The NACA College Music Phenomenon
NACA – What it can do for your music career, and how to get involved.
It’s called the National Association for Campus Activities, NACA. For more than a thousand colleges and universities across the country, an NACA conference is one-stop shopping, complete with audition-style showcases, face-to-face interaction with talent, and endless networking opportunities.
Since 1960, NACA has been hosting conventions and showcases across the country to bring sellers and buyers of college entertainment together. And it’s not just for bands. Conventions also include comedians, speakers, promotional agencies, and other performing artists. The one criteria: have crowd appeal broad enough for the picky college circuit.
Booking Agent Heaven
Recently, I had the opportunity to go to a NACA regional conference in Reno, Nevada. I was excited by the thought of going to a casino hotel in Reno for three days. But after a couple of hours, I forgot our hotel even had a casino. The convention schedule keeps booking agents busy from dawn til’ way beyond dusk. For us, that meant classes, workshops, showcases, conference meals, interactive activities, the talent market, maybe a quick shower, then another showcase and the talent market again. Exhausting, but it’s all worth it.
NACA is a universe of talent and information unto itself. As a college planner looking for bands, the conference allowed me to see acts play live, meet them in person, and network with other colleges interested in hiring similar artists.
As a band, a NACA convention allows you to get the attention of several dozen colleges in one location. But like many other prospects in the college entertainment industry, this is an investment that requires time, money and hard work.
Artists can apply through the NACA website. Just remember to do it months in advance, because the showcase selection process is competitive, and requires an application package, including a well-produced video. Bands that don’t make the showcase cut can still rent a booth at a NACA event, but won’t have the chance to perform in front of a large, targeted audience.
Which Events Should You Hit?
NACA has seven Regional Conferences divided by location. These conferences are open to all member colleges within the listed region. For a list and map of the regions, go to the NACA website.
Every Spring, NACA has a Mid Altantic Festival which showcases about 50 entertainers and groups, including agents and promotional companies. This festival is open to schools located in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Washington D.C.
Every February, NACA hosts its National Convention, the largest campus activities marketplace in the country. It’s a four-day event with over 2,000 delegates from more than 450 schools. The convention also hosts classes on leadership and business for attending students, which makes it a great place to meet a future manager, promoter, or producer.
No Small Investment
There are two types of NACA membership for a band: Regional Membership ($351) and National Membership ($710). With a Regional Membership, you have access to a region of your choice (West, South, Central, etc.), but with National Membership, you have access to all regions. Sounds expensive, I know, but that’s because there’s some serious money to be earned here.
Showcasing live is not guaranteed once you become a member and it will require extra fees to apply to be part of the showcase. And if you’re chosen, more fees. But it’s worth the investment if you can do it. College shows pay way more than nightclubs (as much as $3500 for some events!) and popular college bands make a solid living touring the circuit. At a NACA event, you have the undivided attention of dozens of colleges right in front of you. Take advantage of it – the right act has the potential to book dozens of shows right on the spot.
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Author's biography:
Simone Silva has spent much of her life actively participating in music, theater, painting, fashion and producing short films. After high school she moved from Sacramento, California to LA to attend California State University Long Beach. Shortly after arriving at the university, she joined the Program Council and began organizing concerts by underground bands, and her third year, she was named Head of the campus’ Music Events Committee. A recent graduate, Simone studied Film and Electronic Arts with an emphasis in screenwriting.
