ARTS. WORK. LIFE.

At last year’s APAP|NYC conference, we followed three arts professionals from sun-up to sun-down, capturing the excitement, ambition, and energy of the conference. Featuring: Ryan K. Johnson, the executive artistic director of SOLE Defined, based out of Washington, D.C. Danielle Devlin, an agent and manager with Canis Major Music from Sheldon, Vermont Aaron Shackelford, director of programming at DukeArts in Durham, North Carolina The next APAP|NYC is from January 9-13, 2026! You can join APAP and register for APAP|NYC at https://apap365.org/conference/register/ Music in this episode is from Blue Dot Sessions, SOLE Defined; Skye Consort, Emma Björling, Alex Kehler, Amanda Keesmaat, and Seán Dagher. ARTS. WORK. LIFE. is made possible with the generous support of the Wallace Foundation. You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/ Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

Almost all of us have a mentor who shaped our path—a teacher, a family member, or even someone miles away. In the finale of season four, we explore what happens when creatives step into that role and give back to the next generation. From sharing skills to offering encouragement, we discover how mentoring can be just as transformative—and sometimes even more fulfilling—than creating our own work. INTRO & ACT ONE: “Passing the Mic” with Dumisani “Dumi RIGHT” Ndlovu, a performance artist and educator working in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. ACT TWO: “Stepping Stones” with Julie Opiel, the Director of Education and Community Engagement at BodyTraffic in Los Angeles, California. ACT THREE: “Freedom to Lead" with Alex Ketley and Bill Clark, two performance artists and educators collaborating in Vacaville, California. You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/ Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

Next week on ARTS.WORK.LIFE, we celebrate the finale of season four with stories about mentorship, teaching, and the invaluable act of paying it forward. Episode six arrives August 26th.

They say that laughter is the best medicine, but so are human connection and genuine self-expression. In episode five, we explore stories about the healing power of the arts, not just for the creator, but for entire communities. INTRO & ACT ONE: “Empty Barns, Not Empty Hearts" with Jeff Corle, a singer/songwriter from Windberg, Pennsylvania. ACT TWO: “Life Worth Living” with Sam Simon, a playwright, author and actor in McLean, Virginia. ACT THREE: “Home Run” with Julian Silva, a music therapist based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/ Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

Sometimes the best medicine doesn’t come in a bottle. Next week on ARTS.WORK.LIFE., inspiring stories about the healing power of the arts. The episode arrives August 12th.

Working in the arts requires imagination, intuition, and a belief in oneself because oftentimes, you have to follow your inner compass. On today's episode, stories about discovery, perseverance, and recalibrating your direction when the road ahead isn’t clear. INTRO & ACT ONE: “Para-Lyrics” with Chad Harper, the founder and CEO of Hip Hop Saves Lives in Madrid, Spain. ACT TWO: “A Day in the Life” with Kersee Whitney, an actor, singer and dancer in Salt Lake City, Utah. ACT THREE: “Art Therapy" with Angelica McCarthy, a doctor of athletic training in Clinton, Connecticut. You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/ Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

In the world of performing arts, the impossible happens every day. On stage, a special effect or optical illusion wows an audience. But what happens behind the scenes – what happens in the hundreds of small moments that shape a life in the arts – that’s where the real magic is. Next week on ARTS.WORK.LIFE, stories from arts workers who hustle, reinvent themselves, and make the impossible possible.

Whether you are creating street art, launching a career, running a business, or building a “Globe-ette,” you can't do it alone. In this episode, we explore the breakthroughs, the challenges, the successes and the magic that comes from working together. INTRO: “Each Brick In The Wall” with Sonia Clark, owner and producer of Unicycle Productions in Niagara Falls, New York. ACT ONE: “Flying High” with Karen Franzel, the manager and booking agent for Danny the Acrobat based out of Orlando, Florida. ACT TWO: “A Day in the Life” with GregRobin Smith, the founder and managing director of The Washington Shakespearean Festival in Seattle, Washington. ACT THREE: “In Family We Trust” with Juanita Anderson, the theater coordinator for Teatro Trail and Sala Catarsis theaters in Miami, Florida. You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/ Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

Next week on ARTS. WORK. LIFE, we bring you four inspiring stories about how performing arts communities form and evolve, creating opportunities and connections along the way. Episode three arrives July 15th!

Amid brutal competition, unpredictable hours, and variable pay, it’s important to remember WHY you chose a career in the performing arts. Episode two features four stories about listening to your inner voice and tapping into your passion. INTRO: “Make The Most of It” with Jason Fletcher Christian Laws, executive creative producer and founder of the Laws Group in Brooklyn, New York. ACT ONE: “Expiration Date” with Ami Otero Minars, a flamenco dancer, producer, and founder of Admission Nation in Montclair, New Jersey. ACT TWO: “A Day in the Life” with Dot McDonough, the director of marketing and operations for the Spire Center for the Performing Arts in Plymouth, Massachusetts. ACT THREE: “Officially Obsessed” with Kieran Bailey, a content marketing specialist for Bauer Entertainment Marketing in Nashville, Tennessee. You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/ Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

Next week’s episode is all about WHY we do what we do. Not just for the applause or the paycheck, but what drives us through the beautiful, messy, essential journey of finding your place in the performing arts world. Episode two arrives July 1st, so follow the podcast and turn on your automatic downloads.

Being the first to do something comes with accolades and recognition, but it can also be lonely. The premiere of season four features stories from four trailblazers who broke barriers, not just for their own advancement, but to create opportunities for others. INTRO (0:00): “Trailblazer” with Precious Perez, a singer, songwriter, music educator, and disability activist based in Louisville, Kentucky. ACT ONE (7:20): “Barre None” with Lydia Abarca Mitchell, a founding member of Dance Theatre of Harlem, now living in Marietta, Georgia. ACT TWO (17:16): “A Day in the Life” with Magdalene Minnaar, the artistic director of Cape Town Opera in Cape Town, South Africa. ACT THREE (21;01): “Let It Rain” with Yura Sapi, the CEO of LiberArte based in Chocó, Colombia and New York City. You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/ Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

Season 4 of ARTS. WORK. LIFE. will take you around the world this summer with bold, never before-heard stories – now premiering in one week, on June 17th. Because sometimes, just like ARTS. WORK. LIFE., things don’t go as planned, but we promise it’s going to be worth the wait. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app and turn on automatic downloads to never miss an episode.

APAP’s award-winning podcast ARTS.WORK.LIFE. is back! On June 10th, we’ll premiere our new season, which is bursting with bold, untold stories from across the performing arts industry. This summer, we’ll take you behind the scenes with stories from seasoned and emerging professionals – exploring the triumphs, lessons, and motivations of the people who bring the performing arts to life! ARTS.WORK.LIFE. returns June 10th, with a new episode every other week!

Learn about how to submit a great story, and hear from past storytellers, by watching our recent webinar: https://youtu.be/eZ7a55-slLw?si=VvihOVwjV0W3bxQ6&t=12 Calling all performing arts workers! Submit your bold, untold, personal story for season four at apap365.org/podcast FINAL deadline is April 10th. If your story is selected, you’ll work with a podcast team to bring your story to life and receive a $200 honorarium. ARTS. WORK. LIFE. is produced by APAP (Association of Performing Arts Professionals) with support from The Wallace Foundation.

Calling all performing arts workers! Submit your bold, untold, personal story for season four at apap365.org/podcast Priority deadline is March 20th. If your story is selected, you’ll work with a podcast team to bring your story to life and receive a $200 honorarium. ARTS. WORK. LIFE. is produced by APAP (Association of Performing Arts Professionals) with support from The Wallace Foundation.

Sometimes, we have to give up one dream and find another, providing an opportunity for growth and discovery. The finale of season three features stories about the power of community from a high school teacher learning from her students, an executive challenged to remake her life, an opera singer realizing that the seeds she planted long ago have suddenly bloomed, and an Indian classical dancer who achieves a milestone for her community. Intro: “Shine” with Anna Woods, former drama theater and theater director for Piedmont Hills High School in San Jose, California. Act One: “A Path Through The Dark” with Lisa Hilas, president and director of Onstage Vacaville in Vacaville, California. Act Two: “A Full-Circle Moment” with Ersian Francois, an opera singer, producer and arts administrator in Washington, D.C. Act Three: “Finding Your Footing” with Rukhmani Mehta, co-artistic director of Leela Dance Collective in Los Angeles, California. You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/ Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

In our final episode of season three, we bring you the story of an arts administrator facing a career-changing diagnosis and three other inspiring stories of second acts. Coming your way August 13.

Finding your voice is hard, but summoning the courage to use it can change your life and the lives of those around you. Whether it’s helping others recover, how advocating for yourself becomes advocating for those like you, or re-claiming a harmful narrative, episode five brings three powerful stories from arts workers who use their stories to help others heal, grow, and learn. Intro: “Harnessing Healing” with Payton Rhyan, a theater administrator and full time masters student in Performing Arts Administration at New York University. Act One: “Leaps and Bounds” with Tristan Grannum, the Director of Community Engagement and Rehearsal Director for Brooklyn Ballet in Brooklyn, New York. Act Two: “Strings Attached” with Sheila Gaskins, a teaching artist and puppeteer from Baltimore, Maryland. You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/ Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

The loneliness of being the only Black dancer, a revelation on horseback, and the touching story behind a magical puppet show for an audience of one. Episode 5 features three inspirational, untold stories from arts workers. Coming to your ears July 30th.