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About ISPA

What is ISPA?

The International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) is a not-for-profit international network of performing arts professionals who come together with the shared goal of strengthening the arts internationally by building leadership ability, recognizing and discussing field-wide trends and deepening global exchange through the arts.

ISPA is a network of over 350 individuals, organizations and institutions from more than 40 countries around the world. Members include some of the world's most significant presenting organizations, independent artists, performing arts organizations, artist managers, cultural policy groups, foundations, consultants, and many others who share the desire to advance the field of the performing arts on a global scale.

While the idea of global interconnectedness is currently gaining ground, this is something ISPA and its founder Patrick Hayes have quietly understood and embodied since its founding in 1949. In conjunction with embodying this core, ISPA, through its program and services, is committed to:

Act as a critical connector, linking individuals from different backgrounds, cultures, disciplines, sectors and aesthetics in order to facilitate an international network of arts leaders
Provide a context for leadership capabilities to grow through the exchange and development of ideas
Affirm the importance and necessity of the performing arts in today's society
Actively develop, nurture, energize, and educate emerging arts leader

As an organization, ISPA's constant goal is to provide the best possible support, information and opportunities for collegial exchange to our members throughout the world. The organization is guided by a Board of Directors of 25 international members chaired by Susan Stockton, President of Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States. The Management Team is led by Chief Executive Officer, David Baile.