ISPA’s Community Building Program is an opportunity to match New Members with Current Members for the purpose of welcoming them into the broader ISPA Network during an ISPA Congress.  Both participants increase their network connections and expand their knowledge base through participation in the program.  Through the Community Building Program, ISPA strives to create a cohesive culture of diverse individuals, where everyone contributes their varied experiences and backgrounds to the task of envisioning and creating the future of the performing arts.

Benefits of the Community Building Program

"Knowledge is embodied in people gathered in communities and networks. The road to knowledge is via people, conversations, connections and relationships. Knowledge surfaces through dialogue, all knowledge is socially mediated and access to knowledge is by connecting to people that know or know who to contact."
- Denham Grey, Knowledge Management Expert

“I think that this is a hugely important part of ISPA and I gladly contribute to it. I had a wonderful "host" when I started, so I know it works!"
-  2009 Current ISPA Member Testimonial

The Community Building program offers rich rewards to both participants and to the larger ISPA community.

Current Members:

• Renew enthusiasm
• Enhance skills of listening, relationship building and networking
• Strengthen leadership skills
• Expand their ISPA network
• Know that they are supporting ISPA’s mission and building the ISPA community
• Receive new contacts, new perspective

New Members:

• Begin the process of integrating into the ISPA network
• Develop skills for their professional development
• Receive new contacts
• Receive assistance with new ideas

Program Details

The Community Building program is for Full and Affiliate ISPA Members only.

Current Members: Current Members who are interested in working with a New Member should be willing to invest the time to meet, be committed to the process of integrating the New Member, and possess strong communication skills.  Current Members will be expected to:

• Attend the New Members’ Welcome Reception during the Congress
• Have strong communication skills
• Be committed to including the New Member in the network
• Share their knowledge of the performing arts field
• Be generous with their professional contacts
• Have a clear idea of what they have to share, and be honest about what they cannot do

Current Members are expected to give their time, attention and knowledge to the process of introducing the New Member to ISPA’s large network of professionals during the Congress.

New Members: New Members are expected to come to the relationship open to receiving new information and making new contacts in order to get the most out of their time in the Program.  New Members should:

• Attend the New Members’ Welcome Reception during the Congress
• Maintain an openness to new experiences/relationships/suggestions
• Be willing to put forth effort in making new contacts

Duration of the Program

While participation in the program takes place briefly before, during, and shortly after an ISPA Congress, we do hope participants will choose to maintain their relationship for years to come (but this is not required for any specific duration).