ABOUT MAX
What is MAX
The Midwest Arts XPO (MAX) is an arts conference created by Heartland Performing Arts, Inc., a nonprofit organization since June 28, 2022, which brings together arts professionals to encourage innovation, create educational opportunities, strengthen artist touring relationships, and support arts advocacy throughout the central United States. The organization was founded by agents, artists, and state consortia leaders from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and beyond.
Mission Statement
Heartland Performing Arts is a nonprofit organization which brings together arts professionals to encourage innovation, create educational opportunities, strengthen artist touring relationships, and support arts advocacy throughout the central United States. The organization was founded by agents, artists, and state consortia leaders from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Plains Presenters, Southwest Presenters, and Wisconsin.
2026 Heartland Performing Arts Board of Directors
Eric Olmscheid President
Wharton Center for Performing Arts
Michigan State University
Jennifer Ross
Vice President
Walton Arts Center
Sara Barasch Secretary
IMG Artists
Tommy Hensel
Treasurer
Elgin Community College
Tara Baily
Bailiwick Booking Agency
Lindsay Bauer
Fairfield Arts & Convention Center
Bill Blagg
Bill Blagg | Magic & Illusion
Gail Boyd
Gail Boyd Artist Management
Tianna Conway
Moraine Valley Fine & Performing Arts Center
Shantel Dow
Sheldon Theatre of Performing Arts
Jared Duymovic
Cadenza Artists
Kevin Horton
William Morris Endeavor
Kerith Iverson
Québec Government Office in Chicago
Sarah McCarthy
Dandelion Artists
Gary Minyard
Dayton Live
Lisa Rock
Close to You / Lisa Rock Entertainment
Founding Committee Members
After the announcement of Arts Midwest conference not continuing in October 2021, agents/artists/presenters got together shortly after, to strategize the future of touring/presenting. The founding committee started in January 2022 and the following people assisted with the inaugural conference in Indianapolis 2023.
Lindsay Bauer (Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, Sondheim Center)
Loni Boyd (Wisconsin Lutheran College)
Laurel Canan (Siegel Artist Management)
Tianna Conway (Moraine Valley Community College)
Tommy Hensel (Elgin Community College)
Mary Jennings (Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts at Michigan Technological University)
Luisa Kormann (The Roots Agency)
Jeff Laramie (SRO Artists)
Gary Minyard (Dayton Live)
Jennifer Morris (Siegel Artist Management)
Nicole Mulder (Theatre L’Homme Dieu)
Eric Olmscheid (Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University)
Peter Palermo (Sheldon Arts Foundation)
Maureen Patton (The Grand 1894 Opera House)
Kevin Peters (G.L. Berg Entertainment)
Thomas Robbins (The Legacy Theater)
Lisa Rock (Lisa Rock Entertainment)
Leslie Rodriguez (Dominican University Performing Arts Center)
Crandall Rogers (Four Mortals Production)
Founding Donors
Heartland Performing Arts, Inc. thanks the following generous individuals and organizations for their founding donations to this exciting new venture that launched in September 2023!
Sara Barasch
Janet Herman Barlow
Laurel Canan
Annick-Patricia Carriere
Tianna Conway
Shantel Dow
Jared Duymovic
Amy Gosz
Daniel Hahn
Tommy Hensel
Kris Kaminski
Michael Kott
Jeff Laramie
Timothy Mar
Derrick McBride
Nicole Mulder
Maestro Robert Nance
Eric Olmsheid
Gary Peterson
Plains Presenters
Jennifer Ross
Bill Smith
Stephan Stubbins
Mark & Jennnifer Yonally
Robert Zucker
