I am interested in the college market. I have researched and have found that NACA is the way to go. But I would like to speak to someone with first hand experience. I want to have an honest opinion on there experience and what to expect. If anyone on here is able to help please send me a message at Jasongreens82@hotmail.com . Thanks.

I'd like that info too.

Booking through NACA can be difficult at best to say the least...your bet at first working this market is to try and get into one of the Spring Coffee House (programs under 1k) showcases, get some great testimonials, put together a heck of a video and then take it to one of the main fall/winter conferences....you've gotta be different and you've gotta be funny...if not you'll flop....I speak from the perspective not as a performer but as someone that booked college acts for 4 years in college as well as someone who was on the NACA Regional and National Convention staff several years.....AC

I've been/am a member of both NACA and APCA. And thhe real truth is it takes a major commitment of time, money and patience to even begin to compete on this level. With regional and national conferences, booth costs, showcase fees, not to mention the necessities of pro quality promo materials, demos, signage, etc. the costs to just be taken seriously are serious. Then even once all of these things are in place it is a slow process (several years at least from our experience) just to really get the ball rolling and have bookings begin to come in.

In our first year with NACA alone we did four regional events (not even getting to the national event) spending only minimalistic amounts on promo, booth, etc and we spent $23,841.00. Just one our first eight months. This was cutting corners where ever we could, not using convention servicers, driving instead of flying, motel 6's instead of the venue/event hotel.

I have spoke to may others at these events and felt great that this was all I spent. Another common misconception is that if you just get in (as a self-reprsented artist) that an agency there will see you, like you and pick you up. This too is not anywhere as common as you would like to believe. These agencies are there to push their roster of talent that they've paid handsmely to feature and all of there efforts are on the pitching, selling and schmoozing the attending delegates. It really is like a car salesman mentality with a sole, focused agenda, and I must say after years of participation and commitment, they are quite good at this way of doing business. Tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars are at stake so they don't spend a lot of time talking to the newbies and self-rep'd acts and artists.

All of this is just for starters. Then there are the politics, dinners, bar/after hours dealings, hospitality suites, privately held or hosted events, and so on.

That's my quick response to you questions. I don't mean to be harsh, just real as you expressed. This is just our experience and opinion. Also I think NACA has had some internal "restructuring" over the past few years as I think many of these and other industry-type associations are feeling the strain of recent trends and the times.