AJ Four Ways:
Text Only (by date) | headlines only
- The Stanford Class Where Students Are Taught To Dance Badly
“’Welcome to bad dancing,’ says Alex Ketley, a choreographer and former member of the San Francisco Ballet who teaches Dance 123: Hot Mess & Deliberate Failure as Practice. Ketley, an advanced lecturer in the department of theater and performance studies and a former Guggenheim Fellow, says it’s his most popular course.” – Stanford Magazine
- AMC Postpones Interactive Movie Theatre Concert Series
The chain is partnering with live entertainment company Arena One to bring new technology to theaters. This tech would allow artists on a remote stage to see, hear and respond to the theater audience, in effect turning your local cinema into a stadium, the companies said. – Los Angeles Times
- Scientists May Have Discovered A New Way To Spot Counterfeit Van Goghs
“By analyzing the surfaces of eight Vincent van Gogh paintings, surface metrology indeed confirmed the veracity of one long-contested but recently confirmed Van Gogh specimen — and correctly flagged another that’s been debunked.” – Artnet
- Demand For Workers With Creative Skills Is Growing
Nearly 50% of employers are looking to expand their workforce in the next three to five years. Video games, music, design and fashion were particularly expecting to grow over that time. – The Conversation
- Has The 21st Century Been A Creative Blank Space?
The years from 2000 to 2025 as a period of creative emptiness and stagnation so intractable that it will be remembered (or, rather, is being remembered, through the anticipation of remembrance) as voided time, a dark age. – Yale Review
- Why Pace Gallery Imploded
According to several people familiar with the call, Glimcher spent much of the meeting explaining why Pace had reached this point. The gallery had grown too large. Costs had risen too high. The model no longer worked. – ARTnews
- San Diego Mayor’s Budget Eliminates Arts Funding. This New Plan Restores Over 90% Of It.
The plan from City Council members and the Prebys Foundation will have the nonprofit provide $3 million in one-time replacement money, while the city shifts $6 million of hotel occupancy tax money from renovation of the Convention Center to fund arts and culture. – KPBS (San Diego)
- Wigmore Hall And Apple Music Launch New Digital Platform For Artists
Under a new artist-first model, Wigmore Hall will pay the full production costs for every release and will take no share of the recording income, passing on 100% of royalties received directly to the performing artists. – Gramophone
- EU Investigating Paramount/Warner Financing
The European Commission is investigating the $111 billion Paramount-WBD deal under the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation, looking at the approximately $24 billion being fronted for the takeover by the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. – Variety
- After Strikes And Fiery Rhetoric Last Time, Why Were Hollywood Contracts So Easy This Year?
The top factor, perhaps, was the ongoing fallout from Hollywood’s contraction. It’s no small thing that, since 2022, studios have tightened their belts and downsized their slates, reducing the job opportunities available for average industry workers. – The Hollywood Reporter
- Pennsylvania Reverses Decision Not To Fund Smallest Arts Organizations
“Last year, the (Pennsylvania Council on the Arts) renamed itself Pennsylvania Creative Industries and reorganized its funding criteria, making organizations with budgets under $100,000 ineligible for grants. … (Last Thursday) the council approved a new program called Spotlight, which makes state funding available to organizations with budgets between $10,000 and $100,000.” – WHYY (Philadelphia)
- Survey: Nearly Half Of Mid-Career Women Are Considering Leaving The Arts
While the inaugural survey revealed gaps in leadership roles and pay for women, this edition offers a more detailed picture of the structural pressures determining who is—and, crucially, who isn’t—able to build a sustainable long-term career in the arts. – Artnet
- Carbon Fiber Violin — Meet Stradivari
Both the carbon fibre violin and the bow impressed with their dark, warm, and distinctive tone. From the very beginning, the two violins blended beautifully; despite their different personalities, they seemed perfectly matched. They were also remarkably powerful, filling the room with sound. – The Strad
- A New Penn Station We Won’t Dread Walking Into?
- Director of Marketing – Artis-Naples
Position Summary
The Director of Marketing (Director) will lead the planning, execution, and optimization of integrated marketing and audience development strategies that drive ticket sales, subscriptions, memberships, attendance, and earned revenue across all programming areas. The Director will translate institutional marketing strategy into actionable campaigns and oversee day-to-day execution across brand marketing, digital channels, advertising, communications, and audience engagement initiatives. The Director will ensure that all marketing efforts are aligned with revenue goals, audience growth objectives, and brand standards. The Director will lead a cross-functional marketing team and serve as a key connector between strategy and execution, working closely with Creative Services, Programming, Development, Communications, Education, and Operations to ensure cohesive messaging and maximum impact.
Organization
Artis—Naples is southwest Florida’s home for the visual and performing arts. As the home of The Baker Museum and the Naples Philharmonic, Artis—Naples provides a vibrant space for the arts, fostering creativity and community engagement. The mission of Artis—Naples is to present high-quality performances, exhibitions, and educational programs that inspire, educate, and entertain diverse audiences. Through its dynamic programming, it strives to cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation of the arts while enhancing the cultural life of the community.
Founded in 1982 as the Naples/Marco Philharmonic, over more than forty years Artis—Naples has grown into a cornerstone of Southwest Florida’s cultural community. The Naples Philharmonic, currently led by Artis—Naples Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley, is known for its wide variety of classical, pops, chamber music, dance, and special event performances, has always been a central part of Artis—Naples’ identity. Over the decades, the institution has continued to expand its offerings and facilities, including the opening of The Baker Museum in 2000, which has since become one of the region’s most renowned art museums. The campus is home to a number of beautiful venues, including the 1477 seat Hayes Hall and the 283 seat Daniels Pavilion, providing both intimate and acoustically rich settings for concerts, performances, lectures, and events. Artis—Naples also hosts a dynamic season of presentations including world-renowned touring orchestras like the Vienna Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony; one-night presentations by legendary artists like The Beach Boys, Sarah Brightman, Gilberto Santa Rosa and Il Divo; a robust series of Lifelong Learning lectures on topics including art, jazz, wellness and literature; and a series of touring Broadway performances.
The museum’s permanent collection boasts over 3,500 works, including pieces by artists like Diego Rivera, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Pablo Picasso. Notable exhibitions include ”George Gershwin and Modern Art: A Rhapsody in Blue”, celebrating the iconic composer’s passion for the visual arts, and “Magritte: Reflections of Another World”, featuring six paintings by Belgian artist René Magritte. Each season, in addition to its work with Alexander Shelley, the Naples Philharmonic brings internationally acclaimed guest conductors, such as Robert Spano and David Robertson, to lead its orchestra in highly anticipated performances with celebrated guest artists like Renée Fleming, Joshua Bell, and Emanuel Ax.
Artis—Naples supports young musicians through its four youth ensembles: the Naples Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic Youth Symphonia, Naples Philharmonic Youth Chorus, and Naples Philharmonic Youth Jazz Orchestra. These programs provide students with the opportunity to perform and grow as musicians in a variety of genres, from classical to jazz. By offering high-quality music education and performance opportunities, these ensembles reflect Artis—Naples ‘ mission to inspire and educate the next generation of artists. Through these programs, Artis—Naples fosters creativity, discipline, and community engagement, helping students develop a lifelong appreciation for the arts while enriching the cultural fabric of Southwest Florida.
Artis—Naples is deeply committed to fostering community engagement and making the arts accessible to all. The institution offers a range of programs designed to serve individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Its visual and performing arts educational initiatives and partnerships with local schools include Naples Philharmonic performances each season for all 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, and 11th grade Collier County Public School classes and more than 400 in-school visual art workshops by Artis—Naples staff members. These activities introduce young people to the arts while helping to develop creativity and critical thinking skills. Additionally, Artis—Naples runs community outreach efforts such as free concerts, exhibitions, and family-oriented events, which promote access to culture in underserved areas and encourage greater participation in the arts. These programs ensure that Artis—Naples remains a vital community hub for learning, discovery, and artistic expression.
Artis—Naples has a 37-member board of directors led by Chair Heidi Miller, and Kathleen van Bergen serves as CEO and President. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Artis—Naples reported a total revenue of $42 million, with 36% from contributions and grants, 44% from program services, 8% from investment income, and 12% from other revenue.
Community
Naples, located on the pristine Gulf Coast of Florida, is a prosperous city known for its world-class beaches, thriving arts scene, and abundant recreational activities. As the county seat of Collier County, Naples benefits from a growing population of over 400,000 residents. With its close proximity to Miami and Southwest Florida International Airport, Naples offers a harmonious blend of small-town charm and big-city amenities.
The city’s vibrant arts and culture scene is a key highlight, with residents and visitors alike enjoying a variety of performance venues and many art galleries showcasing local, national, and international talent. Galleries such as the Naples Art Institute present a wide variety of exhibits and studio art instruction, while organizations such as United Arts Collier provide opportunities for connection and collaboration among local artists. Naples boasts a dynamic cultural scene with premier venues and events year-round. The Gulfshore Playhouse, a professional theater and education center, presents a diverse range of productions, from plays to musicals, enriching the local arts community. The Naples Botanical Garden is a vibrant venue for art exhibitions, installations, and festivals, blending nature and creativity. The city also hosts key cultural festivals, including the Naples Winter Wine Festival, which pairs culinary and artistic experiences, and the Naples Flower Show & Garden Market, one of Florida’s largest flower events, celebrating horticulture and art.
The city’s coastal location provides exceptional opportunities for fishing, boating, and water sports in the Gulf. For those who prefer land-based adventures, the city boasts miles of picturesque bike paths, serene parks, and scenic walking trails, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Outdoor enthusiasts are drawn to Naples for its proximity to the Everglades, offering a wealth of activities such as kayaking, hiking, bird watching, and wildlife spotting. In addition to its cultural and outdoor offerings, Naples features a growing housing market with a mix of luxury residences, condos, and charming single-family homes. Florida has no state income tax, and Naples provides a high quality of life that attracts both retirees and families alike. Naples is served by the Collier County Public School District, educating over 48,000 students in grades K-12, with numerous public and charter schools throughout the city.
Sources: Redfin.com; Worldpopulationreview.com; Census.gov Photos: Getty Images; Sean Pavone
Roles and Responsibilities
Integrated Marketing Strategy & Execution
– Lead the execution of comprehensive, multi-channel marketing campaigns that support subscription, single-ticket, group sales, memberships, exhibitions, and institutional initiatives.
– Translate organizational marketing strategy into actionable campaign plans, timelines, and deliverables across all channels.
– Oversee seasonal and annual campaign execution across all programming areas, including performing arts, exhibitions, education, and special events.
– Ensure consistency of messaging, positioning, and brand expression across all marketing outputs.
– Embrace other integrated marketing strategy and execution responsibilities as needed.Audience Development & Revenue Delivery
– Lead audience acquisition, retention, and engagement strategies in alignment with institutional revenue goals.
– Oversee segmentation, targeting, and lifecycle marketing strategies using CRM and audience data.
– Drive growth across subscriptions, single-ticket sales, group sales, memberships, and institutional attendance.
– Identify opportunities to expand and diversify audiences through targeted campaigns and community engagement initiatives.
– Embrace other audience development and revenue delivery responsibilities as needed.Digital Marketing & Content Execution
– Manage the Marketing Manager, Digital Strategist, and oversee the execution of digital marketing strategy, including website content, email marketing, social media, and paid digital advertising.
– Ensure effective use of CRM, automation, and digital tools to improve conversion, engagement, and customer journey performance.
– Collaborate with internal teams to ensure consistent and compelling content across platforms.
– Embrace other digital marketing and content execution responsibilities as needed.Advertising, Media, & Public Relations
– Manage execution of integrated advertising plans across print, digital, broadcast, outdoor, and emerging channels.
– Oversee media planning, buying, trafficking, and performance tracking.
– Support public relations execution, including press campaigns, announcements, and media events in coordination with internal staff and external partners.
– Embrace other advertising, media, and public relations responsibilities as needed.Data, Insights, & Performance Management
– Monitor campaign performance, sales trends, and audience behavior to inform ongoing optimization.
– Work with analytics and CRM systems to ensure accurate reporting and actionable insights.
– Prepare regular performance reports and recommendations for VP-level review.
– Use data to continuously refine targeting, messaging, and channel strategy.
– Embrace other data, insights, and performance management responsibilities as needed.Budgeting & Resource Management
– Manage annual marketing budgets, ensuring alignment with revenue goals and institutional priorities.
– Monitor campaign spend, vendor costs, and channel performance to maximize ROI.
– Support forecasting of marketing-driven revenue across ticketing, subscriptions, and group sales.
– Develop relationships with external agencies, vendors, and media partners.
– Embrace other budgeting and resource management responsibilities as needed.Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
– Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing marketing team across digital, audience development, communications, and publicity functions.
– Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, creativity, and results orientation.
– Collaborate closely with Creative Services to ensure strong alignment between strategy and execution.
– Partner with Programming, Development, Education, Communications, and Operations teams to support institutional priorities and revenue goals.
– Empower and manage Marketing Project Coordinator, who will be directly responsible for tracking marketing and creative projects through workflow and daily progress tracking, interdepartmental coordination and communication, identification and procurement of required project components, and internal review processes.
– Embrace other team leadership and cross-functional collaboration responsibilities as needed.Institutional Partnerships & Support
– Support development of marketing partnerships, sponsorships, and cross-promotional opportunities.
– Provide marketing support to Development initiatives, including fundraising campaigns and donor engagement.
– Serve as a key internal partner, ensuring marketing alignment across departments and stakeholders.
– Embrace other institutional partnerships and support responsibilities as needed.Traits and Characteristics
The Director will be a creative, highly motivated leader with strong verbal and written communication skills. With an ability to handle multiple, complex projects, they will seek to work collaboratively with their team and across the organization. Acting with intention and driven to achieve results, they will seek to foster trust inside and outside the organization through their commitment to being present, collaborative, and optimistic.
Other key competencies include:
– Leadership and Teamwork – The ability to inspire, build trust, and create a sense of purpose and direction while tactfully handling challenging and sensitive issues. The dexterity to both lead and mentor, understanding and maximizing the team’s potential.
– Professional Accountability and Self Starting – The willingness to accept responsibility for actions and results and develop long-term relationships with people across the organization and throughout the community.
– Customer Focus – The capacity to anticipate, meet, and frequently exceed customer and stakeholder needs, wants, and expectations in a highly service-oriented environment.
– Time and Priority Management – The capacity to prioritize and complete tasks to meet desired outcomes.
– Problem Solving and Project Management – The acumen to define, analyze, and diagnose key components of a problem to ensure that projects are completed on time and on budget.Qualifications
A minimum of seven to 10 years of progressive marketing experience is required, preferably in performing arts, cultural institutions, entertainment, or nonprofit organizations. Demonstrated success in revenue-driven marketing, including ticketing, subscriptions, memberships, or similar models, is essential. Strong knowledge of integrated marketing strategy, campaign execution, digital marketing channels, and revenue impact is required. Experience using and analyzing data, CRMs, and audience research is critically important. Excellent leadership, communication, interpersonal, analytical, and cross-functional collaboration skills are needed, along with strong business acumen. A bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, business, arts administration, or a related field from an accredited college or university is preferred. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position, which may include general office work, occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds, and on-site presence for events and high-traffic patron service times.
Compensation and Benefits
Artis—Naples provides a competitive and equitable compensation package. The range for the annual salary is estimated between $90,000 and $100,000. Employee benefits include paid vacation, sick leave, personal days, and holidays; health, long-term disability, and life insurance; and a company-matched 403(B).
Applications and Inquiries
To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit ArtsConsulting.com/OpenSearches. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact:
Nagham Wehbe, President
Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 228
Email ArtisNaples@ArtsConsulting.comArtis—Naples is a drug-free workplace and an equal opportunity employer. We will extend equal opportunity to all individuals without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, age, genetic information, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Our policy reflects and affirms Artis—Naples’ commitment to the principles of fair employment and the elimination of all discriminatory practices.
- The Looted Antiquities Trade Continues For The Same Reason The Illegal Drug Trade Does
In a word, demand. – Artnet
- Atlanta Has A New Classical Theater Company
Georgia Classic Theatre is being founded by former artists with Georgia Shakespeare, which operated from 1985 to 2014. GCT held its first fundraiser last month and will present its first production, of Macbeth, this fall. – ArtsATL
- After Eight Nominations, Glenn Close Will Finally Get An Oscar
It will be an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement, but it’s something. Joining her as recipients of this year’s Governors Awards are director Ridley Scott and animator Floyd Norman. – AP
- U.S. Authors’ Incomes Are Down. New Study Looks At Why.
“(The Authors Guild research) found that only 25% of print books and e-books read in the past month were bought new or through a paid subscription. … Average author earnings, now pegged at about $10,000 annually, have declined about 42% since 2009, the year Kindles first entered the market.” – Publishers Weekly
- Collateral Damage From Trump’s Iran War: W.H. Smith, The Big Airport-Bookstore Chain
“The retailer, which operates 1,200 outlets globally in airports, railway stations and hospitals, … has already experienced a fall in revenues in its UK airport operation due to the conflict in the Middle East, (and) said North America had now also been affected.” – The Guardian
- Photographer Duane Michals, 94
“In a career that spanned six decades and crisscrossed artistic and commercial contexts, Michals challenged photographic convention and innovated new forms; he is best known for building sequential, frame-by-frame narratives that pair photographs with handwritten text to poetic effect.” – Frieze
- A New CEO For Aspen Music Festival And School
Meghan Umber has spent two decades at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where she’s currently the orchestra’s chief programming officer and president of the Hollywood Bowl. She replaces current Aspen CEO Alan Fletcher as of October 1. – Aspen Public Radio
- Is LA Really a Theatre Town?
Good Morning:
The decline story is the easy one to write. Today’s feed makes the case for the other one — where culture is building, the rooms are full. Start in Istanbul, where Argentine tango has found a huge, fervent following, with milonga clubs and dance schools multiplying across the city (AP). In Los Angeles, the Hollywood Fringe just drew a record number of participants and is set to break even for the first time in years — perhaps evidence behind the old boast that “L.A. is a theater town” (MSN)?
Reinvention runs backward, too: in Palermo, director Emma Dante revived Sicilian dialect theatre and is now collecting a Golden Lion for it (The New York Times).
Two more to enjoy: how Gaudí engineered the Sagrada Família to stand without flying buttresses, which he dismissed as “crutches” (BBC), and a forgotten Tolkien translation surfacing in Oxford’s Bodleian after decades in the stacks (MSN).
Doug
- Turks Turn To Tango
The passionate ballroom dance of Buenos Aires and Montevideo has found a large, equally passionate base of fans in Istanbul, where a multitude of milonga clubs, dance studios and schools have arisen to support a vibrant tango scene. – AP
- Director Milo Rau’s Staged Moral Tribunals Have Been A Big Success. His Latest Choice Of Subject Has People Judging Him.
Rau’s trials — with real witnesses and arguments, followed by symbolic judgments — have put Gisèle Pelicot’s rapists, mining companies in the Congo, and the Russian jurists who prosecuted Pussy Riot in the dock. But when Rau invited controversial billionaire Peter Thiel for a tribunal, stakeholders rebelled. – The Guardian
- Web Video Is Coming To TV. But The Tyranny Of Web Format Is Problematic
How much do we want the internet to be television? A good gimmick for social-media content doesn’t automatically translate to interesting TV, a medium that many of us enjoy precisely because it doesn’t live or die by an algorithmic social-media feed. – The New Yorker
- Condustor Ryan Wigglesworth On What The Classical Music World Is Now
A new generation – of concert-goers as well as performers – are essential to classical music’s future. Would a Ryan Wigglesworth born today still become a musician? Are the networks and resources still in place? Wigglesworth thinks not. It’s a problem he’s navigating first-hand with his own children. – The Guardian
- If It’s Art And People Like It, Then…
Our reigning cultural ideology has been poptimism—the idea that if a lot of people like a work of art, then it has to be good. Now sloptimism, which holds that if there’s a lot of art out there and people are engaging with it then how bad can it be? – The New Yorker
- The Director Who Brought Sicilian Dialect Back To Palermo’s Stages
Emma Dante, who will receive the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at this year’s Venice Theatre Biennale, led a revival of interest in dialect plays in Sicily in the ‘00s, and she’s staged works in Neapolitan and Apulian as well. Then, last year, she up and moved to Rome. – The New York Times
- Is LA Finally Getting The Fringe Theatre Festival It Deserves?
This year’s event has a record number of participants, and is set to break even after operating at a loss for the last two years. The motto “L.A. is a theater town” is emblazoned on posters and T-shirts all over the festival, featuring thousands of artists in nearly 500 live performances. – Los Angeles Times (MSN)
- How Good Is AI At Spotting Talent? Soccer Teams Are Working On It
For decades, the beautiful game depended on the human eye: a scout on the sideline, attentively watching, waiting for that something special. That process, however, is becoming increasingly data-driven. – The Conversation
- How Do You Prepare For The NBA Finals? Wembanyama Sketches In Gramercy Park
As seen in a viral video posted to Instagram on Tuesday, Wembanyama and his sister Eve, who also plays professional basketball, but in Europe, were spotted in Gramercy Park, one of just two private parks in New York City, sketching a statue of Edwin Booth. – ARTnews
- How Gaudí’s Design Keeps Sagrada Familia Standing Tall Without Flying Buttresses
The great Barcelona architect despised flying buttresses, especially in 20th-century neo-Gothic architecture, calling them “crutches” for a building that couldn’t support its own weight. To keep the walls and towers of his masterpiece church standing tall, he relied on an even older architectural feature, one that dates back to antiquity. – BBC
- Movie Scores Are Taking Over Orchestra Programs
What used to be a novelty has now become a core staple of symphonic programming in the United States: live soundtracks, performances in which an orchestra plays while a movie screens overhead. – The New York Times
- California Universities Abandoned The SAT. It’s Been A Disaster
A huge share of STEM and economics faculty across the UC system is now in open revolt—demanding that California’s public universities at least look at standardized-test scores before offering admission. – The Atlantic
