The Australian Performing Arts Teachers Association [APATA] is Australia’s uniting body for teachers, educators and industry practitioners working, creating and leading in education in the performing arts.

The APATA National Awards Program shines a light on our community’s most inspirational performing arts educators and the significant role they play in the performing arts, and the wider community, celebrating achievement and contribution. APATA is a dynamic and progressive body for performing arts teachers and educators who work, practice, develop, nurture, and dedicate their life’s work building emerging artists and creatives for today and tomorrow. 

Excellence across all elements of the performing arts industry is recognised, including dance, music, theatre, musical theatre, opera, comedy, circus, and culture through to those practitioners who develop our writers, designers, producers, directors, managers, administrators, and technical production experts.

Performing arts education focus can be a combination of performing arts disciplines or a stand-alone area of specialisation.