ECC's director of performing arts wins NAPAMA award

Steve Duchrow, director of performing arts at the Elgin Community College Arts Center, was honored with the Arts Presenter of the Year award from the North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents. He received the award during the Association of Performing Arts Presenters' January conference in New York City.

"It is humbling for me to receive this award," Duchrow said. "As a boy growing up in rural Wisconsin, I never envisioned receiving an award with Ben Vereen as a keynote, in New York City, and standing in front of peers who operate the best performance venues in North America."

NAPAMA, which consists of members who manage professional artists in North America, presents two awards to its agents and presenters during the APAP conference. Duchrow said the ECC Arts Center, which he represents, might be one of the smallest arts venues to be given this award.

"That makes it even more special when you consider we are a smaller community measured against large city venues," he said.

Duchrow added that the award really recognizes the ECC staff and all other Northern Illinois residents who passionately go out of their way to support live performance.

"I have been blessed to work at Elgin Community College Arts Center, the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake, and Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, and get a chance to work for all the citizens in the communities surrounding those organizations," he said.

More than 4,000 arts directors representing huge venues as well as those representing commercial, regional, municipal, educational and other not-for-profit venues attend the NAPAMA conference. Arts leaders from all 50 states in the U.S. and from 30 different countries assemble in New York City for five days of professional development, which includes the planning, negotiation, and booking of their arts series.