AJ Four Ways: Text Only (by date) | headlines only
DANCE
IDEAS
- Chief Marketing Officer – Seattle Rep via TOC Arts Partners
About the Opportunity
Seattle Rep—one of the nation’s leading regional theaters—is experiencing a dynamic new chapter. With a strong artistic foundation, a reputation for and commitment to innovation, and a renewed sense of organizational and artistic momentum, Seattle Rep is poised to deepen its community impact and connection and excite audiences with an ever expansive artistic energy and focus.
The Chief Marketing Officer will play a defining role in this next phase. As a key member of the senior leadership team, the CMO will shape how the organization connects with audiences—driving revenue, elevating brand visibility, and advancing a modern, data-informed approach to marketing in the performing arts. This is a rare opportunity to lead marketing for a major American theater at a moment of both stability and ambition—where thoughtful strategy, creative energy, and institutional alignment can meaningfully expand impact and reach. The CMO will join a senior leadership team committed to collaboration around strategies designed to support a thriving theater organization keenly focused on fulfilling its mission through excellence, excitement, and innovation. This is an opportunity for a marketing and communications professional who is excited to join a team that is passionate about the future of this company; who brings ambition and vision; who is able to work within the realm of possibility while also anchoring the work in data and understanding; and who is eager to embrace the realities and potential of 21st century marketing tools.
About Seattle Rep
Seattle Rep puts theater at the heart of public life. Founded in 1963 and winner of the 1990 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Seattle Rep is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann. Over a season and throughout the year, Seattle Rep collaborates with extraordinary artists to create productions and programs that reflect and elevate the diverse cultures, perspectives, and life experiences of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle Rep enjoys a celebrated national reputation based on its commitment to excellence on stage, its continuing commitment to developing new work and investing in national and local artists, and its place as the premiere regional theater in the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle Rep is set in the unique park-like environment of Seattle Center, a public space developed as part of the World’s Fair in 1962. Overlooked by the Space Needle, Seattle Rep shares this extensive cultural campus with the Opera House (home to both Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet), the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, Seattle Children’s Theatre, and more, as well as open spaces that draw Seattle residents and visitors to numerous festivals and events throughout the year. Seattle Rep’s building houses two theaters – the Bagley Wright Theater, with a current capacity of 673; and the 282 seat Leo K. Theater. In addition, the Poncho Forum is a flexible space used for everything from rehearsal studio to educational programs space to public programs and readings. Seattle Rep’s production shops and administrative offices are also located within this building, creating opportunities for company collaborations and communications that are rare in a large theater organization.
Learn more about Seattle Rep here. https://www.seattlerep.org/
About Seattle
Seattle, Washington, is a city with perhaps the most beautiful setting in the United States. Known as the Emerald City because of its connection and access to nature – the city is filled with parks and green spaces – Seattle sits on the shores of Puget Sound, with the Cascade Mountains in view to the east, and the Olympics of the Peninsula to the west. Water views come into focus at almost every turn, with the Sound and Lakes Union and Washington defining the topography of this city of hills. For many centuries the area has been home to a large number of indigenous communities, including the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes, and is still home to one of the largest populations of urban native peoples in the country. As a Pacific rim city, Seattle also enjoys the influence of citizens of Asian ancestry, and the area’s reputation as a technology center continues to draw a diverse population to the city and environs.
Seattle’s evolution from timber and fishing economies, to aerospace and technology pioneers, to progressive eco-centric entrepreneurism has created a city with a distinct personality, where everyone from multinational corporate workers to maker-culture artisans benefit from the diverse food, art, and outdoor scene that represents the city’s unique story.
Culturally, Seattle is an exciting city that has impacted not only its citizens but the national culture as well. In music, through its reputation as a city who nurtured legends from Ray Charles and Quincy Jones to Jimi Hendrix to Nirvana; in visual art, through artists from Mark Tobey and Morris Graves to Fay Jones and Dale Chihuly; and through its history of cultivating a vibrant live theater scene. Seattle was a center of vaudeville in the early 20th century, and one of the leaders of the resident theater movement in the 60s as the Seattle Rep opened its doors, and for the next half century the theater community grew and evolved, as nationally celebrated playwrights from Steven Dietz to Cheryl L. West to August Wilson called Seattle home.
Job Description
The Chief Marketing Officer leads the strategy, execution, and performance of all marketing, communications, and audience engagement efforts at Seattle Rep. This role oversees a broad portfolio spanning brand, sales, digital strategy, communications, and patron experience, and is responsible for delivering both immediate revenue results and long-term audience growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Accelerate revenue growth through effective subscription, single ticket, and group sales strategies
- Reinforce audience engagement in a post-pandemic environment, with a focus on long-term loyalty and growth
- Evolve a contemporary marketing model, incorporating new technologies, platforms, and audience behaviors
- Help strengthen alignment across revenue functions, particularly between Marketing and Development
- Clarify and amplify the Seattle Rep brand, both institutionally and across individual productions and events
Strategic Leadership
- Lead and mentor a multidisciplinary team spanning marketing, communications, patron services, and front-of-house operations
- Set clear priorities, goals, and performance expectations for the department
- Manage budgets, timelines, and resources to align ambition with execution
- Foster a collaborative, creative, and accountable team culture
Specifically, provide leadership and strategic direction of Seattle Rep marketing/communications/patron services teams in the following areas:
Marketing & Sales
- Develop and oversee subscription, single ticket, and group sales campaigns across all productions and programs
- Develop and implement dynamic pricing strategies and audience segmentation models
- Forecast, analyze, and respond to ticket sales trends to maximize revenue and attendance
- Oversee the planning and execution of show-specific campaigns for both produced and presented work
- Continuously refine the customer journey—from first interaction through post-show engagement—to drive loyalty and retention
Digital & Content Strategy
- Oversee all digital platforms, including website, email, SMS, social media, and paid advertising
- Partner with internal teams and external agencies to develop compelling, audience-centered content and campaigns
- Leverage data and analytics to inform strategy and optimize performance
- Stay at the forefront of digital innovation, evaluating new tools, platforms, and technologies to expand reach
Communications & Brand Management
- Steward and evolve the Seattle Rep brand across all external touchpoints
- Oversee public relations, media strategy, advertising, and community engagement efforts
- Serve as a key storyteller for the organization, shaping narratives that resonate with diverse audiences and stakeholders
- Ensure consistency, clarity, and impact across all communications
Patron Services and Front of House
- Ensure best practices in patron relationship building
- Support and advise on customer service policies and practices that remove barriers and encourage loyalty
- Work with the front of house team and other departments that impact audience experience, evaluate customer door-to-door experiences, and create opportunities and solutions to provide a best-in-field experience
- Support FOH teams in managing audience challenges, with training and solutions to empower them and build confidence
Lobby and Events
Oversee the lobby and events team in managing the public spaces at Seattle Rep, ensuring the highest level of visitor experience and optimizing revenue opportunities from rentals, food and beverage operations, and merchandise
Leadership Profile
Seattle Rep is seeking a leader who combines strategic rigor with emotional intelligence—someone who can deliver results while building strong relationships and a sense of shared purpose across the organization.
The successful candidate will be a visible and engaged presence, someone who leads from within the organization rather than at a distance. They will build trust through consistency, accessibility, and a genuine investment in the people and work around them.
They will bring a collaborative, enterprise-wide mindset, working fluidly across departments to align audience and revenue strategies. This includes strengthening the partnership with Development and other key teams, ensuring that marketing is fully integrated into broader institutional goals.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate confidence without ego—a leader who can operate as a strong peer at the senior level, advocate for ideas, and navigate complex dynamics with diplomacy and respect.
They will be both creative and disciplined: energized by new ideas, open to experimentation, and curious about the future of audience engagement, while also grounded in data, structure, and execution.
This is a role that requires resilience and steadiness. The pace of work is high, and the CMO must be able to manage pressure, support their team, and maintain focus in a dynamic environment.
Equally important is the ability to balance ambition with sustainability—championing bold goals while ensuring that strategies are realistic, priorities are clear, and teams are set up for success.
The CMO will bring energy, curiosity, and optimism—helping to shape a marketing function that not only drives revenue, but also contributes to the spirit, momentum, and forward-looking identity of Seattle Rep.
Preferred Qualifications
- 10+ years of progressive experience in marketing, communications, sales, and audience engagement, ideally within performing arts, entertainment, or live events
- Demonstrated success leading integrated marketing strategies that drive measurable revenue growth
- Strong expertise in digital marketing, analytics, audience segmentation, and campaign optimization
- Experience managing ticket sales campaigns, pricing strategies, and revenue forecasting
- Proven ability to lead teams and collaborate cross-functionally in complex organizations
- Strong financial and operational acumen, including budget management
- Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with a refined sense of brand and audience
- Experience managing external vendors and agency partners
- Familiarity with CRM systems (Tessitura preferred)
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving, and collaborative environment
Compensation
Seattle Rep offers a salary range of $145,000 to $185,000 based upon experience, and a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance; retirement plan options; and paid time off.
Application Instructions
The Chief Marketing Officer search is being conducted on behalf of Seattle Rep by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by VP of Executive Search Cynthia Fuhrman, in consultation with and support from the TOC Arts Partners search team.
To apply, visit the online application and submit your materials. Your cover letter should include any training or experience relevant to the job profile that you would like to highlight, why you consider yourself a good fit for this opportunity, and anything else you’d like us to know about your qualifications that may not be present in your resume. Applications will be accepted until this role is filled.
For general questions or nominations of prospective candidates, please contact searchteam@tocartspartners.com. We kindly request no phone calls.
Specific questions about the position may be directed to:
Cynthia Fuhrman
VP, Executive Search
cynthia@tocartspartners.comNot sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that cis men apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria, while others tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether you’re returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.
- The Biennale by Subtraction
Good Morning,
The Venice Biennale opens Saturday and most of today’s biggest stories are about what isn’t there. Iran withdrew, and The Conversation reads it as the geopolitics finally catching up with the global art circuit. ARTnews visited the US pavilion and found it essentially empty — an unintentional comment on the Trump administration’s call for art that “promotes American values.” And Pussy Riot, predictably, stormed the Russian pavilion (The Guardian).
Elsewhere, institutions are buckling in less photogenic ways. A French parliamentary report proposes gutting public broadcasting by 25 percent, with the entertainment broadcast budget cut 75 percent (The Guardian). San Diego County scrambled to stand up a $2.75M arts grant program just as the city moves to gut its own (San Diego Union-Tribune). And programmatic ads are quietly creeping into public radio (Inside Radio) — the kind of slow capture that doesn’t make headlines until it has.
Meanwhile Wired reports on a study that finds that AI assistance makes problem-solvers worse at problem-solving when the assistance disappears. Shocking.
In San Francisco, Lawrence Halprin’s brutalist Vaillancourt Fountain caught fire mid-demolition (SF Chronicle) — one way to settle an architecture debate.
All of our stories below.
- He Couldn’t Choose Between Dance And Visual Art. He’s Ended Up Putting Dancers In His Art Installations.
Meet Brendan Fernandes, whose latest work, Score for the Murphy Auditorium at Chicago’s Driehaus, deploys seven dancers executing semi-improvised steps within a dodecahedron of mirrored benches. – WBEZ (Chicago)
- Study: Using AI Could Make You Lazy And Dumber
Some participants were given access to an AI assistant capable of solving the problem autonomously. When the AI helper was suddenly taken away, these people were significantly more likely to give up on the problem or flub their answers. – Wired
- The Shady, Underpaid Gig Work That Makes Video Clips Go Viral
“Everything you’re watching on the feeds could, potentially, be an ad programmed to make someone a Discourse Topic and/or Zeitgeist Definer, made famous thanks to paid spammers instead of organic attention. The effect is to make one wonder whether anything on social media is ‘real,’ even if it isn’t A.I.” – Slate
ISSUES
- What Iran’s Absence From The Venice Biennale Means
Iran’s withdrawal is less a sudden decision than the result of converging geopolitical and economic pressures that are reshaping both the global art world and Iran’s place within it. – The Conversation
- Brandywine Conservancy Announced $100M Expansion
The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art on Wednesday announced a $100 million expansion plan to open a second museum building, create a 325-acre campus, and a nature preserve with 10 miles of trails. – Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
- Living In A Gaudi Masterpiece
Imagine that you live in an enormous, beautiful apartment designed by one of the world’s most admired architects in the most expensive street in Spain and for which you pay a derisory rent, with the right to live there until you die. – The Guardian
- This Year’s US Entry In The Venice Biennale: Empty
The second Trump administration’s call for proposals for the Venice Biennale said the American presentation should “reflect and promote American values” and foster “peaceful relations between the United States and other nations.” So how does that bear out in Allen’s US Pavilion? – ARTnews
- Louvre’s New President Outlines His Plans For Museum Post-Heist
“With the search for France’s crown jewels still ongoing, … plans are afoot for a new display of Empress Eugénie’s diamond-and-emerald crown. … In time, Christophe Leribault recently (said), the crown Emperor Napoleon III commissioned for his wife will become a new highlight, one only surpassed by the Mona Lisa.” – Artnet
MEDIA
- Transcending Boundaries: What Is The Ministry Of Awe?
What is the Ministry of Awe? “Is it an art gallery?” she asked rhetorically. “Is it a theater? Is a museum? Is it a dream? It’s none of those and all of those and it doesn’t matter exactly what it is because there’s no one right way to experience it.” – The New York Times
- As City Of San Diego Prepares To Slash Arts Funding, County Sets Up $2.75 Million Program
This despite the fact that the San Diego County government is facing a budget cliff of its own, just as the city is. – The San Diego Union-Tribune (MSN)
- L.A.’s Holocaust Museum To Reopen As Part Of New Cultural Center
“The Holocaust Museum LA, the first survivor-founded and oldest Holocaust museum in the United States, will reopen after a 10-month closure as part of the new Goldrich Cultural Center — a $70-million campus expansion set to debut June 14 in Pan Pacific Park (near downtown).” – Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)
- Study: Relocating New Orleans Needs To Start Now Because Of Climate Change
The process of relocating people from New Orleans should start immediately, as the city has reached a “point of no return” that will see it surrounded by the ocean within decades due to the climate crisis, a stark new study has concluded. – The Guardian
- Just How Long Should An Arts Leader Stay?
As one artist told ArtsHub: ‘Artistic director and executive director jobs are so few and far between in Australia that it is no wonder that when someone is appointed to one, they hold on to them for more than 10 years. – ArtsHub
MUSIC
- A Manifesto From The Battle Front Of French Literature’s Latest Culture War
“A publishing house is not meant to be a propaganda machine. It is a place where conflict, doubt and nuance can, and should, coexist. … Grasset’s authors rarely agreed on much, but as the letter of protest we signed said, we have had — and still have — a common enemy: authoritarianism.” – The New York Times
- “The Devil Wears Prada” And The Rise And Fall Of Chick Lit
“Before it was a movie, Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada, published by Broadway Books in 2003, marked the absolute high point of that once-ubiquitous genre. … Soon after the success of the novel, chick lit started to fall apart,” with dedicated imprints long since discontinued. – Publishers Weekly
- Big Book Publishers Band Together To Sue Meta Over AI Plundering
Five leading publishers and a best-selling author filed a class-action lawsuit against Meta and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, on Tuesday, alleging that the tech giant violated copyright law by training its generative artificial intelligence platform on millions of illegally pirated books and articles. – Washington Post
- Publishers And Authors Sue Meta And Mark Zuckerberg (Personally) For AI-Related Copyright Infringement
Five large publishing houses, along with Scott Turow representing authors as a class, allege in their filing that Zuckerberg himself “personally authorized and actively encouraged the infringement” of copyrights by Meta, which used countless books and articles to train Llama, its AI language system. – AP
- 2026 Pulitzer Prizes For Books Go To Jill Lepore, Yiyun Lin, Amanda Vaill, Daniel Kraus, Brian Goldstone, Juliana Spahr
Kraus’s Angel Down took fiction honors; Goldstone’s There Is No Place for Us won for general nonfiction; Lepore’s We the People took history honors; Vaill’s study of the Schuyler sisters, Pride and Pleasure, won for biography; Li’s Things In Nature Merely Grow won for memoir; Spahr’s Ars Poetica was honored for poetry. – Literary Hub
PEOPLE
- Chief Marketing Officer – Seattle Rep via TOC Arts Partners
About the Opportunity
Seattle Rep—one of the nation’s leading regional theaters—is experiencing a dynamic new chapter. With a strong artistic foundation, a reputation for and commitment to innovation, and a renewed sense of organizational and artistic momentum, Seattle Rep is poised to deepen its community impact and connection and excite audiences with an ever expansive artistic energy and focus.
The Chief Marketing Officer will play a defining role in this next phase. As a key member of the senior leadership team, the CMO will shape how the organization connects with audiences—driving revenue, elevating brand visibility, and advancing a modern, data-informed approach to marketing in the performing arts. This is a rare opportunity to lead marketing for a major American theater at a moment of both stability and ambition—where thoughtful strategy, creative energy, and institutional alignment can meaningfully expand impact and reach. The CMO will join a senior leadership team committed to collaboration around strategies designed to support a thriving theater organization keenly focused on fulfilling its mission through excellence, excitement, and innovation. This is an opportunity for a marketing and communications professional who is excited to join a team that is passionate about the future of this company; who brings ambition and vision; who is able to work within the realm of possibility while also anchoring the work in data and understanding; and who is eager to embrace the realities and potential of 21st century marketing tools.
About Seattle Rep
Seattle Rep puts theater at the heart of public life. Founded in 1963 and winner of the 1990 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Seattle Rep is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann. Over a season and throughout the year, Seattle Rep collaborates with extraordinary artists to create productions and programs that reflect and elevate the diverse cultures, perspectives, and life experiences of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle Rep enjoys a celebrated national reputation based on its commitment to excellence on stage, its continuing commitment to developing new work and investing in national and local artists, and its place as the premiere regional theater in the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle Rep is set in the unique park-like environment of Seattle Center, a public space developed as part of the World’s Fair in 1962. Overlooked by the Space Needle, Seattle Rep shares this extensive cultural campus with the Opera House (home to both Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet), the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, Seattle Children’s Theatre, and more, as well as open spaces that draw Seattle residents and visitors to numerous festivals and events throughout the year. Seattle Rep’s building houses two theaters – the Bagley Wright Theater, with a current capacity of 673; and the 282 seat Leo K. Theater. In addition, the Poncho Forum is a flexible space used for everything from rehearsal studio to educational programs space to public programs and readings. Seattle Rep’s production shops and administrative offices are also located within this building, creating opportunities for company collaborations and communications that are rare in a large theater organization.
Learn more about Seattle Rep here. https://www.seattlerep.org/
About Seattle
Seattle, Washington, is a city with perhaps the most beautiful setting in the United States. Known as the Emerald City because of its connection and access to nature – the city is filled with parks and green spaces – Seattle sits on the shores of Puget Sound, with the Cascade Mountains in view to the east, and the Olympics of the Peninsula to the west. Water views come into focus at almost every turn, with the Sound and Lakes Union and Washington defining the topography of this city of hills. For many centuries the area has been home to a large number of indigenous communities, including the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes, and is still home to one of the largest populations of urban native peoples in the country. As a Pacific rim city, Seattle also enjoys the influence of citizens of Asian ancestry, and the area’s reputation as a technology center continues to draw a diverse population to the city and environs.
Seattle’s evolution from timber and fishing economies, to aerospace and technology pioneers, to progressive eco-centric entrepreneurism has created a city with a distinct personality, where everyone from multinational corporate workers to maker-culture artisans benefit from the diverse food, art, and outdoor scene that represents the city’s unique story.
Culturally, Seattle is an exciting city that has impacted not only its citizens but the national culture as well. In music, through its reputation as a city who nurtured legends from Ray Charles and Quincy Jones to Jimi Hendrix to Nirvana; in visual art, through artists from Mark Tobey and Morris Graves to Fay Jones and Dale Chihuly; and through its history of cultivating a vibrant live theater scene. Seattle was a center of vaudeville in the early 20th century, and one of the leaders of the resident theater movement in the 60s as the Seattle Rep opened its doors, and for the next half century the theater community grew and evolved, as nationally celebrated playwrights from Steven Dietz to Cheryl L. West to August Wilson called Seattle home.
Job Description
The Chief Marketing Officer leads the strategy, execution, and performance of all marketing, communications, and audience engagement efforts at Seattle Rep. This role oversees a broad portfolio spanning brand, sales, digital strategy, communications, and patron experience, and is responsible for delivering both immediate revenue results and long-term audience growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Accelerate revenue growth through effective subscription, single ticket, and group sales strategies
- Reinforce audience engagement in a post-pandemic environment, with a focus on long-term loyalty and growth
- Evolve a contemporary marketing model, incorporating new technologies, platforms, and audience behaviors
- Help strengthen alignment across revenue functions, particularly between Marketing and Development
- Clarify and amplify the Seattle Rep brand, both institutionally and across individual productions and events
Strategic Leadership
- Lead and mentor a multidisciplinary team spanning marketing, communications, patron services, and front-of-house operations
- Set clear priorities, goals, and performance expectations for the department
- Manage budgets, timelines, and resources to align ambition with execution
- Foster a collaborative, creative, and accountable team culture
Specifically, provide leadership and strategic direction of Seattle Rep marketing/communications/patron services teams in the following areas:
Marketing & Sales
- Develop and oversee subscription, single ticket, and group sales campaigns across all productions and programs
- Develop and implement dynamic pricing strategies and audience segmentation models
- Forecast, analyze, and respond to ticket sales trends to maximize revenue and attendance
- Oversee the planning and execution of show-specific campaigns for both produced and presented work
- Continuously refine the customer journey—from first interaction through post-show engagement—to drive loyalty and retention
Digital & Content Strategy
- Oversee all digital platforms, including website, email, SMS, social media, and paid advertising
- Partner with internal teams and external agencies to develop compelling, audience-centered content and campaigns
- Leverage data and analytics to inform strategy and optimize performance
- Stay at the forefront of digital innovation, evaluating new tools, platforms, and technologies to expand reach
Communications & Brand Management
- Steward and evolve the Seattle Rep brand across all external touchpoints
- Oversee public relations, media strategy, advertising, and community engagement efforts
- Serve as a key storyteller for the organization, shaping narratives that resonate with diverse audiences and stakeholders
- Ensure consistency, clarity, and impact across all communications
Patron Services and Front of House
- Ensure best practices in patron relationship building
- Support and advise on customer service policies and practices that remove barriers and encourage loyalty
- Work with the front of house team and other departments that impact audience experience, evaluate customer door-to-door experiences, and create opportunities and solutions to provide a best-in-field experience
- Support FOH teams in managing audience challenges, with training and solutions to empower them and build confidence
Lobby and Events
Oversee the lobby and events team in managing the public spaces at Seattle Rep, ensuring the highest level of visitor experience and optimizing revenue opportunities from rentals, food and beverage operations, and merchandise
Leadership Profile
Seattle Rep is seeking a leader who combines strategic rigor with emotional intelligence—someone who can deliver results while building strong relationships and a sense of shared purpose across the organization.
The successful candidate will be a visible and engaged presence, someone who leads from within the organization rather than at a distance. They will build trust through consistency, accessibility, and a genuine investment in the people and work around them.
They will bring a collaborative, enterprise-wide mindset, working fluidly across departments to align audience and revenue strategies. This includes strengthening the partnership with Development and other key teams, ensuring that marketing is fully integrated into broader institutional goals.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate confidence without ego—a leader who can operate as a strong peer at the senior level, advocate for ideas, and navigate complex dynamics with diplomacy and respect.
They will be both creative and disciplined: energized by new ideas, open to experimentation, and curious about the future of audience engagement, while also grounded in data, structure, and execution.
This is a role that requires resilience and steadiness. The pace of work is high, and the CMO must be able to manage pressure, support their team, and maintain focus in a dynamic environment.
Equally important is the ability to balance ambition with sustainability—championing bold goals while ensuring that strategies are realistic, priorities are clear, and teams are set up for success.
The CMO will bring energy, curiosity, and optimism—helping to shape a marketing function that not only drives revenue, but also contributes to the spirit, momentum, and forward-looking identity of Seattle Rep.
Preferred Qualifications
- 10+ years of progressive experience in marketing, communications, sales, and audience engagement, ideally within performing arts, entertainment, or live events
- Demonstrated success leading integrated marketing strategies that drive measurable revenue growth
- Strong expertise in digital marketing, analytics, audience segmentation, and campaign optimization
- Experience managing ticket sales campaigns, pricing strategies, and revenue forecasting
- Proven ability to lead teams and collaborate cross-functionally in complex organizations
- Strong financial and operational acumen, including budget management
- Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with a refined sense of brand and audience
- Experience managing external vendors and agency partners
- Familiarity with CRM systems (Tessitura preferred)
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving, and collaborative environment
Compensation
Seattle Rep offers a salary range of $145,000 to $185,000 based upon experience, and a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance; retirement plan options; and paid time off.
Application Instructions
The Chief Marketing Officer search is being conducted on behalf of Seattle Rep by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by VP of Executive Search Cynthia Fuhrman, in consultation with and support from the TOC Arts Partners search team.
To apply, visit the online application and submit your materials. Your cover letter should include any training or experience relevant to the job profile that you would like to highlight, why you consider yourself a good fit for this opportunity, and anything else you’d like us to know about your qualifications that may not be present in your resume. Applications will be accepted until this role is filled.
For general questions or nominations of prospective candidates, please contact searchteam@tocartspartners.com. We kindly request no phone calls.
Specific questions about the position may be directed to:
Cynthia Fuhrman
VP, Executive Search
cynthia@tocartspartners.comNot sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that cis men apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria, while others tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether you’re returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.
- The Biennale by Subtraction
Good Morning,
The Venice Biennale opens Saturday and most of today’s biggest stories are about what isn’t there. Iran withdrew, and The Conversation reads it as the geopolitics finally catching up with the global art circuit. ARTnews visited the US pavilion and found it essentially empty — an unintentional comment on the Trump administration’s call for art that “promotes American values.” And Pussy Riot, predictably, stormed the Russian pavilion (The Guardian).
Elsewhere, institutions are buckling in less photogenic ways. A French parliamentary report proposes gutting public broadcasting by 25 percent, with the entertainment broadcast budget cut 75 percent (The Guardian). San Diego County scrambled to stand up a $2.75M arts grant program just as the city moves to gut its own (San Diego Union-Tribune). And programmatic ads are quietly creeping into public radio (Inside Radio) — the kind of slow capture that doesn’t make headlines until it has.
Meanwhile Wired reports on a study that finds that AI assistance makes problem-solvers worse at problem-solving when the assistance disappears. Shocking.
In San Francisco, Lawrence Halprin’s brutalist Vaillancourt Fountain caught fire mid-demolition (SF Chronicle) — one way to settle an architecture debate.
All of our stories below.
- He Couldn’t Choose Between Dance And Visual Art. He’s Ended Up Putting Dancers In His Art Installations.
Meet Brendan Fernandes, whose latest work, Score for the Murphy Auditorium at Chicago’s Driehaus, deploys seven dancers executing semi-improvised steps within a dodecahedron of mirrored benches. – WBEZ (Chicago)
- Study: Using AI Could Make You Lazy And Dumber
Some participants were given access to an AI assistant capable of solving the problem autonomously. When the AI helper was suddenly taken away, these people were significantly more likely to give up on the problem or flub their answers. – Wired
- The Shady, Underpaid Gig Work That Makes Video Clips Go Viral
“Everything you’re watching on the feeds could, potentially, be an ad programmed to make someone a Discourse Topic and/or Zeitgeist Definer, made famous thanks to paid spammers instead of organic attention. The effect is to make one wonder whether anything on social media is ‘real,’ even if it isn’t A.I.” – Slate
PEOPLE
- Chief Marketing Officer – Seattle Rep via TOC Arts Partners
About the Opportunity
Seattle Rep—one of the nation’s leading regional theaters—is experiencing a dynamic new chapter. With a strong artistic foundation, a reputation for and commitment to innovation, and a renewed sense of organizational and artistic momentum, Seattle Rep is poised to deepen its community impact and connection and excite audiences with an ever expansive artistic energy and focus.
The Chief Marketing Officer will play a defining role in this next phase. As a key member of the senior leadership team, the CMO will shape how the organization connects with audiences—driving revenue, elevating brand visibility, and advancing a modern, data-informed approach to marketing in the performing arts. This is a rare opportunity to lead marketing for a major American theater at a moment of both stability and ambition—where thoughtful strategy, creative energy, and institutional alignment can meaningfully expand impact and reach. The CMO will join a senior leadership team committed to collaboration around strategies designed to support a thriving theater organization keenly focused on fulfilling its mission through excellence, excitement, and innovation. This is an opportunity for a marketing and communications professional who is excited to join a team that is passionate about the future of this company; who brings ambition and vision; who is able to work within the realm of possibility while also anchoring the work in data and understanding; and who is eager to embrace the realities and potential of 21st century marketing tools.
About Seattle Rep
Seattle Rep puts theater at the heart of public life. Founded in 1963 and winner of the 1990 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Seattle Rep is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann. Over a season and throughout the year, Seattle Rep collaborates with extraordinary artists to create productions and programs that reflect and elevate the diverse cultures, perspectives, and life experiences of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle Rep enjoys a celebrated national reputation based on its commitment to excellence on stage, its continuing commitment to developing new work and investing in national and local artists, and its place as the premiere regional theater in the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle Rep is set in the unique park-like environment of Seattle Center, a public space developed as part of the World’s Fair in 1962. Overlooked by the Space Needle, Seattle Rep shares this extensive cultural campus with the Opera House (home to both Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet), the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, Seattle Children’s Theatre, and more, as well as open spaces that draw Seattle residents and visitors to numerous festivals and events throughout the year. Seattle Rep’s building houses two theaters – the Bagley Wright Theater, with a current capacity of 673; and the 282 seat Leo K. Theater. In addition, the Poncho Forum is a flexible space used for everything from rehearsal studio to educational programs space to public programs and readings. Seattle Rep’s production shops and administrative offices are also located within this building, creating opportunities for company collaborations and communications that are rare in a large theater organization.
Learn more about Seattle Rep here. https://www.seattlerep.org/
About Seattle
Seattle, Washington, is a city with perhaps the most beautiful setting in the United States. Known as the Emerald City because of its connection and access to nature – the city is filled with parks and green spaces – Seattle sits on the shores of Puget Sound, with the Cascade Mountains in view to the east, and the Olympics of the Peninsula to the west. Water views come into focus at almost every turn, with the Sound and Lakes Union and Washington defining the topography of this city of hills. For many centuries the area has been home to a large number of indigenous communities, including the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes, and is still home to one of the largest populations of urban native peoples in the country. As a Pacific rim city, Seattle also enjoys the influence of citizens of Asian ancestry, and the area’s reputation as a technology center continues to draw a diverse population to the city and environs.
Seattle’s evolution from timber and fishing economies, to aerospace and technology pioneers, to progressive eco-centric entrepreneurism has created a city with a distinct personality, where everyone from multinational corporate workers to maker-culture artisans benefit from the diverse food, art, and outdoor scene that represents the city’s unique story.
Culturally, Seattle is an exciting city that has impacted not only its citizens but the national culture as well. In music, through its reputation as a city who nurtured legends from Ray Charles and Quincy Jones to Jimi Hendrix to Nirvana; in visual art, through artists from Mark Tobey and Morris Graves to Fay Jones and Dale Chihuly; and through its history of cultivating a vibrant live theater scene. Seattle was a center of vaudeville in the early 20th century, and one of the leaders of the resident theater movement in the 60s as the Seattle Rep opened its doors, and for the next half century the theater community grew and evolved, as nationally celebrated playwrights from Steven Dietz to Cheryl L. West to August Wilson called Seattle home.
Job Description
The Chief Marketing Officer leads the strategy, execution, and performance of all marketing, communications, and audience engagement efforts at Seattle Rep. This role oversees a broad portfolio spanning brand, sales, digital strategy, communications, and patron experience, and is responsible for delivering both immediate revenue results and long-term audience growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Accelerate revenue growth through effective subscription, single ticket, and group sales strategies
- Reinforce audience engagement in a post-pandemic environment, with a focus on long-term loyalty and growth
- Evolve a contemporary marketing model, incorporating new technologies, platforms, and audience behaviors
- Help strengthen alignment across revenue functions, particularly between Marketing and Development
- Clarify and amplify the Seattle Rep brand, both institutionally and across individual productions and events
Strategic Leadership
- Lead and mentor a multidisciplinary team spanning marketing, communications, patron services, and front-of-house operations
- Set clear priorities, goals, and performance expectations for the department
- Manage budgets, timelines, and resources to align ambition with execution
- Foster a collaborative, creative, and accountable team culture
Specifically, provide leadership and strategic direction of Seattle Rep marketing/communications/patron services teams in the following areas:
Marketing & Sales
- Develop and oversee subscription, single ticket, and group sales campaigns across all productions and programs
- Develop and implement dynamic pricing strategies and audience segmentation models
- Forecast, analyze, and respond to ticket sales trends to maximize revenue and attendance
- Oversee the planning and execution of show-specific campaigns for both produced and presented work
- Continuously refine the customer journey—from first interaction through post-show engagement—to drive loyalty and retention
Digital & Content Strategy
- Oversee all digital platforms, including website, email, SMS, social media, and paid advertising
- Partner with internal teams and external agencies to develop compelling, audience-centered content and campaigns
- Leverage data and analytics to inform strategy and optimize performance
- Stay at the forefront of digital innovation, evaluating new tools, platforms, and technologies to expand reach
Communications & Brand Management
- Steward and evolve the Seattle Rep brand across all external touchpoints
- Oversee public relations, media strategy, advertising, and community engagement efforts
- Serve as a key storyteller for the organization, shaping narratives that resonate with diverse audiences and stakeholders
- Ensure consistency, clarity, and impact across all communications
Patron Services and Front of House
- Ensure best practices in patron relationship building
- Support and advise on customer service policies and practices that remove barriers and encourage loyalty
- Work with the front of house team and other departments that impact audience experience, evaluate customer door-to-door experiences, and create opportunities and solutions to provide a best-in-field experience
- Support FOH teams in managing audience challenges, with training and solutions to empower them and build confidence
Lobby and Events
Oversee the lobby and events team in managing the public spaces at Seattle Rep, ensuring the highest level of visitor experience and optimizing revenue opportunities from rentals, food and beverage operations, and merchandise
Leadership Profile
Seattle Rep is seeking a leader who combines strategic rigor with emotional intelligence—someone who can deliver results while building strong relationships and a sense of shared purpose across the organization.
The successful candidate will be a visible and engaged presence, someone who leads from within the organization rather than at a distance. They will build trust through consistency, accessibility, and a genuine investment in the people and work around them.
They will bring a collaborative, enterprise-wide mindset, working fluidly across departments to align audience and revenue strategies. This includes strengthening the partnership with Development and other key teams, ensuring that marketing is fully integrated into broader institutional goals.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate confidence without ego—a leader who can operate as a strong peer at the senior level, advocate for ideas, and navigate complex dynamics with diplomacy and respect.
They will be both creative and disciplined: energized by new ideas, open to experimentation, and curious about the future of audience engagement, while also grounded in data, structure, and execution.
This is a role that requires resilience and steadiness. The pace of work is high, and the CMO must be able to manage pressure, support their team, and maintain focus in a dynamic environment.
Equally important is the ability to balance ambition with sustainability—championing bold goals while ensuring that strategies are realistic, priorities are clear, and teams are set up for success.
The CMO will bring energy, curiosity, and optimism—helping to shape a marketing function that not only drives revenue, but also contributes to the spirit, momentum, and forward-looking identity of Seattle Rep.
Preferred Qualifications
- 10+ years of progressive experience in marketing, communications, sales, and audience engagement, ideally within performing arts, entertainment, or live events
- Demonstrated success leading integrated marketing strategies that drive measurable revenue growth
- Strong expertise in digital marketing, analytics, audience segmentation, and campaign optimization
- Experience managing ticket sales campaigns, pricing strategies, and revenue forecasting
- Proven ability to lead teams and collaborate cross-functionally in complex organizations
- Strong financial and operational acumen, including budget management
- Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with a refined sense of brand and audience
- Experience managing external vendors and agency partners
- Familiarity with CRM systems (Tessitura preferred)
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving, and collaborative environment
Compensation
Seattle Rep offers a salary range of $145,000 to $185,000 based upon experience, and a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance; retirement plan options; and paid time off.
Application Instructions
The Chief Marketing Officer search is being conducted on behalf of Seattle Rep by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by VP of Executive Search Cynthia Fuhrman, in consultation with and support from the TOC Arts Partners search team.
To apply, visit the online application and submit your materials. Your cover letter should include any training or experience relevant to the job profile that you would like to highlight, why you consider yourself a good fit for this opportunity, and anything else you’d like us to know about your qualifications that may not be present in your resume. Applications will be accepted until this role is filled.
For general questions or nominations of prospective candidates, please contact searchteam@tocartspartners.com. We kindly request no phone calls.
Specific questions about the position may be directed to:
Cynthia Fuhrman
VP, Executive Search
cynthia@tocartspartners.comNot sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that cis men apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria, while others tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether you’re returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.
- The Biennale by Subtraction
Good Morning,
The Venice Biennale opens Saturday and most of today’s biggest stories are about what isn’t there. Iran withdrew, and The Conversation reads it as the geopolitics finally catching up with the global art circuit. ARTnews visited the US pavilion and found it essentially empty — an unintentional comment on the Trump administration’s call for art that “promotes American values.” And Pussy Riot, predictably, stormed the Russian pavilion (The Guardian).
Elsewhere, institutions are buckling in less photogenic ways. A French parliamentary report proposes gutting public broadcasting by 25 percent, with the entertainment broadcast budget cut 75 percent (The Guardian). San Diego County scrambled to stand up a $2.75M arts grant program just as the city moves to gut its own (San Diego Union-Tribune). And programmatic ads are quietly creeping into public radio (Inside Radio) — the kind of slow capture that doesn’t make headlines until it has.
Meanwhile Wired reports on a study that finds that AI assistance makes problem-solvers worse at problem-solving when the assistance disappears. Shocking.
In San Francisco, Lawrence Halprin’s brutalist Vaillancourt Fountain caught fire mid-demolition (SF Chronicle) — one way to settle an architecture debate.
All of our stories below.
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Meet Brendan Fernandes, whose latest work, Score for the Murphy Auditorium at Chicago’s Driehaus, deploys seven dancers executing semi-improvised steps within a dodecahedron of mirrored benches. – WBEZ (Chicago)
- Study: Using AI Could Make You Lazy And Dumber
Some participants were given access to an AI assistant capable of solving the problem autonomously. When the AI helper was suddenly taken away, these people were significantly more likely to give up on the problem or flub their answers. – Wired
- The Shady, Underpaid Gig Work That Makes Video Clips Go Viral
“Everything you’re watching on the feeds could, potentially, be an ad programmed to make someone a Discourse Topic and/or Zeitgeist Definer, made famous thanks to paid spammers instead of organic attention. The effect is to make one wonder whether anything on social media is ‘real,’ even if it isn’t A.I.” – Slate
THEATRE
VISUAL
- Study: Using AI Could Make You Lazy And Dumber
Some participants were given access to an AI assistant capable of solving the problem autonomously. When the AI helper was suddenly taken away, these people were significantly more likely to give up on the problem or flub their answers. – Wired
- What Research Tells Us About How Memory Works
The idea of photographic memory is simple and powerful: Experience is captured objectively, stored completely and retrieved perfectly. See it once, keep it forever. There’s just one problem. There’s no scientific evidence it exists. – The Conversation
- In An AI Economy, Human-Made Becomes Luxury Good
We don’t value human creations solely for their beauty or their price tag. We also value them because they embody deliberate labour and expertise. – The Conversation
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We are taught from a young age that matter is made of atoms, built from particles such as electrons, and electrons are not built from anything else. For this reason, these particles are sometimes said to be fundamental. But are they? Is the Universe really made from the smallest constituents? – Aeon
- So Maybe That AI Bubble Wasn’t Real After All
The worry that the country is building too many data centers now coexists with the fear that we won’t have enough of them to satisfy the public’s growing appetite for these products. And the company previously known as OpenAI’s junior competitor has become possibly the fastest-growing business in the history of capitalism. – The Atlantic
