Dates and Times
- Tuesday, July 25, 10:00 am – Thursday July 27, 3:00 pm, with Negotiating Orchestras Workshop on Monday, July 24, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Location
- Atlanta, Georgia
Host Member Orchestra and Local
- AFM Local 148-462
Conference Registration
- REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE HERE: http://ropaweb.org/ropa-join/ropa-conference-registration/ You must also check-in at the conference, where you will receive conference materials and your ID badge. Register by July 1.
Hotel/Reservations (Deadline for ROPA Discount: July 10)
- Hotel: Courtland Grand Atlanta, 165 Courtland Street NE / Atlanta, Georgia 30303
- Phone: 404-659-6500
- Online Reservation: https://book.passkey.com/e/50490306
- Room Rate: $155
- Check In: 04:00 PM
- Check Out: 12:00 PM
- Indoor Pool: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Pet Policy: Pets Allowed $100.00 Pet Cleaning Fee Non-Refundable
- Fitness Center: 24 Hours
Parking
- On-Site Parking – Daily: $35
Valet – Daily: $45 - Electric Car Charging Station
- Additional Parking Information
- Self: Under 3 hrs, 20 USD; 3 – 8 hrs, $27; 8 – 24 hrs, $35. Valet: Under 3 hrs, $25; 3-8 hrs, $35; 8-24 hrs, $45
Getting to the Hotel from the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport
Agenda
- NEW: Agenda (as of 7/24))
Schedule/Documents
Conference Email Archive
- Find conference-related emails HERE as they are sent out.
Orchestra Reports
Delegates only will be able to view the 2023 Orchestra Reports HERE as they become available (Delegates: please log in to the website, and follow instructions for viewing restricted pages).
All ROPA Delegates are expected to file a report on his or her orchestra’s situation or activities over the past year. It should be filed with the ROPA Secretary by July 2, 2023 and you should bring copies to the Conference to distribute to the other Delegates and Conference guests, as directed by the ROPA Secretary. The report should be between 200 and 350 words, and fit on one page.
Please begin your report right now – it’s never too early. Try not to spend more than a half hour to one hour writing your report, but do make it easy to read and understand. You will be able to view the Delegate Reports as submitted by ROPA Delegates for the 2023 Annual Conference in Atlanta, at the link above.
Settlement Bulletins
Settlement bulletins that have been submitted from orchestras which have concluded negotiations this year will be found HERE. (Delegates: please log in to the website, and follow instructions for viewing restricted pages).
Negotiating Orchestra Workshop
If your orchestra is negotiating during the 2023-24 season, the AFM will pay the Pre-approved Orchestra Delegate for the extra hotel night and one day Per Diem for Sunday, July 23 so that you can attend the Negotiating Orchestra Workshop on Monday, July 24.
Elections
This year’s ROPA Officer elections will be for Vice President, Secretary, four Members-at-Large and Delegate At-Large to the AFM Convention. If you’re interested in running, please plan your travel so you can remain in Atlanta over Thursday night in order to attend the post-Conference Executive Board meeting if you’re elected.
Resolutions
If you would like to present a resolution on the floor of the ROPA Conference — especially if it involves an amendment to the ROPA Bylaws — we ask that you submit it, in a format consistent with Robert’s Rules, to Naomi Bensdorf Frisch. Please watch the Delegates discussion list for opportunities to comment on proposed resolutions.
Host a Conference
If you’re interested in hosting a ROPA Conference, please contact us.
To hold a ROPA Conference in your city, ROPA requires an invitation from your Local as well as your orchestra committee. The ROPA Secretary will send you a copy of the guidelines and information for hosting a ROPA Conference, with information your orchestra and your Local will need.
Attendance
All ROPA Delegates are expected to attend the ROPA Conference. If you are a Delegate and can not attend, please make arrangements for your Alternate Delegate to go to the Conference. All ROPA AFM Local Representatives are invited to the Conference, as well as other AFM Federation staff.
If you are a Delegate, your Local is required to pay “the reasonable and necessary expenses of sending one delegate to the appropriate annual conference.” This should include airfare, hotel, and a modest per-diem for meals.
Please attend a meeting of your Local’s Executive Board before the conference to discuss your expenses, and also to tell them what kinds of things you expect to get information about at the conference. This year’s speaker topics will be announced soon.
If you can’t make it to a Local board meeting, at least give a call to your Local officers to talk with them about the ROPA conference.