United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT)

As part of the 2023 annual conference, the education & training program offered members and guests more than 380 presentations, demonstrations, and celebrations of work by top artists in the field. Seminars and hands-on-trainings were provided in Theatre design, Technology, management, and safety. Usitt has successfully returned to offering 4-6 workshops and professional development opportunities regularly outside of conference week and nationwide, including rigging and safety trainings and symposia.

The marketing and promotion of the 2023 annual conference & stage expo resulted in the registration of 4,790 persons, including a record 1,772 first time attendees. The stage expo showcased the world of live entertainment design and Technology with more than 284 exhibitors of the latest products and services for creating live shows. Incorporating innovative recruiting strategies was a primary focus of our conference in 2023, reflecting the key priorities of our exhibitors. We introduced a new initiative that provided kiosks, allowing attendees to upload their resumes using a qr code. This allowed exhibitors to access a pool of job seekers, fostering a seamless connection between talent and opportunity. We also leveraged the conference platform to introduce a dynamic networking tool - smartmatch - empowering attendees and exhibitors to connect easily, initiate valuable networking interactions, schedule appointments, and even conduct interviews. The incorporation of these technologies not only enhanced the conference experience but also strengthened our commitment to facilitating meaningful connections.

Usitt ended the fiscal year with more members since before the pandemic, up approximately 500 over fy22. Fy23 also saw the most professional (individual member category) and the most contributing (top organizational category) members in the organization's history. Approximately 85% of paid attendees at usitt23 in st. louis were association members and 866 memberships were purchased with usitt23 registration.

All other accomplishments grants & awards- given to individuals to be used for the enhancement and promotion of the threatre and fine arts.