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- Kate Sheeran talks about initiatives that spark student experimentation
Kate Sheeran, Dean of the Eastman School of Music, shares initiatives that support student innovation and experimentation.
- Immediate Opening: Vice President of Marketing and Audience Development
THE POSITION:
Reporting to the President & CEO, the Vice President of Marketing & Audience Development is a key member of the senior leadership team responsible for developing and executing statewide strategies that achieve earned revenue, audience growth, patron loyalty and institutional communications objectives. The Vice President provides executive leadership for marketing, sales, audience development, communications, brand strategy, patron experience, and patron loyalty initiatives, that strengthen the North Carolina Symphony’s visibility, deepen patron engagement, and advance the organization’s long-term financial sustainability.
The Vice President leads a high-performing team in developing integrated, data-driven marketing and communications strategies that increase revenue, build patron relationships, and grow and retain audiences across the state of North Carolina. The position collaborates with senior leadership on strategic planning, budgeting, institutional messaging, technology innovation, artistic planning, pricing strategy, organizational priorities and initiatives that advance the Symphony’s mission of artistic excellence, statewide service, and music education.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Earned Income & Marketing (40%)
- Provide strategic leadership for all statewide earned revenue initiatives, achieving annual ticket revenue goals of at least $5.7 million while managing departmental budgets and maximizing return on marketing investment. Lead, mentor, and evaluate the marketing, sales, and communications team in planning and executing integrated, multi-channel campaigns using customer segmentation and analytics, dynamic pricing, targeted messaging, CRM technology, and performance analytics including regression analysis and sales pacing.
- Develop pricing, packaging, and promotional strategies that maximize attendance, revenue, and long-term patron value across subscriptions, single-ticket and special event programming. Establish and achieve annual performance goals for subscription, single-ticket revenue, paid attendance, capacity utilization, patron retention, new audience acquisition, customer lifetime value, and return on marketing investment.
Institutional Communications & Audience Development (20%)
- Develop the Symphony’s comprehensive brand, communications, and audience engagement strategy to strengthen visibility, deepen community connections, and position the organization as one of North Carolina’s premier cultural institutions. Oversee public relations, media relations, digital communications, social media, website content, videos, podcasts, email marketing, and print publications to ensure timely and compelling messaging across all platforms. Ensure cross-departmental brand consistency. Serve as the organization’s senior communications strategist for institutional announcements.
Strategic Leadership & Organizational Sustainability (15%)
- Partner with the President & CEO and senior leadership team to develop and implement long-range strategies that strengthen financial sustainability and advance the Symphony’s mission. Provide leadership in earned revenue forecasting, expense management, programming recommendations, Patron loyalty strategy, technology, and digital innovation.
Customer Experience & Patron Loyalty (15%)
- Set the standard for organization-wide, customer-facing operations to deliver exceptional patron experiences before, during, and after performances by overseeing parking, security, front-of-house management, usher services, patron communications and run-of-show content and distribution. Lead organization-wide patron loyalty initiatives in collaboration with the Vice President of Philanthropy to strengthen retention, engagement, and lifetime patron value while supporting both earned income and contributed revenue goals.
Other Responsibilities (10%)
- Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in performing arts marketing, preferably with orchestra marketing experience.
- Track record of meeting and exceeding revenue and attendance objectives through integrated subscription and single-ticket marketing campaigns and CRM-driven audience engagement.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze data, develop strategic plans, and make informed decisions that advance organizational goals.
- Demonstrated success leading high-performing integrated communications and audience engagement initiatives.
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written, and presentation skills.
- High standards of integrity, professionalism, and sound judgment.
- Collaborative leadership style with flexibility, initiative, and commitment to continuous improvement.
- Commitment to supporting the mission, vision, and values of the North Carolina Symphony.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Copilot, and OneDrive.
- Ability to travel throughout North Carolina and work evenings and weekends as needed.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
- This is a full-time salaried position based in the Triangle region of North Carolina. The annual salary is $140,000. The benefits package includes health insurance through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, long-term disability coverage, life insurance, an employee assistance program and voluntary vision and dental insurance. Enrollees in our optional 403(b) retirement plan receive an employer match and our Health Savings Account offering provides a bi-annual employer contribution.
- Because driving between worksites and to various locations may be a central function of the position, administrative staff must maintain a valid driver’s license and have reliable transportation.
- Applicants must be authorized to legally work in the United States.
TO APPLY:
Please email your cover letter, résumé, three references, to: humanresources@ncsymphony.org
No phone calls please.Application Deadline: Monday, August 31, 2026
- Galleries, Gatekeepers, And An 82-Year-Old Pole Dancer
Good Afternoon,
Ocula asks the question the art trade would rather not engage on: do artists still need galleries (Ocula)? The answer depends on what the gallery was ever really selling — access, or permission. Philadelphia offers a blunter version: Curtis is putting $25 million into the building it acquired out of University of the Arts’ collapse, rehearsal hall included (MSN).
Follow the money and the pattern holds. Universal Music posted a 13% revenue jump (The Hollywood Reporter) in the first quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, Tanglewood has spent the summer visibly tense (The New York Times)
The streamers are pressing France to drop the rule requiring them to invest in French production (Variety). And the Kennedy Center ended public tours three days after the Times profiled one of its volunteer 84-year-old tour guides (The New York Times).
Finally, an Italian woman of 82 is now the world’s oldest competitive pole dancer (New York Post).
All of today’s stories below.
- Behold The World’s Oldest Competitive Pole Dancer. She’s 82.
Idanna Abignente, who lives in a suburb of Turin, started pole dancing at around age 70 to keep fit. She developed a passion for it and eventually joined the competition circuit, where she frequently wins her age division for lack of other competitors. – New York Post
- Do Artists Still Need Galleries?
It is often assumed that a gallery is a prerequisite to finding commercial success and a place in the history of art. But a growing number of artists are rejecting that notion and going—to use the kind of commercial lingo that the art market likes to avoid—Direct to Consumer (DTC). – Ocula
- Gunther Von Hagens, Creator Of Controversial Exhibition “Body Worlds,” Is Dead At 81
An anatomist by training, he developed a technique called “plastination” which prevents the decay of corpses and leaves them flexible. He used that technique on dozens of bodies, many with skin removed to display musculature, and set them in various poses for his traveling exhibitions — which attracted both excited crowds and horrified criticism. – AP
- Why Hollywood Loves The Cello
Why, out of every option in the orchestra, did the cello become the instrument of introspection? “It’s the cliche, but it’s probably because the cello comes closest to the human vocal range.” – The Guardian
- Streamers Are Pressuring France To Drop Their Requirements To Invest In France
Since January 2022, subscription streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ have been required to invest 20% of their annual French revenue in local film and television production under France’s implementation of the European Audiovisual Media Services Directive. – Variety
- Is There Any Upside To The Paramount/Warner Merger?
If the deal does go through, it will saddle the new corporate entity that emerges with nearly eighty billion dollars in debt. –
- Boy George Withdraws From West End’s “Jesus Christ Superstar” After Backlash Against His Latest Song
Next month, the 1980s New Wave pop icon, now 65, was going to play King Herod in the London revival of the musical. But his June release, “We Will Dance Again,” takes strong and controversial positions on the Israel-Palestine conflict; after weeks of heavy criticism, he cancelled his run in the role. – Playbill
- The Modern Stadium And Monumentality
Nearly all monumental architecture is expected to convey some set of values greater than its stated purpose. This is especially true of stadiums with their straightforward program – a pitch for a game to be played and seating from which to observe it. – Dezeen
- Should We Stop Listening To Technocrats?
International civil servants do not in fact escape power. They rearticulate it with the help of technical experts. By framing this rearticulation as real impartiality, however, they conflate technocracy and expertise. This conflation lies at the heart of the legitimacy crisis that international organisations face today. – Aeon
- Translator Emily Wilson On Reaction To Her Scathing Review Of “The Odessey”
“You can disagree about some or all of it! I may well be wrong!” she added. “But it’s not ‘personal’ to analyze a film or other work of art, even negatively. Criticism is more than ‘Hurray!’ or ‘Hiss!’” – Entertainment Weekly
- At Tanglewood This Summer, Things Are Feeling Pretty Tense
“During a recent week on the grounds, it felt anxious, angry, combustible. It was impossible to escape the warfare that the Boston Symphony is waging on itself: a crisis that is drowning out the music. Somebody needs to quiet things down before even more serious damage is done.” – The New York Times
- Universal Music Posts A Blockbuster Revenue Quarter
Recorded revenues grew about 13 percent to 2.516 billion euros ($2.89 billion), while publishing revenue grew about 8 percent to 616 million euros (about $710 million). – The Hollywood Reporter
- Filmmakers Sue Netflix For $105 Million Over Stolen Hard Drive With Unreleased Nicolas Cage Film
“In a lawsuit filed on Thursday in California federal court, writer-producer Simon Afram and his company, Op-Fortitude, accuse Netflix of compromising the sale of the World War II spy thriller” — titled Fortitude — by losing a copy of the movie that was shared for screening. He seeks at least $105 million.” – The Hollywood Reporter
- Historic Japanese Castle Damaged By Earthquake For Second Time In Ten Years
Kumamoto Castle, built in 1607 on the island of Kyushu, is considered one of Japan’s three great surviving castles. A portion of its moat wall collapsed following Tuesday’s 7.1 earthquake. In 2016, a different portion of the wall came down in another temblor. – Hyperallergic
- Kennedy Center Stops Public Tours Three Days After NY Times Feature On Tour Guide
On Monday, The New York Times posted an article featuring a longtime volunteer tour guide who said of the currently-dormant institution, “Now it’s a black hole.” On Thursday, a Kennedy Center official sent a memo to all volunteer tour guides telling them not to come there “until further notice.” – The New York Times
- Trump Administration Organizes “Patriotic” Art Exhibition Near White House. Yes, There’s Cronyism Involved.
What with all the complaints Trump has about the Smithsonian’s “bias,” the State Department has decided to “make visual arts great” (their phrase) with the exhibition “Passport to Patriotism: 250 Years of Diplomacy.” No historians or professional curators are involved, and the show includes pieces by the planners’ friends. – The New York Times
- What Curtis Institute Has Planned For Its Latest Building, Which It Bought After UArts Collapse
The old Art Alliance building near Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square had belonged to the University of the Arts, which abruptly closed in 2024. Curtis bought it in January 2025; it was badly damaged in a fire that July 4. Repairs are underway, and the conservatory will house its vocal/opera department there. – The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
- Florida College Professor Fired For Assigning Ottessa Moshfegh Short Story
Vinita Prabhakar, until recently an adjunct professor at South Florida State College, had used Moshfegh’s “Bettering Myself” in an introductory reading-and-writing course there without incident since 2023. But someone complained about the story’s content to the college president, who fired Prabhakar, who’s now suing. – Tallahassee Democrat
- Trump Administration’s Overhaul Of Historical Preservation Rules Alarms Preservationists
“A draft of the rule changes that circulated in recent weeks prompted an outcry from preservationists, architects, archaeologists and organizations representing Native American tribes. … ‘It’s both a scalpel and a bludgeon,’ said Greg Werkheiser, a lawyer who specializes in preservation cases.” – The New York Times
- Remembering Bill McGlaughlin: 1943-2026
- New York Theatre Ballet seeks Executive Director
New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB) seeks an Executive Director to lead the organization’s strategic direction, drive fundraising and revenue growth, and oversee both operational and artistic functions. The ED partners closely with the Artistic Director, the School Director, and Board of Directors to ensure NYTB’s artistic and educational excellence, financial sustainability, and community impact.
Key Responsibilities
• Lead organizational strategy and deliver a Board approved multi year plan.
• Serve as NYTB’s chief fundraiser; expand major gifts, institutional support, and special events.
• Oversee finance, HR, marketing, production, and administration with disciplined management and transparent reporting.
• Partner with the Artistic Director and School Director on season planning, touring, education programs, and artistic initiatives.
• Manage and support artistic, production, and administrative staff.
• Act as primary liaison to the Board; provide timely reporting, support governance, and engage Board members in fundraising and strategic initiatives.First Year Priorities
• Develop and secure Board approval of a 3 year strategic plan.
• Increase contributed revenue and build a stronger major donor pipeline.
• Deliver a balanced budget and clean audit.
• Implement key operational improvements (systems, processes, reporting).
• Support on time, high quality artistic and educational program delivery.
• Strengthen Board engagement and recruitment.Qualifications
• Senior leadership experience in performing arts or nonprofit management.
• Proven fundraising success and strong relationship building skills.
• Financial management expertise and operational leadership experience.
• Ability to manage artistic, educational, and administrative teams.
• Excellent communication skills and commitment to NYTB’s mission.Compensation
$120,000 annually, with performance-based upside tied to surpassing Board approved metrics (fundraising growth, operational KPIs, audience expansion, strategic plan milestones).
- Senior Director, Production – Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts via TOC Arts Partners
About the Opportunity
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the world’s leading performing arts center managing more than 16 acres of performance and gathering space in New York City, seeks to hire its next Senior Director, Production. This individual will have the opportunity to execute all live-event production elements occurring within Lincoln Center’s state-of-the-art concert halls – including the newly renovated David Geffen Hall – and throughout its many public areas. The Senior Director will be central to the planning and execution of New York’s highest profile events including classical music concerts, contemporary dance festivals, film premieres, television up-fronts, and free concerts for New York City.
The Senior Director will lead a team of 15 full-time administrative production personnel as well as a large work force of production and technical employees and will be a key partner to Lincoln Center’s ten resident organizations. They will deeply collaborate with the Lincoln Center programming department as it seeks to plan and present the world’s finest artists in their disciplines. Overseeing a team of production managers, technical directors, and union and non-union technical employees, including IATSE-Local One stagehands, the successful candidate will be ready to craft a culture of collaboration, communication, and trust for everyone within the Production department. This position requires a great deal of diplomacy, prioritization, authority, and multi-tasking, while taking care to maintain open and respectful relationships throughout the Lincoln Center campus.
About Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is the world’s leading performing arts center in the heart of New York City. In these times of heightened anxiety and vigilance, we are holding on to the important role the arts play in our lives: they nourish our hearts and minds, teach us valuable lessons and critical skills, and help us create community. We are resolved not to lose sight of what connects us, and we hope you will consider joining our talented and diverse team.
We are:
The manager of the Lincoln Center Campus – We are part of 16 acres of activity and one of eleven amazing resident organizations
A leading Arts Presenter – We curate a number of series showcasing music, dance, and theater
An Education Hub – We have reached 20 million students, educators, principals, and community membersWho are our people?
Lincoln Center is a diverse team of dreamers, collaborators, and entrepreneurs who use unique platforms in the heart of New York City and beyond to advocate for the transformative impact of artistic experiences. Lincoln Center People imagine and create in concert with this mission by founding President John D. Rockefeller III – “The arts are not for the privileged few, but for the many. Their place is not on the periphery of daily life, but at its center.” Lincoln Center welcomes applicants from all sectors who agilely solve problems, show up as they are, and can’t stop innovating.About the Position
Reporting to Vice President, Performance Operations, the Senior Director, Production leads the team responsible for the active technical and production management of events at Lincoln Center’s iconic venues, including: Alice Tully Hall, David Geffen Hall, the Kaplan Penthouse, David Rubenstein Atrium, Clark Studio Theater, the public areas including Damrosch Park and the under-construction Lincoln Center West Initiative, as well as off-campus venues.
The Senior Director supervises a team of production management and technical professionals executing a dynamic production operation. Lincoln Center is seeking an industry leader who understands managing a large team challenged by an incredibly diverse and demanding production schedule across a multi-venue campus, as well as the high profile associated with Lincoln Center’s activity and location. The ideal candidate understands how to lead with authority, encourage delegation, and build trust among the team. They will be charged with remaining accessible and present for a team working at maximum capacity, bringing them together to execute the vision of Lincoln Center and its stakeholders, through confident, steady guidance.
Performance and Campus Operations department members work together across disciplines to successfully execute events and performances that encompass nearly every artistic form and genre. This includes Lincoln Center’s iconic American Songbook and festival programs as well free educational and community-based programming, daily rentals, and large-scale, multi-day, corporate activations of Lincoln Center’s venues. The team also serves the Lincoln Center Resident Arts Organizations and helps bring their work to life on stage and around the campus.
Key Responsibilities — What You’ll Get to Do Here
Team Leadership
- Lead, manage, and mentor all Production personnel including full-time staff members and freelance production personnel
- Serve as manager of record for all IATSE Local One Stagehands and Local 306 Projectionists in Lincoln Center halls
- Develop learning plans for inter-departmental cross-training opportunities
- Collaborate on Lincoln Center’s broader labor strategy; directing the team managing collective bargaining agreement interpretation and enforcement for departmental union employees (Local One Stagehands, Local 306 Projectionists)
Production
- Create and execute top-level production schedules, calendars, and detailed logistics plans for Production operations
- Serve as thought partner to Lincoln Center executives regarding any production related questions or concerns
- Identify technical, budgetary, and time-related issues regarding Production activities, proposing solutions throughout
- Develop and implement Production and Campus Operations goals with other Senior Directors in alignment with Lincoln Center’s overall organizational strategy
- Develop and implement multi-year venue operational budgets and long-term capital project planning with General Management and Finance partners
Campus-Wide Partnership
- Partner with Lincoln Center’s Programming department to ensure all events are produced to maximize artistic integrity while minimizing safety and economic risks
- Coordinate with production departments at all Lincoln Center resident organizations to promote collaboration and information sharing as campus norms
- Provide executive leadership with operational and strategic perspective to shape, adjust, and achieve institutional goals
Qualifications
- 12 years of experience, minimum 6 years of leadership experience required
- Excellent leadership skills, including influence, decision-making, and delegation
- Dedication to creating and maintaining a positive culture in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrated broad knowledge of performing arts production and entertainment technology
- Ability to think strategically, maintaining a focus on long-term planning, coupled with a keen awareness of day-to-day operations
- Comprehensive experience developing and executing institutional goals and strategies
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Well-versed in collective bargaining agreements with theatrical unions, including IATSE
- Experience with Local 1 IATSE stagehands preferred
- Deep knowledge of operational safety standards, theatrical and building systems, and regulatory compliance (ADA, OSHA, FDNY, etc.)
Join us! It is the policy of Lincoln Center to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, marital or civil partnership/union status, familial or caregiver status, alienage or citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, military or veteran status, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, unemployment status, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. LCPA is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion, respect and integrity, customer focus, and innovation.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary for this position is $215,000-250,000. Lincoln Center (LCPA) acknowledges that offering a comprehensive and holistic health and wellness package is critical to our success and the wellbeing of our employees. As part of our commitment to making LCPA an amazing place to work, we offer a wide range of benefits that deliver choice, access, and value. We are committed to providing you and your family with affordable health and life benefits, as well as the ability to secure savings for retirement.
Application Instructions
The Senior Director, Production search is being conducted on behalf of Lincoln Center by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by Vice President Eric Gershman, 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.
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:
Eric Gershman
Vice President, Strategy & Business Development
eric@tocartspartners.comApplications will be accepted until this role is filled. We encourage you to apply by August 17, 2026, for priority consideration. Interviews may begin at any time, and we encourage you to apply as early as possible for best consideration. Please note that applying before the priority deadline does not guarantee an interview, and all applicants will receive a response regarding the consideration and status of their candidacy.
Not 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.
- Competitive Dance Is Coming To ESPN
“The International Dance League (IDL) has struck its first-ever media rights deal in a partnership with ESPN. … IDL is the first global professional dance league, structured as a traditional sports league with teams, a regular season, and a championship format.” – The Hollywood Reporter
- What If Instead Of Humanity Inventing Art, Art Invented Humanity?
Today, many would argue that the ordinary ‘truth of accountants’ is more fundamental than ecstatic truth, which relies heavily on perception, interpretation and subjective feeling. Yet this misses the reality that art discloses. – Aeon
- Musicians Should Take Care Of Their Bodies The Way Athletes Do
Violinist Laura Frautschi: “Athletes learn these lessons early… My own kids incorporated these practices from a young age, as they learnt to play soccer and other sports. Somehow this approach is not the norm for musicians. Most of us only learn when we become injured and seek help.” – The Strad
- An Odd New Literary Genre: Biographies Of Characters From Books
I’ve counted seven since the start of 2023, meaning one character biography—previously a nearly unheard-of form—every six months. – LA Review of Books
- What’s Happening In Kids’ Brains When They’re Picking Out Music On The Piano
We found that when you’re improvising, you have a different set of activities in your brain compared to when you’re playing. In other words, improvisation is a form of generative creativity. You’re suddenly on the spot, within a certain context, trying to create music. – The Conversation
- Mind Games: The Orchestra Playing Mahler One By Memory (And Other Feats Of Logic)
The Aurora Orchestra is performing from memory Mahler’s First Symphony. “If I’d then been told that in the first half of the concert we’d be presenting a new play about Mahler, featuring choreography involving the entire orchestra alongside two actors and a complicated sound design, I’d have laughed.” – The Guardian
- A Steep Drop In The Number Of Languages In The World, Study Finds
“Globally, people currently use roughly 7,500 languages, with English, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, Arabic and French the most common, counting native and nonnative speakers. That is a lot of languages. But it is a far cry from the peak number historically.” – Reuters (Yahoo!)
- Bernard Arnault Responds To A Scathing Le Monde Investigation Of His Art Enterprises
A scathing, six-part investigation by Le Monde delves into the scope of his power, wealth, and alleged rivalries within the Arnault clan, described as “the last royal family of France.” The report devotes a chapter to Arnault’s engagement with the arts, titled: “Bernard Arnault, the generous patron, in love with the arts and tax exemptions.” – ARTnews
- How Alan Cumming Is Transforming A Small Scottish Theatre
His vision was to turn Pitlochry Festival Theatre into both an artistic retreat and a producing powerhouse. It was to invite exciting creatives to Perthshire and create and premiere a show, then for that show to be sent on to London, New York and elsewhere. – The Stage
- Oops: Book Returned To Public Library 150 Years Late
