Serving thousands of member organizations and individuals since 1957, APAP works to strengthen the field and advance careers through professional development, grant support, advocacy, networking and the annual APAP|NYC conference. During the 1960s and 1970s, the presenting field and membership expanded to a variety of organizations, prompting the association to change its name to the Association of College, University and Community Arts Administrators (ACUCAA) in 1973. By the mid-1980s, colleges and universities no longer dominated the membership, and the association’s spectrum expanded. The organization’s name was changed to the Association of Performing Arts Presenters in 1988.

Membership in the association was 29 in 1957; by 1966 it had increased to 275. Today, APAP has 1,600 organizational and individual members and serves more than 5,000 performing arts professionals every year. Members include: presenting organizations; regional, state and local arts agencies; service organizations; producing companies; artist management; booking agencies; and individual artists among other performing arts professionals.