Thursday Morning
Spotlight on Marketing – 9:15am – 12:30pm
Spotlight on Marketing offers an in-depth, hands-on learning experience designed for presenters, marketers, artists and communications professionals in the performing arts. Structured as a flexible “choose your own adventure,” the morning features two concurrent 90-minute sessions followed by a second set of two sessions – allowing participants to select the topics most relevant to their work and build a personalized learning journey.
Led by four expert facilitators, each session dives into a distinct aspect of contemporary arts marketing:
- Inga Petri leads a session on AI-powered marketing, exploring how tools can support strategy, creativity, and decision-making—while emphasizing the importance of critical thinking in an increasingly automated landscape.
- Frédéric Julien (CAPACOA) offers a practical, hands-on workshop on digital discoverability, focusing on structured event data and how organizations can improve their visibility across platforms and AI-driven search environments.
- Briana Doyle facilitates an interactive session, Why This Show Sold Out (And That One Didn’t), unpacking real-world case studies to better understand what drives attendance, what influences outcomes, and how stronger alignment between artists and presenters can lead to greater success.
- A fourth session (to be announced) will round out the program, ensuring a diverse mix of perspectives and tools for today’s evolving marketing landscape.
Designed to be practical, interactive, and immediately applicable, Spotlight on Marketing empowers participants to deepen their skills, exchange ideas with peers, and leave with actionable strategies tailored to their own organizational context.
Friday Morning
Peer Panels – 9:15am – 10:45am
Peer Panels offer a dynamic, discussion-driven format designed to spark practical insight and candid exchange among performing arts professionals. This 90-minute session is structured as three consecutive 30-minute panels, each led by a different facilitator and focused on a timely topic shaping the sector.
- One panel explores the Re-imagining Customer Relationships project – a national, collaborative, open-access research initiative examining new approaches to audience loyalty and engagement. Participants will hear early findings from the Supporting Initiators field study, receive updates on Trialling Membership Offers, and engage in a facilitated discussion alongside firsthand testimonials from participating organizations.
- A second panel focuses on how venues and presenters can better support artists and companies in developing high-quality, tour-ready new work, emphasizing collaboration, investment, and long-term artistic relationships.
- The third panel tackles the intersection of AI and climate change, inviting participants to consider both the opportunities and challenges these forces present for the performing arts.
Designed to be interactive and peer-led, these panels create space for shared learning, practical takeaways, and meaningful dialogue across the sector.
Saturday Morning
Knowledge Café in partnership with CAPACOA – 9:15am – 10:45am
The Knowledge Café is a peer learning program designed to foster knowledge sharing and fun experiences in a small group setting. The program makes it possible for conference participants to join roundtable discussions on a range of topics. These curated discussions, facilitated by industry experts, enable participants to share their experiences, learn from others, and develop new ideas.
The event will feature two rounds of 45-minute discussions, with topics repeating in the second round. Participants are encouraged to move between tables during the rounds to engage in different discussions. Each round will begin with facilitator introductions, followed by group discussions.
Network Meetings – Thursday, Oct 1, 2:00pm-3:30pm @ VICC
Venue Manager’s Meeting
This meeting allows venue managers from BC and beyond to discuss trends, successes, challenges, and other topics related to venue management and programming.
Marketing & Development
An opportunity for marketing and development staff to meet and connect following the Spotlight on Marketing in the morning.
Box Office & Front of House
The Box Office & Front of House meeting focuses on the operations and management of ticket sales and audience services at live events or performances.
Festivals Meeting
Festivals connect, network and discuss the most pressing issues facing them today, including funding, touring, audiences, community engagement, production, ticket sales, equity, diversity and inclusion.
Artists & Artistic Companies
This meeting offers an opportunity to meet with artists and artistic companies from BC and across Canada to share ideas, address common challenges, offer support, ask questions, and seek ways to collaborate.
Agents & Managers Meeting
This session is an opportunity for agents and artist representatives to network, discuss topics of interest and share best practices.
Meeting – Sunday, Oct 4, 9:30am – 11:00am @ the Coast Hotel
Block Booking Meeting for Presenters & Festivals
Join Petrice Brett, BC Live’s Block Booking Coordinator, for an in-person meeting to explore your interests for the upcoming performing arts seasons. Presenters will have the chance to pitch artists, discuss potential tours through the Arts Touring Connector, and review current touring opportunities available.