Why Community Matters More Than Ever
In the post-COVID era, arts and cultural organizations continue to face major challenges. Many are still rebuilding full-time operations, often under new or adjusted business models. Additionally, the sector has experienced a major “knowledge drain” due to turnover during lockdown. As a result, there is now a strong focus on getting the most value from critical business systems.
Artifax User Summits have been a regular North American tradition for more than a decade. I’ve had the privilege of attending all but one, including Nashville 2020. Time after time, attendees tell me how valuable it is to spend several focused days with other ArtifaxEvent users — to learn, share, and connect.
To explore what makes these summits so special, we spoke with Laura McMullin, a two-time attendee and now one of our talented Product Specialists.
Interview with Laura McMullin
What organization did you work for before joining Artifax?
LM: “I worked for the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, CA for just over three years. I started as a Theater Sales Coordinator and later moved into a Theater Operations Specialist role. That meant overseeing our systems — mainly Artifax — and how they worked with our events.”
Why were you chosen to attend the Artifax User Summits?
LM: “Since I was overseeing Artifax, and honestly in the system as often as possible, it made sense to send me. I was the power user, and with great power comes great responsibility to keep learning!”
Why did you think attending these events was important?
LM: “My first summit was with my director. In arts organizations, it can be hard to talk with peers who do similar work because everyone is so busy. However, at the summit, I finally had the chance to connect with other venues and hear how they used Artifax.”
She continued:
LM: “For my second summit (Nashville 2020), I looked forward to meeting people I’d met the year before and learning even more. After each summit, I returned with new ideas to improve the system and save my team time.”
What did you bring back to your organization after the summit?
LM: “Each summit offered different topics — from change management to onboarding new users. There was something for everyone. My biggest takeaway was discovering the types of reports other organizations were using. I hadn’t realized how many options Artifax offered that we weren’t using.”
Additionally, Laura implemented a training plan after her first summit:
LM: “I created a training plan for our Artifax users. It helped staff feel more confident with the system. That’s something I wouldn’t have been able to do without the summit.”
What was your favorite session?
LM: “The change-management session was incredibly helpful, especially when working with users hesitant about software. We also shared favorite reports, which gave me so many ideas. And of course, we had fun — I’m the 2020 Artifax Olympics champion!”
What excites you most now that you help deliver the summit?
LM: “I didn’t realise how differently I’d view the software once I joined Artifax. I loved it before, but I love it even more now. I’ve seen how it streamlines workflows and strengthens processes.”
She added:
LM: “Our customer service is excellent. I’m proud to talk about how passionate I am about the product. I also believe in community over competition, and the Summit is a perfect example of that. I can’t wait to reconnect with friends, share updates, and talk about what’s coming next.”
Why Toronto 2023 Matters
For all the reasons outlined above, Toronto 2023 is shaping up to be our most important summit yet. Alongside a full program of sessions led by our experts, attendees will also visit two remarkable Toronto venues powered by Artifax.
Join the Artifax Community
Not signed up for Toronto 2023?
Visit our Summit page for registration details and the full schedule.
We’d love to see you there.