Reaching Out
By Atholl Swainston-Harrison, Chief Executive, International Artist Managers' Association (IAMA), UK

The 18th IAMA International Conference took place at the Konzerthaus, Berlin from 17-19 Apr 08. With delegates from more than 300 companies, this conference was our largest to date.  Themed “Reaching Out”, this was not just a conference concerned with education & development initiatives but about extending the scope of Association involvement. Our partners included the Deutscher Orchestertag, Deutscher Verband and the Association Européenne des Agents Artistiques (AEAA) which all added to the experience.

Following closely on the heels of this year’s AAPPAC conference in Seoul, it made perfect sense with the technology we have available today to link the two conferences. In an historic relay, an on-line stream from Virginia Braden, who attended the AAPPAC conference on IAMA’s behalf as a peak business circle member, delivered a report that formed the framework of the final panel session in Berlin. The discussion looked at the role of the concert space and experience and the growing pressure to reach out to a community who have more choices available today than at any other time in history.

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IAMA is a group of like-minded organisations that sees value in the collective. Like most associations in the performing arts world, we are classified as a “small association” representing just over 240 companies worldwide. Fortunately for us, we have a very loyal and wide ranging list of artist management companies who subscribe to a Code of Practice. Promoting and encouraging good practice is our mission and this is achieved through our programme of events and activities, committees and regular news items to members. 
IAMA’s international conferences begun in the early 90’s by Joeske van Walsum and the executive director of the British Association at the time, Thomas Ponsonby. The first was held in 1990 at the Portman Square Hotel in London. It drew significant interest to the surprise of everyone and the Association was launched into the world of conferencing. This annual meeting held in April now enjoys bids from cities all over the world seeking to host the meeting. To this point though, it has only confined itself to Europe. The nature of the conference has changed and so too the delegates. UK attendance has decreased in percentage and most delegates are non-members.

60% are promoters and the rest are artist management companies – quite the reverse from its first decade of existence. Most delegates cite the reason for attending being the number of business contacts one can make over three days and the great value of face-to-face meetings.

Our recent seminar at the League of American Orchestras meeting held on 13 Jun 08 in Denver, Colorado was all about a dialogue between orchestra artistic administrators and artist managers. Good artist management is not a formula and because it is such an individual journey for both the artist and manager, there is a wide range of skills, knowledge and experience that is required.  A successful artistic engagement is a combination of many months of work, discussion and preparation by the manager, promoter and artist. The role of IAMA is to try and assist this process at all times for its members and the profession as a whole. 

We cannot achieve anything really worthwhile until we recognise the strength of collaborative actions. It is an agenda point that IAMA pursues and is committed to working with all organisations who believe in the value of this philosophy too. We are dependent on other associations such as AAPPAC to deliver perspectives and experiences from their point of view to be effective in helping our members. 
For those who wish to know more, www.IAMAworld.com will provide more information or should you be in London, please don’t hesitate to look us up!