In 1985 founder David R. White, then executive director of New York’s Dance Theater Workshop, called together a group of 14 artist-centered presenting organizations to address a national dilemma—artistic isolation and economic restraints that constricted the flow of creative ideas within and among communities, independent artists, and locally-engaged arts organizations in the United States. The result was a robust network of adventurous, dedicated presenters, and a centralized source of national funds for the presentation of artists’ performance residencies.

In 1998, after a yearlong planning process, NPN separated from Dance Theater Workshop, and under the leadership of San San Wong, became an independently incorporated not-for-profit organization. In 2000, MK Wegmann was appointed president and CEO, and the national office moved to New Orleans. Today, the National Performance Network is comprised of 61 artist-centered presenting organizations — the NPN Partners — that represent every region of the country and support more than 500 artists each year.

Two years ago NPN launched the Visual Arts Network (VAN), which expands NPN’s performance-based programs to include the visual arts, increasing the total number of NPN/VAN Partners to 69. In 2010, NPN has introduced an additional subsidy program to support the further development of new work. The launch of this program, “The Forth Subsidy,”  coincided with NPN’s 25th Anniversary. Beginning with the December 2009 Annual Meeting in Knoxville,  NPN is celebrating this milestone with a year-long series of special events, forums and publications.