Contact East is the Atlantic Presenters Association’s hallmark event and Atlantic Canada’s performing arts booking conference. The annual event provides an essential and inspiring experience for delegates bringing together regional, national, and international performing arts presenters, managers, and agents, to see performances which showcase a diverse range of artistic genres, including but not limited to music, cabaret, dance, disability arts, circus arts, comedy, youth-oriented programming, and cultural performances.

Contact East 2022 will take place from September 22-25, 2022, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Showcase submissions for Contact East 2022 will open later this year.
SEE ALL 2021 ARTISTS

Contact East 2021 will be a three-day showcase and professional development conference complete with 12-15 artist performances, showcase and pitch sessions, as well as an unprecedented opportunity for presenters to network and learn from some of the best in the business from the Atlantic Provinces, across Canada, and internationally.

This year Contact East will take place in Moncton, New Brunswick from Thursday, September 23 to Saturday, September 26.

Due to unpredictable travel and gathering restrictions, the APA has decided it will only be possible to accept applications from and showcase artists living in Atlantic Canada this fall; and therefore, will be presenting a reduced lineup of 12-15 showcases/pitches.

After going digital for 2020’s COVID-friendly take on the event, Contact(less) East, APA is pleased to announce the tentative plan to return to in-person this September for their flagship showcasing conference. Due to unpredictable travel and gathering restrictions, APA will only be accepting showcase applications from artists living in Atlantic Canada. As a result, for Contact East 2021 APA will present an all-Atlantic lineup of 12-15 artist showcases this year.

Moncton will act as the host city for 2021’s conference, after last year’s cancellation of in-person showcases meant to take place in the same city.

This year, APA is further committing to its mandate to present a diverse range of artists from a variety of backgrounds. APA acknowledges that past artist selection processes were not fair or equitable and understands the value that lived experiences and community-based practices have when it comes to making decisions. APA is committed to implementing and upholding equitable practices in choosing artists to perform at Contact East 2021 and beyond.

The artists chosen by the selection committee shall have equitable representation across populations, including Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, Deaf, Disability, and Mad arts communities. Atlantic Presenters Association is dedicated to providing a space that is accessible, inclusive, and free from oppression, harassment, and discrimination.

To further ensure a fair selection process, APA will be putting out a call for applications for interested individuals to be on this year’s selection committee. In the past, Contact East’s selection committee has been hand-picked from APA’s membership rather than opened up to the larger presenting community. The goal of this change is to make sure the committee represents a cross-section of different artistic genres and cultural backgrounds, resulting in an overall diverse representation of committee members to ensure the selection process is as fair and equitable as possible.

Beginning in 1975, the event was produced by the Touring Office of the Canada Council for the Arts. In 1982, the event was managed by a steering committee of representatives from the four Atlantic Provinces. With the incorporation of the Atlantic Presenters Association in 2001, the organization took over management of the event and has been producing quality conferences ever since.

Past Artists

Awards & Nominations

Initiated in 1998, Contact East sponsored a series of awards to recognize excellence and achievement in the field of live performance touring and presentation. The Contact East Awards of Excellence celebrate the growth of the industry and recognize the accomplishments of presenters and performers who comprise the touring sector in Atlantic Canada.

Beginning in 2015, Contact East streamlined its awards into one honour, the Atlantic Presenters Association Achievement Award.

Awards Categories

History

Contact East is the Atlantic Presenters Association’s hallmark event and Atlantic Canada’s premiere performing arts booking conference. The conference brings together performing arts presenters and in-demand, tour-ready arts performers to showcase contemporary and classical music, dance, theatre, and youth-oriented programming. Contact East is made up of several components, all of which are designed to enhance the presenter’s knowledge of the field. Event components include high quality showcases, provocative speakers, professional development sessions, informal meetings and networking. Contact East provides an essential and inspiring experience for delegates, who encompass Canadian and international showcasing artists, performing arts presenters, managers, and agents from regional, national and international levels.

Beginning in 1975, the event was produced by the Touring Office of the Canada Council for the Arts. In 1982, the event was managed by a steering committee of representatives from the four Atlantic Provinces. With the incorporation of the Atlantic Presenters Association in 2001, the organization took over management of the event and has been producing quality conferences ever since.

According to the Atlantic Presenters Association’s records, Contact East has been held in the following years and locations:

2021 – New Brunswick – Moncton (Capitol Theatre)
2020 – Contact(less) East
2019 – Prince Edward Island – Charlottetown (Florence Simmonds Hall at Holland College)
2018 – Newfoundland & Labrador – St. John’s (Arts and Culture Centre)
2017 – Nova Scotia – Membertou, Cape Breton (Membertou Trade & Convention Centre)
2016 – New Brunswick – Saint John (Imperial Theatre)
2015 – Prince Edward Island – Charlottetown (Confederation Centre of the Arts)
2014 – Nova Scotia – Pictou (deCoste Centre)
2013 – Newfoundland & Labrador – St. John’s (Arts and Culture Centre)
2012 – New Brunswick – Fredericton (Fredericton Playhouse)
2011 – Prince Edward Island – Summerside (Harbourfront Theatre)
2010 – Nova Scotia – Antigonish (The Keating Millennium Centre)
2009 – New Brunswick – Moncton (The Capitol Theatre)
2007 – Nova Scotia – Liverpool (The Astor Theatre)
2005 – Prince Edward Island – Summerside (Harbourfront Jubilee Theatre)
2003 – Newfoundland & Labrador – St. John’s (Arts and Culture Centre)
2001 – New Brunswick – Saint John (Hotel Courtenay Bay/Imperial Theatre)
1998 – Nova Scotia – Wolfville (Old Orchard Inn/ Atlantic Theatre Festival)
1996 – New Brunswick – Saint John (Delta Hotel/Imperial Theatre)
1994 – Prince Edward Island – Charlottetown (Confederation Centre)
1992 – Prince Edward Island – Charlottetown (Confederation Centre)
1990 – Nova Scotia – Dartmouth (Holiday Inn)
1988 – New Brunswick – Saint John (Delta Saint John/Saint John High School)
1985 – Nova Scotia – Halifax (World Trade Centre)
1983 – Massachusetts – Boston
1982 – New Brunswick – Sackville (Mt Allison University)
1979 – Nova Scotia – Halifax (Lord Nelson Hotel)
1978 – New Brunswick – Moncton (Hotel Beauséjour)
1977 – Nova Scotia – Halifax (Lord Nelson Hotel)
1976 – Nova Scotia – Halifax (Chateau Halifax)
1975 – New Brunswick – Fredericton (Lord Beaverbrook Hotel)