Organization
Global Arts Live, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a vibrant nonprofit arts presenter dedicated to celebrating the world’s music, dance, and performance traditions. Since its founding in 1990, the organization has been, and will continue to be, a cultural anchor in the Greater Boston area, currently presenting more than 60 performances annually in venues ranging from intimate 250-seat clubs to major theaters seating up to 3,500, primarily in Boston, Somerville, and Cambridge. Known for its adventurous spirit and deep commitment to cultural exchange, Global Arts Live connects local audiences with renowned and emerging artists from more than 70 countries. The organization’s programs engage audiences with performances that span traditions, genres, and geographies, and each season brings a rich mix of global artistry to audiences from the New England region.
Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Connie Chin, who joined in 2021, and Founder & Director of Artistic Programs Maure Aronson, Global Arts Live is undertaking a strategic leap forward and unprecedented organizational growth by launching 585 Arts, a new performing arts center in Cambridge’s Kendall Square. The custom-built center features a 400-seat state-of-the-art proscenium theater designed for dance, music, and other genres; a 125-seat cabaret stage; a rehearsal studio; and a ground floor commons that will offer an urban living room to the public. The venue will receive its temporary certificate of occupancy in January 2026, its full certificate of occupancy in April 2026, and its grand opening on September 19, 2026. 585 Arts offers meaningful opportunities to deepen the organization’s commitment to community engagement, including collaborations with neighborhood organizations, cultural groups, and civic partners.
Strategic priorities include strengthening local partnerships, expanding educational and audience development efforts, and building sustainable earned revenue models—all while staying true to its core mission of presenting transformative global performances. As it looks toward the future, Global Arts Live continues to champion global performances. With a proud legacy, clear curatorial vision, and deeply engaged local audience, the organization is a vital force in the cultural life of Greater Boston and New England—bridging continents, building community, and bringing the world to local stages.
Global Arts Live is governed by a 13-member board of directors chaired by biotech entrepreneur Nagesh Mahanthappa. The Global Arts Live and 585 Arts combined leadership team will be comprised of the CEO, Founder and Director of Artistic Programs, 585 Arts General Manager, and directors of Advancement, Marketing, and Finance (whose departments provide services to both Global Arts Live and 585 Arts). Currently, a dedicated full-time staff of 13 is supplemented by part-time and temporary staff, as well as independent contractors who support construction, production, marketing, development, legal, HR, and special initiatives. Staff dedicated primarily to 585 Arts will add approximately 17 full-time positions. Together, this expanded team will ensure that Global Arts Live and 585 Arts remain high-impact organizations rooted in creativity, collaboration, and accessibility.
Global Arts Live has an operating budget of $2.8 million for the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2025. Approximately 53% of this comes from earned revenue (ticket sales), 45% contributed revenue, and the remainder from interest and other income. Global Arts Live is conducting a $20 million campaign for 585 Arts’ launch, initial programming and operations, and sustainability, and has achieved $12 million of this goal. After opening, 585 Arts’ budget (separate from and additional to Global Arts Live’s budget but managed together with it) will be driven by approximately $1.75 million in earned revenue and $900,000 in contributed revenue.
Community
Home to more than 4.8 million people, the Greater Boston area is New England’s economic and cultural hub. The region is the ancestral home of the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag, and Nipmuck peoples, among others. Today, Greater Boston is the 11th largest metropolitan area in the United States with a vibrant post-secondary population of more than 200,000 students and an exciting blend of cultures.
Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a culturally rich, socially dynamic city of about 118,000 residents located just across the Charles River from the City of Boston. Known globally as home to Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge is a hub of innovation, higher education, and civic engagement. Its economy is driven by education, research, biotechnology, healthcare, and a thriving startup culture centered in Kendall Square. The population of the City of Cambridge is diverse and globally connected—nearly 20% of residents identify as Asian, more than 10% as Black or African American, and approximately 9% as Hispanic or Latino. More than a third of households speak a language other than English at home. A relatively young median age and high educational attainment reflect Cambridge’s appeal to students, professionals, and families alike. Cambridge is also home to a robust and eclectic arts and culture ecosystem. Theater companies, visual arts institutions, artist-run spaces, and festivals are embedded in neighborhoods throughout the city. Public art, creative placemaking initiatives, and city-supported cultural efforts contribute to a lively and accessible creative environment.
Cambridge’s retail and transportation hubs—Kendall, Central, Harvard, and Porter Squares, as well as Union and Davis Squares in adjacent Somerville—offer a blend of independent businesses, dining, and cultural venues, all easily reached by public transit. With its combination of historic charm, progressive values, walkable neighborhoods, green spaces, and year-round cultural life, Cambridge offers a uniquely stimulating environment for creative professionals committed to community, access, and impact.
Sources: www.cambridgema.gov; www.census.gov; culturaldata.org
Position Summary
The General Manager, 585 Arts, will oversee the business aspects of a new performing arts center, leading its launch and day-to-day operations. This includes managing earned revenue and expenses, developing its reputation in the community, and nurturing key relationships with partners. As a member of the leadership team for the combined Global Arts Live and 585 Arts organizations, this position will report directly to the CEO and work closely with the Global Arts Live programming, community engagement, development, marketing, and finance teams. This role will supervise a staff of approximately 13 in the production and audience services teams to ensure a welcoming and celebratory environment for all artists, audiences, renters, partners, and staff. The General Manager, 585 Arts, will also work with external partners such as artists, renters, landlord property management, service vendors, the internship organization Brighter Boston, and many other nonprofits and community organizations.
Roles and Responsibilities
585 Arts Launch
• Drive the final planning to launch the new performing arts complex, designing robust operation systems, policies, and workflows; coordinating plans with landlord property management to open the venue; managing launch timelines; and tracking milestones.
• Ensure venue operations are based on industry best practices and are fully compliant with laws, regulations, and insurance requirements.
• Complete the recruitment and hiring of venue personnel, including backstage and front-of-house staff.
• Embrace other 585 Arts launch responsibilities as needed.
Rental Business and Financial Administration
• Establish and monitor cost recovery models and fee structures that balance mission goals with revenue targets.
• Lead rental program communications effort in collaboration with the marketing team to attract rental clients, and conduct outreach with community partners, corporations, and event planners to showcase the venue’s features and benefits.
• Develop and implement systems for scheduling, event coordination, service agreements, production logistics, and vendor management.
• Partner with finance staff to budget, manage, and track earned income and expenses.
• Embrace other rental business and financial administration responsibilities as needed.
Venue and Operations Management
• Supervise the directors of production and audience services, each with their teams, setting clear goals and fostering a collaborative, values-driven culture.
• Oversee daily operations and calendar management for performances and events.
• Manage building systems, maintenance, repairs, and vendor relationships, including HVAC, security, information technology, deliveries, cleaning, maintenance services, and capital equipment needs.
• Liaise with the food & beverage operator, and landlord property and events team, to execute lease and operational agreement responsibilities and coordinate with co-tenants.
• Ensure that safety and compliance procedures (e.g. physical work safety rules, Emergency Egress Protocols/mustering) are maintained and clearly communicated across staff, putting training in place where appropriate.
• Embrace other venue and operations management responsibilities as needed.
Welcoming Environment
• Create exceptional experiences and address any venue-centered concerns for artists, renters, audiences, visitors, interns, and staff through a focus on outstanding customer service, helping to position the venue as a premier destination and workplace.
• Imbue in all operations, in collaboration with others, an orientation to accessibility with a human-centered approach that will be welcoming and high-functioning.
• Maintain a visible, solutions-oriented presence at performances and events to reinforce operational excellence and outstanding guest experiences.
• Coordinate site amenities, especially food and beverage partners, as integral to a premier visitor experience.
• Embrace other welcoming environment responsibilities as needed.
Community Relations and Engagement
• Embody the founding intention of 585 Arts as a beneficial presence in the local community of artists, nonprofits, and neighbors, and position the organization as a trusted community resource by balancing accessibility and operational sustainability.
• Collaborate with the Community Engagement Manager to distribute, through an equitable process, 25 free rentals each year (per operating agreement) to local artists and community organizations.
• Oversee a robust paid high school internship program that provides young people with meaningful work experiences and mentoring both backstage and front-of-house, in partnership with Brighter Boston, a nonprofit organization experienced in workforce development and theater internships.
• Gather and respond to feedback from clients and community partners to continually refine operations and services.
• Embrace other community relations and engagement responsibilities as needed.
Staff Leadership and Organizational Culture
• Serve as an active member of the senior leadership team, engaging in strategic and organizational planning and cross-functional communication.
• Establish and maintain effective communication systems, including meeting agendas and task tracking.
• Support staff professional development through an equity-centered approach to management, including training, coaching, and network development.
• Embrace other staff leadership and organizational culture responsibilities as needed.
Traits and Characteristics
The General Manager, 585 Arts, will be a strong business manager, as well as a people-centered, emotionally intelligent leader who communicates clearly, listens actively, and builds trust across a wide range of stakeholders. A generalist with the ability to oversee multiple functions, corral details, and integrate them into a whole operation, the General Manager, 585 Arts, will value community relations and engagement, understand what needs to happen for a venue to be welcoming, and be a diplomat who can balance the needs of artists, renters, partners, public, staff, and the organization. Capable of astute thinking, the General Manager, 585 Arts, will understand project management, delegation, department coordination, collaboration, and communication. With a customer service orientation, excellent interpersonal skills, and clear communication skills, they will be a self-starter who can take initiative in this unique and transformational startup venture.
Other key competencies include the following:
• Planning and Organizing – The capacity to prioritize objectives and resources to translate artistic vision into executable programming aligned with organizational goals and logistical realities.
• Time and Project Management – The dexterity to manage multiple complex tasks, mobilize wide-ranging resources, and deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames and budgets.
• Teamwork – The acuity to achieve shared success, recognizing and valuing individual contributions, and cultivating an inclusive and respectful organizational culture.
• Audience, Donor, and Customer Focus – The capability to inspire new customers, engage audiences, motivate donors, and connect with strategic partners to achieve mutually beneficial relationships and outcomes.
• Professional and Personal Accountability – The integrity to be answerable for personal and professional actions while readily modifying and adapting to change with resilience, flexibility, and humility.
Qualifications
Five to eight years of progressive experience in venue management and operations is required with a strong track record of leadership in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment. A deep understanding of earned income strategies, operational systems, event logistics, financial oversight, and vendor coordination is necessary. Experience managing cross-functional teams, implementing infrastructure and processes, and aligning day-to-day operations with long-term strategic goals is expected. Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills, along with a collaborative, service-oriented mindset, are strongly preferred. Expertise with venue development or ramp-up, capital project coordination, and public-private partnerships is deeply appreciated. Familiarity with event and rental related software systems is needed. A commitment to equity, access, and inclusive leadership, along with the ability to foster a culture of transparency, responsiveness, and professionalism, is foundational to success in the role. The work of the General Manager, 585 Arts will be based in Cambridge with regular in-person time required, including presence at evening and weekend performances and events.
Not sure if you meet 100% of these 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. Global Arts Live is dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether you’re taking the next step in your career path, looking to transition, or returning to work after a gap in employment, we will be glad to have you on our radar.
Compensation and Benefits
The role is an exempt, senior-level position with a full-time estimated salary in the range of $135,000 to $145,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Benefits include paid vacation, sick, and personal time, 10 paid holidays, health, dental, and life insurance, a flexible SIMPLE Cafeteria spending account, long-term disability, and a 403(b) retirement plan.
Applications and Inquiries
To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please visit https://artsconsulting.com/opensearches/global-arts-live-seeks-general-manager-585-arts/
Email GlobalArtsLive-GM@ArtsConsulting.com
Global Arts Live is committed to building a work environment rooted in respect, integrity, diversity, and inclusion—one that reflects the artists we present and the audiences we serve. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, including those historically underrepresented in the arts and nonprofit sectors.
