Convening state arts agencies is one of the most important services NASAA provides. NASAA gatherings help state arts agency staff to learn from one another, share ideas and get energized about the essential work that state arts agencies do. While our convenings are always important, recent policy changes and budget uncertainties make it especially timely for state arts agency leaders to connect with each other, hone our strategies and fortify ourselves as a field.
Executive Forums are small gatherings for the executive and deputy/assistant directors of state and jurisdictional arts agencies. These meetings are opportunities for in-depth, professionally facilitated dialogue about the most pressing issues facing state arts agencies. The emphasis is on peer learning and conversations with colleagues.
All state and jurisdictional arts agencies and regional arts organization executive directors (including interim directors) and deputy/assistant directors (including those with different titles who perform deputy director responsibilities) are encouraged to participate. Limiting the forum to these two groups develops strong leadership teams and helps the event focus on strategic directions.
November 11-13, 2025The forum takes place in Omaha, Nebraska, all day on November 12 and 13, with an opening reception the evening of November 11.
New executive directors are invited to join NASAA for a special session the day before, November 11, for a program tailored specifically for recent appointees.
Registration rates for the 2025 Executive Forum are:
To register, please use our online registration form.
NASAA has secured a discounted room rate at the hotel of $139 per night, plus tax. For more information on hotel and travel, see our Hotel & Travel page.
This is an in-person (not a virtual or hybrid) event. NASAA offers abundant virtual opportunities for peer dialogues as well as online professional development sessions year-round, so our goal during the Executive Forum is to concentrate on face-to-face interactions.
Building relationships with colleagues is essential when creating a community that supports the success of all the leaders within it. With turnover in the state arts agency field, it’s important to cultivate relationships and build trust in intentional ways. In-person convenings help us do that far better than virtual or hybrid ones.
We will be discussing topics that may move into sensitive areas. To ensure that we create a supportive space to dig into those, we are limiting participation to those who can join us in person.
We hope to leverage the collected experience and knowledge of NASAA’s members to create a collaborative learning experience, so we’ll be inviting executive and deputy director input into the forum agenda. To share suggestions, contact Eric Giles anytime.