections, got to ask the professionals questions about the field and received advice from them about jobs and careers. However, there were sections where we got to mentor them, and they got to ask us questions about how to improve and change their art spaces and help pave the way for future generations. I met some incredible people doing this and learned ways to better myself for future jobs in the Arts field. 

Outside the conference, there were plenty of things to do around Midtown and Central Park. I want to give one piece of advice, get to know your TPA group members and plan events in New York together. It is so fun to explore New York, but it’s more fun to share that memory. I now have funny stories, for example, going to Times Square and searching for a cell phone in the tourist shops, and it turned out that it was left in the hotel. Or one of my favorites was how our 30-minute walk to the Met in the snow felt more like a 2-hour trek through the Arctic. The one thing that I will never forget was my Broadway Performances of “Wicked” and “The Play That Goes Wrong.” Just being in the spaces was magical, but seeing the plays themselves is something I will never be able to experience again.

I am a double major in Social Work and Women and Gender Studies and have a severe interest in the Arts. Going into the trip, I felt lost about what I wanted to do after college. After experiencing this trip, I could see myself going into the arts and arts management. The conference helped me see the different jobs inside arts management and how there is a ton of community work within “Education and Engagement.” This experience helped open my eyes to the arts and embrace the business side of it.