WESTAF Update Notes #75 | April 2013
From Anthony Radich, Executive Director
This is the 75th in a continuing series of updates about the work of WESTAF
ZAPP Announces New Enhancements and 2013 Arts Festival Conference Location
In March, the ZAPP® system launched a series of significant enhancements for both artists and festival administrator users. The improved artist interface employs a sleeker, modern look and convenient ways to interact with the art festival community. Artists also enjoy smarter ways to locate and easily apply to shows, including a searchable calendar, improved keyword search, and the ability to mark shows as favorites for years to come. Administrator features include enhanced editing and customization options, as well as tools to make communicating with artists even easier and more efficient. In addition, the location of the 2013 Arts Festival Conference has been chosen–the fifth annual convening ZAPP will host for the art fair and festival industry will take place in October in Louisville, Kentucky. For more information, contact ZAPP® Manager Leah Charney at Leah Charney.
WESTAF and the NEA to Host Accessibility Institute in Denver
The National Endowment for the Arts is partnering with WESTAF to co-host an accessibility conference June 6-7, 2013, in Denver, CO. The event will bring together approximately 40 arts professionals, including state arts agency accessibility coordinators, several presenters in the Western region, and a variety of arts administrators interested in accessibility issues. Participants will engage in a day and a half of accessibility training and will also have an opportunity to work directly with Beth Bienvenu, the Director of Accessibility for the NEA. Session topics will include online technology and accessibility, arts and aging, current trends in how organizations are addressing accessibility, and using existing accessibility resources. For more information on this training, contact Leah Horn at Leah Horn.
TourWest 2013 Grant Cycle Update
This year’s TourWest grant cycle closed on April 1, 2103 and brought in an impressive number of applications. The TourWest panel will meet to review the applications May 20-22, in Denver, CO. Grant recipients will be notified in June.
WESTAF Welcomes Adam Sestokas
WESTAF is pleased to announce the addition of web project manager Adam Sestokas to the WESTAF team. Sestokas holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus in management information systems from the University at Buffalo and an MBA with a focus in IT management from the University of Colorado. Sestokas previously served as an IT manager for an INC 5000 company and brings several years of experience working for a tech-based startup company, with roles ranging from developer to project manager and release engineer.
Next WESTAF Executive Directors’ Forum Announced
WESTAF’s next convening of state arts agency executive directors in the Western region will take place June 10-11, in Albuquerque, NM. Look for additional details in the coming weeks.

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