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The American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) has its roots in the National Association of Community Theatre (NACT), an organization founded in the 1950's. In 1958 the American Community Theatre Association (ACTA) was founded and later became a division of the American Theatre Association (ATA). In February 1986 ACTA disassociated with ATA to become AACT, an independently incorporated organization. AACT, founded by ten past presidents of ACTA, adopted all past officers, award recipients, festival activities, and other aspects of ACTA and NACT as part of its history. Within a year of its founding AACT had 380 members, a mailing list, newsletter, membership directory, and more, thanks to President Bea Miller and dedicated board members and past presidents all over the country. Festivals of American Community Theatre (FACT) started in 1969 as a way to select a show for the World Festival in Monaco and have been continued by AACT in odd-numbered years with some participants going on to international festivals all over the globe. See next page for a list of the past national festivals. AACT's first annual membership meeting was in Western Springs, IL in June 1986, in conjunction with an Illinois state event. In 1988, the tradition of an annual AACT event began when Jim Carver, then President of AACT, and the Kalamazoo (MI) Civic Players hosted the first AACT convention. The AACT national convention moved to New York City in 1992 and is now held there every four years. The first two NYC conventions were chaired by JoAnne Nissen. The 2000 and 2004 NYC conventions were chaired by John Viars. In 2002, the AACT annual event was a convention in Minneapolis, MN chaired by Bill Muchow and hosted by the Minnesota Association of Community Theatre. In 1990 John Viars and the Des Moines (IA) Playhouse was host to AACT's first international festival. Racine (WI) Theatre Guild with chair Norm McPhee hosted AACT's second international festival in 1994. In 1998 a third international festival was held in Benton Harbor, MI chaired by Larry Nielsen and the Twin City Players. AACT's 4th international festival was hosted by Midland (TX) Community Theatre in July 2006. When John Viars became president in 1991, he saw a great need for a national office to be a home base for AACT communications and a staff to handle the growing load of membership records and mailings. The Des Moines Playhouse contributed office space, a computer was purchased, and a part time executive secretary hired. The office remained in Des Moines until 1994 when Julie Angelo became AACT's first executive director and the office moved to College Station, TX. In 2000 Julie and the AACT office relocated to Lago Vista, TX near Austin. The AACT staff has grown to two full time and two part time employees. AACT launched its website in 1996, thanks to Stephen Peithman who continues to serve as AACT's webmaster. Over the years it has grown to include multiple services for members and non-members, including online directories, resources, and a searchable database of theatre profiles. In 1997 AACT's membership exceeded 1000, a tenth region - for overseas military members - was created and the AACT logo was adopted. Also in 1997 the AACT Board pulled AACT's growing educational programs together under a vice president for education. In 2000 AACT published Boards in the Spotlight, a compilation of Twink Lynch's boardsmanship articles that have appeared in Spotlight since 1992. AACT co-sponsors the Full Time Community Theatre Directors Conference held by the University of Wisconsin in November of odd-numbered years. In 2002 AACT initiated an Artistic Directors Conference and an Education Directors Conference, which continue to be held biennially. In June 2005 AACT held its first national Community Theatre Management Conference designed to include part time and volunteer managers. This conference will be repeated in 2007. AACT has held a series of fundraising conferences conducted by professional fundraising consultants. Fundraising was the subject of AACT's first virtual seminar in January 2006.