Association of Performing Arts Collections – Chairs’ Report 2023
Summary
The past year has reinforced the hope and optimism felt within the sector in 2022 with services reopening further and audiences returning to performing arts venues and archives alike. APAC has continued to work with members to support this transition by providing training, knowledge exchanges, and networking opportunities.
This year, in Kent, we tested hybrid meetings- in person and online. This has been very successful and builds on our learning throughout the pandemic: keeping the broad geographical base that online has offered whilst also supporting those members who benefit from the in-person networking.
At the 2022 AGM, we continued the role of Student and Academic Rep to the Board after a successful trial period. Bethany Johnstone stayed in the role and has worked brilliantly again this year engaging our student membership, exploring what is useful to them and continuing the Student Showcase. We are pleased to officially appoint this named role to the board in 2023 and we look forward to seeing how it will continue to strengthen APAC’s offer for students.
We have made strides in our strategic objectives and are on track to complete those set out for the 2020- 2023 period. You will read about these throughout the documents for the AGM. The board has already started working on our strategic objectives for 2024-2026. This year we continued to programme many events suggested by members in our 2022 member survey. These included a Dance and Heritage focused member meeting, an event focused on diversifying collections and another Student and Academic showcase.
We are continuing to work with the Subject Specialist Networks Consortium and are part of their lobbying efforts with the Arts Council England for funding of these networks in general. We continue conversations with sector bodies about how we can work more closely with them and we look forward to more collaborative working.
The Digital Preservation working group has completed 5 out of 6 parts of its Digital Preservation Guidance, which has been used and spread far beyond the performing arts field. This is an exciting testament to the knowledge and expertise that APAC members have to offer. A huge thank you to those who have taken part in this valuable resource.
The most recent membership round supported by our automated system has gone well - a big thank you to Patricia Underwood for overseeing that so seamlessly. This is the first year we have started to offer all- year round membership sign-up. This has gone successfully so far and we are looking forward to seeing if more people join APAC with the new membership structure. This year we also combined the role of Membership Secretary and Treasurer, which was also a success and ensures that APAC is run in the most professional manner possible, meeting the requirements of the Charity Commission.
We want to make sure that all members feel connected to APAC and the work it does. We always welcome input from our members about how we can improve so please do contact us with ideas. We will continue to showcase member’s work on APAC’s Twitter account and our monthly stories, which are published to the website and provide members with an opportunity to advocate for their collections and projects.
Events
We have held three events this year for members and non-members and we saw our first in-person events since the pandemic, which has been an absolute joy!
On 7 July 2022, APAC, together with the Manchester Digital Archive of Performance, hosted an online study afternoon: ‘Establishing a shared understanding of archive recordings’. Speakers spanned archivists, artists and academics. This provided a lively forum for discussion on how to create, preserve and use archive recordings. As a result, new guidance has been added to the APAC website outlining best practice for cataloguing these assets.
On 25 November 2023, APAC had its first event in person, at the University of Kent. This symposium was focused on Surfacing Stories from Diverse Communities and was successfully run in a hybrid format. This event saw one of our highest levels of attendance ever and allowed those in person and online to present, contribute and network. We heard from a variety of members working in this area and an outcome of this day has been to establish the new APAC working group: Equity, Diversity, Justice, and Inclusion Working Group, which is being announced at this AGM.
Our final event, on 28 April 2023, was hosted by Nottingham Theatre Royal and Concert Hall and focused on the ambitious and innovative projects of four of our members since the pandemic. We had the opportunity to view the Heritage Timeline Mural at the Theatre Royal and
hear from one of the artists involved about how it was developed. This was our first in-person only event since the pandemic and it was a fantastic opportunity to network and visit a wonderful venue.
A huge thank you to all those who have contributed time, expertise, venues and their experience in making this year a bumper one of events!
Meetings
Thank you to everyone who has embraced virtual meetings, which we held on:
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14 December 2022 – we rounded off the year with a Student Showcase, featuring two of our student members
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2 March 2023 – we focused on dance collections and research
Thank you
Erin and Robyn would like to say a huge thank you to the Board who have worked so hard this year to bring so many events, meetings, resources, blog posts and pieces of guidance to fruition. APAC is fortunate to have such dedicated individuals working to implement the aims of the network. Thank you to: Malcolm Mathieson as Secretary; Patricia Underwood as Treasurer and Membership Secretary; Clare Wood as Website Officer; Bethany Johnstone as Student and Academic Rep; and Phil Boot, Liz Harper, Biddy Hayward, Jill Sullivan, and Sian Williams as Officers Without Portfolio.
To mark their stepping down from the Board, we want to thank Jill Sullivan and Malcolm Mathieson for their hard work over the past year as Board members. We want to say a special thank you to Liz Harper for her many years of contribution to building APAC’s member communications. We have gone from little to no visibility in the Twittersphere to over 1,200 followers, monthly blog posts on the website and a presence on LinkedIn. I am sure every member of APAC has felt Liz’s warmth and enthusiasm come through in how APAC communicates and we are very grateful for her commitment. Another special thank you goes to Clare Wood, our dedicated Website Officer, who also steps down today. Clare has steered APAC through to its new website, which I am sure everyone will agree is a much more engaging and user-friendly site to represent what APAC and all of our members do. A huge thank you to Clare for her patience and technical savvy in getting our site to where it is today!
Everyone on the Board gives their time voluntarily and their breadth of knowledge and expertise is key to implementing the huge range of work that we have over the past year. Their enthusiasm makes serving on the Board a joy and we are excited for the next chapter with our new Board members.
A Very Special Thank You
The board would like to give a very special thank you to Erin Lee, who is also stepping down as APAC Co-Chair today. Erin has been an amazing force for good for APAC and has built an SSN that we all agree is better for her impeccable leadership. Erin has had to lead APAC through some unprecedented times in our sector and she did so with strength, bravely, kindness and compassion. Those who have worked with Erin on the board know her dedication knows no boundaries and we are all incredibly grateful to have had the chance to serve on the board alongside her.
Erin leaves behind an incredible legacy as APAC Chair. One that is very difficult to put into words. But as a network of members I know we have all felt the tangible difference Erin has made to APAC and our sector. Trying to put into words her legacy, however, the following are just a few things said about Erin’s time on the APAC Board:
“Erin, your work for APAC has been nothing short of extraordinary.”
“Erin, You have helped build so many links within the sector and contributed to an amazing amount of knowledge being shared and developed. Your energy, creativity and positive attitude are always inspiring to be around”
“Erin, The support and opportunities you have provided… within APAC [we will be ever] extremely grateful for.”
“Erin, under your leadership APAC has achieved so much. Your focus and attention to detail is hugely impressive and has enabled APAC to start to fulfill its remit as envisaged by those who set it up all those years ago.”
As the next Chair, I am both extremely excited to drive APAC forward alongside our board, building on Erin’s work, as well as a little daunted to follow in such footsteps (as I think anyone would be!).
Thank you Erin for being part of the huge foundation that is the APAC SSN and the board are looking forward to leading APAC into an even brighter future.
A Note from Erin
This is my last day as a member of the Board of APAC. I have been on the Board for 9 years and have enjoyed every moment of it from a rabbit in the headlights having to minute the AGM that I was appointed to Secretary at to today, where I have grown into the role of Chair over the past six years. My APAC Board colleagues have been a constant source of advice, support, good humour and friendship as I navigate my work at the NT and my PhD. It has been an incredibly fulfilling time, not without its challenges as we found our way through events such as becoming a charity and the Covid-19 pandemic, but the positives have
been fantastic, seeing APAC flourish into the network it is today. I will be very sorry to step down but so buoyed that I am leaving it in the more than capable hands of Robyn and the new Board, appointed today. I know that APAC will go from strength to strength and I look forward to supporting this as a member.
I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone I have worked with first on the Executive Committee and then on the Board following our Charitable status: Karin Brown, Marcus Risdell, Ramona Riedzewski, Chris Jones, Francesca Franchi, Gavin Clarke, Claire Hudson, Arike Oke, Fabiana Barticioti, Jane Gallagher, Biddy Hayward, Barry Houlihan, Liz Harper, Eleanor Fitzpatrick, Victoria Lane, Stephanie Rolt, Clare Wood, Gillian Boll, Robyn Greenwood, Patricia Underwood, Karen Brayshaw, Phil Boot, Bethany Johnstone, Malcolm Mathieson, Jill Sullivan, and Sian Williams.
Erin Lee and Robyn Greenwood Chairs 28/03/2023
Website Officer’s report for 2022/23
While key updates have been made to the website this year (including addition of the Digital Preservation resources and event reports), my increased work and family caring responsibilities have meant that much of the anticipated website development work has been on hold.
Phil Boot kindly offered his support with the website earlier this year and we met to discuss the website functionality and development plan. I am pleased that Phil will be taking over APAC’s social media, including the Stories section of the website, and want to extend a warm welcome to Sarah Harrison, who is joining the Board and taking on the role of Website Officer. I am compiling some handover notes and will arrange to meet with Sarah this month to discuss before standing down.
Many thanks to Erin, Robyn and all the past and present APAC trustees I’ve worked with - it has been a real pleasure to be part of the Board over recent years and I look forward to continuing to be involved as a member in future.
Website statistics
to be added and circulated after the AGM.
Treasurer Report
Summary
This year saw a return for the first time to some of our spending pre-pandemic. With the return of in-person events we once again started to offer travel expenses and grants, along with facilitating meetings in online settings. We also spent some money commission the designing of some new advertising material to help promote APAC at events and new members.
As described below, another strong membership year has meant we are in a healthy position for the upcoming year. We started the year with £7,564.54 and ended the year with £8,592.33.
Bookkeeper report
The report for 2022/2023 is as follows:
SIBMAS Payments
This report shows the payment for 2022’s membership. The payment for 2023’s membership is currently being processed and so will be accounted for in next year’s report.
Membership Report
Summary
This year for the first time we started to accept members outside of the traditional membership cycle. This is made possible with membership database software we have been using for last few years. We are hoping that this year will be the year that we can finally make membership subscription fully automated by making sign ups available on our website.
Current membership
As of the end of April we currently have 87 members. This is same number of members as last year, however we have had 6 new members join and 6 who decided not to or were unable to renew.
Membership by type
We have several different levels of membership currently available, the main difference being those who just subscribe to APAC and those who subscribe to both APAC and SIBMAS. Within those we have Institutional and Individual members. We also have Student members, who only subscribe to APAC. The split between the different options for current members are as follows:
| APAC | APAC and SIBMAS | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 56 | 31 |
| Institutional | 32 | 29 |
| Individual | 16 | 2 |
| Student | 8 |
Membership by region
Over recent years we have actively tried to encourage membership from outside of London, so it is gratifying to see that this year over half of our membership (53%) comes from outside of London, as demonstrated by the pie chart below.
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Members by region
London South East Midlands
Yorkshire and the Humber Scotland South West
North East North West Ireland
International Wales
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The numbers break down in more detail as follows:
| Region | Number of members |
|---|---|
| London | 42 |
| South East England | 13 |
| MidlandsEngland | 10 |
| Yorkshire andtheHumber | 5 |
| Scotland | 2 |
| South West England | 5 |
| North East England | 4 |
| North West England | 3 |
| Ireland | 2 |
| Wales | 2 |
| International | 1 |
More information about our members can be found our website at https://performingartscollections.org.uk/our-members/?see-all .
Patricia Underwood, APAC Treasurer and Membership Secretary, April 2023