Top Ten Reasons to Become a MPN Organizational Member
- Networking – MPN membership connects you with your colleagues across the state and over the borders into surrounding states. Each year there are several face-to-face meetings scheduled (with lots of social time allowed). MPN also maintains a website with a member directory, so you can reach out to other members.
- Communications and Connections – Get into the MPN communication loop by getting on the MPN list serve and accessing the Google group. There’s lots of information flying around!
- Summer Conference – held each summer, usually in mid-June, somewhere in Minnesota.
- Block Booking – MPN members talk to each other all the time about block booking. For many members it is one of the most important elements of membership. Sometimes it takes several Minnesota presenters working together to bring a national touring act to our state. MPN members also work with Minnesota-based arts groups to put together tours across our region.
- Affordability – Membership is affordable with a sliding scale starting at $60 with several membership tiers based on your organization’s presenting budget. Costs for meetings and the summer conference are minimal. You can join right on the website.
- Meetings – We schedule a couple of meetings for MPN members at the fall Arts Midwest Conference. We have the annual Summer Conference, usually a two day affair. And we have a couple of block booking meetings, one in November and one in March (in conjunction with Arts Advocacy Day at the State Capital in St. Paul).
- Show Previews – If there’s a show presented at a MPN venue and you’d like to preview it, if tickets are available, many MPN presenters will offer fellow MPN members comp or discounted tickets as a professional courtesy.
- Minnesota State Arts Board Connections – The Minnesota Presenters Network stays closely connected with the Minnesota State Arts Board and often has MSAB representatives give updates at MPN meetings.
- Arts Advocacy – There’s strength in numbers. MPN played a big role in the promotion of the landmark Legacy Amendment passed by a vote of the people of Minnesota in 2008. MPN works with Minnesota Citizens for the Arts to advocate for the arts in Minnesota. We schedule a meeting to coincide with the Arts Advocacy Day each spring in St. Paul.
- Professional Development and Mentoring - The annual Summer Conference includes plenty of professional development sessions and times to learn from other MPN members. MPN members who have been around a while are always glad to mentor those new to the profession or help those new to the state.
Go to Membership Application Form
Organizational Membership
An Organizational Member is any nonprofit or tax exempt presenting organization that contracts, markets and accepts financial risks for an arts presentation that is not self-produced.
- Organizational Members receive:
◦ Access to online directory of Minnesota Presenters Network members, which includes contact information, typical artist fees and budgets, kinds of artists presented, and facility information.
◦ Access to Minnesota Presenters Network mail/chat.
◦ Access to Block Booking information via MPN's unique Organizational Members-only online software; assisting coordination of region-wide tour opportunities.
◦ Notification of MPN summer, fall, and winter conferences and meetings.
Cost of Organizational Membership is based upon the amount of artist fees paid annually by the organization. See the Membership Application for details.
Membership renews on an annual basis.
Affiliate Membership
An affiliate is a non-presenting organization or artist, but has an interest in the performing arts.
• Affiliate Members receive:
◦ Access to online Membership Directory
◦ Opportunity to connect with Organizational Members at specific joint Affiliate and Organizational member meetings and/or conferences. Joint opportunities will be determined by the MPN Board and advertised as such.
Affiliate membership fee is $50.
Membership renews on an annual basis.
Go to Membership Application Form