APAP Arts Compensation Project

An important step towards greater pay transparency, parity and equity for arts workers, this industry-specific and customizable tool gathers comparative compensation data on key positions in presenting organizations and venues across the United States and Canada.

The APAP Arts Compensation Project (ACP) comes at a critical time in our industry. The pandemic forced many organizations to downsize teams that are only just now beginning to be right-sized. The great resignation and reshuffle have resulted in an unprecedented number of open positions in our field. Additionally, we are more aware than ever of the inequities within our field, that only together we can address.

In January at the APAP|NYC 2023 conference, APAP and AMS Analytics presented a sample report of salary and compensation data from the pilot cohort of the ACP. Read the ACP Pilot Study Report here.

Starting August 2023, performing arts presenting organizations with current APAP memberships are eligible to enroll as part of the official launch of the Arts Compensation Project. (Not a current APAP member? You can join or renew now.) The EXTENDED enrollment deadline is October 13, 2023.

Help spread the news about APAP's Arts Compensation Project, download our informative ACP flyer and send it to your colleagues. Click here to view/download the ACP flyer.

The APAP Arts Compensation Project offers the following benefits: 

• Real-Time Data: The ACP platform gives you access to the most current data on staffing, compensation, and benefits for presenting organizations available in real time.
• Comprehensive: The data collected within the ACP platform includes all levels of staff (executive, director, manager and administrative), compensation, benefits, and tenure for positions according to organizational budget, staff size, region, number of performances, geographic setting (urban, rural, suburban) and type of presenting organization (independent, municipal, university/college, festival). 
  
• Dynamic, Not Static: The ACP is not a static report, but an interactive tool in which you enter your own data, search anonymized data from peer organizations, and build your own reports and charts based on what you need to know.
• Customizable: By participating, you and your organization help customize the ACP platform and the kinds of data collected to fit your evolving needs, the needs of your presenting colleagues, and our industry as a whole.
• Supports Data-Driven Decision-Making: The ACP provides you with the data you need to inform your organizational decisions and policies, measure your organization against regional and national benchmarks, and influence key stakeholders to allocate resources accordingly.  
• Promotes Equity: Because the ACP collects demographic information, it is the first of its kind in the performing arts, giving the field an understanding of staffing and compensation trends through a race and gender lens.
• Representation: By participating, you provide your organization’s data and ensure that the insights and analytics include organizations like yours.
• Advocacy for the Industry: The ACP will give the performing arts community authoritative data on salaries and compensation in order to advocate for our industry and workforce. 

• APAP’s Arts Compensation Project is a multi-year initiative launched in partnership with AMS Analytics.
  
  

• U.S.- and Canada-based presenting organizations and venues that are current APAP Organizational Members and meet other eligibility requirements can enroll. You can join APAP or renew your membership to participate. Are you a Small or Mid-Sized Presenters (SAMPs)?  View SAMPs APAP membership benefits and rates here. 
  
  

• Only one person per organization should enroll, and the person who enrolls does not need to be the same person who will submit data.
  
  

• ACP enrollment is available on an annual subscription basis (12-months). Subscription rates are based on organizational budget size. See pricing table below.
  
  

• Participants who enroll before the fall enrollment deadline October 5, 2023 can take advantage of Founder Rates. Founder organizations will always have the lowest subscription rates.
  
  

• Enrollment is open now. Begin your enrollment by completing this form.
  
  

• Have questions? Contact us at ACP@apap365.org.

1. First, complete the enrollment form which will ask you for organizational and budget information to determine your eligibility and subscription rate.
   
   
2. Next, once you get confirmation from APAP on your eligibility and subscription rate, review and agree to the terms and conditions of the ACP.
    
3. Then, once you have signed the terms and conditions, APAP will send you an invoice after which you will submit payment for your ACP subscription.
   
   
4. Lastly, once payment has been received, you will get instructions from APAP and AMS on how to access the platform, including information about onboarding. The process of onboarding will begin September 12, 2023 and entering your data will begin October 2, 2023.