The Director of Artistic Programs (Director) will lead the visioning, planning, and booking of Global Arts Live’s annual performance seasons, curating a diverse slate of global music, jazz, folk/roots, and dance, presented at both the new performing arts center and several other venues in Boston, Somerville, and Cambridge. They will oversee all artistic programming activities, including season design, artist selection, agent engagement, contract negotiation, and scheduling.
The Director will partner with the Chief Executive Officer, production team, marketing, development, and community engagement staff to ensure programs are mission-driven, financially viable, and culturally resonant. They will focus on performing arts curation with a global artistic sensibility and a strategic approach to programming in a multi-venue, community-oriented context. The Director will succeed the Founder and oversee community engagement programs for both Global Arts Live and 585 Arts, including supervision of the newly created Community Engagement Manager position.
Roles and Responsibilities
Artistic Vision and Season Planning
- Lead the artistic vision and programming strategy for Global Arts Live, curating an annual season of 100+ live global music, jazz, folk/roots, and contemporary dance performances.
- Build and sustain artist and agent relationships, align programming with organizational values, and support cross-departmental collaboration.
- Curate a concert portfolio that balances returning artists, debuts, premieres, and cross-genre innovation across multiple venues.
- Cultivate and sustain relationships with a wide network of artists, agents, and touring managers to secure compelling, mission-aligned bookings.
- Monitor artistic trends and global performance landscapes to identify new curatorial opportunities and audience-growing content.
- Align artistic priorities with budget realities, audience data, and strategic goals.
- Embrace other artistic vision and season planning responsibilities as needed.
Program Execution and Production
- Oversee the full life cycle of booked events, including contracting and calendar management in coordination with production and venue staff.
- Collaborate with production, marketing, and development teams to ensure smooth logistics, effective promotions, accurate donor visibility, and impactful programmatic funding opportunities.
- Finalize artist agreements and manage contract execution; lead concert settlements in partnership with the finance team; and ensure artistic documentation, artist communications, and internal workflows are timely and accurate.
- Track programming metrics, artist histories, and deal terms through program databases and systems.
- Embrace other program execution and production responsibilities as needed.
Community Engagement and Audience Development
- Direct and collaborate with the Community Engagement Manager to build programmatic partnerships with cultural organizations, schools, and community groups, including programming for the cabaret stage.
- Identify opportunities with mission-aligned partners to extend the reach and relevance of Global Arts Live and 585 Arts.
- Support strategies that build cross-cultural audience participation and promote deeper community relationships across Greater Boston.
- Create, in collaboration with the Community Engagement Manager, engagement strategies such as but not limited to talkbacks, panels, and educational programs that contextualize the season, amplify Global Arts Live’s curatorial voice, and develop audiences.
- Embrace other community engagement and audience development responsibilities as needed.
Financial and Institutional Alignment
- Curate a concert portfolio that maintains the high artistic integrity of the last 35 years, and also, as a whole, returns a net profit as it has throughout the organization’s history.
- Partner with the Chief Executive Officer and finance team to develop annual programming budgets and artist fee structures aligned with revenue and expense forecasts and fundraising strategies.
- Provide curatorial support for institutional fundraising, including contributing to grant narratives, case-making, funder crediting, and donor briefings.
- Engage with the development team to align programming with stewardship events, residencies, and cultivation opportunities.
- Forecast artist costs, identify co-commission or touring consortium opportunities, and track programmatic ROI over time.
- Embrace other financial and institutional alignment responsibilities as needed.
Organizational Leadership and Culture
- Participate fully as a member of Global Arts Live’s senior leadership team, engaging in strategic planning, cross-functional communication, and organizational culture leadership, helping drive this dynamic growth phase of the institution.
- Mentor junior staff, interns, and artistic associates, as needed.
- Champion internal alignment between departments by actively participating in team meetings, planning retreats, and strategic working groups.
- Ensure the artistic voice of the organization is represented in branding, messaging, and public-facing communications.
- Embrace other organizational leadership and culture responsibilities as needed.
Traits and Characteristics
The Director will be a culturally fluent and intuitively curious curator who leads with vision, empathy, and integrity. Rooted in both discernment and imagination, they will balance artistic risk-taking with pragmatic decision-making. With strong interpersonal insight and a love of connection, this leader will build trust across artistic, organizational, and community contexts. Equally comfortable negotiating deals and navigating cultural nuances, they will approach relationships with openness, humility, and strategic clarity. They will bring a collaborative spirit to internal planning, a respectful tenacity to external partnerships, and a deep commitment to amplifying diverse voices on stage. Guided by values and driven by impact, they will champion more than 100 presentations in programming that inspires, challenges, and resonates across Cambridge and Greater Boston communities.
Other key competencies include the following:
- Interpersonal Skills and Cultural Awareness – The ability to effectively and empathetically interact with people of varied backgrounds and communication styles, fostering trust, respect, and mutual understanding across artists, teams, and communities.
- Planning and Organizing – The capacity to prioritize objectives, manage time and resources efficiently, and translate artistic vision into executable programming aligned with organizational goals and logistical realities.
- Teamwork and Leadership – A collaborative and accountable contributor who builds consensus, supports cross-functional alignment, and helps others succeed by fostering clarity, ownership, and shared mission.
- Resiliency and Flexibility – The composure to remain grounded in changing or high-pressure environments, demonstrating persistence, adaptability, and self-regulation in pursuit of long-term impact.
Qualifications
A minimum of five to eight years of experience in a comparable role is required, with preferably 10 years in performing arts curation, global programming, and cultural presenting. A strong track record of artistic leadership in multi-venue and community-engaged environments is needed. A deep knowledge of global music, jazz, folk/roots, contemporary, and global dance performance genres, artist touring landscapes, and season planning is essential.
Demonstrable experience developing curatorial strategies, negotiating artist deals, and collaborating across departments to deliver impactful, mission-aligned programs is expected. Strong communication, project management, and interpersonal skills are critical, along with a values-driven, audience-centered approach to programming. Experience working across cultural contexts or with diasporic communities is strongly preferred. Familiarity with artist contracting and settlement processes, customer relationship management systems, or related collaborative planning platforms is beneficial.
A demonstrated commitment to equity, access, and inclusive leadership is essential, along with the ability to champion diverse voices, balance multiple priorities, and foster a culture of artistic excellence, responsiveness, and integrity. The Director’s work will be based in Cambridge, with regular in-person work required at Global Arts Live’s offices and event venues, as well as evening and weekend performances and community engagement events in Greater Boston.
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 a full-time exempt, senior management position with an estimated salary in the range of $150,000 to $170,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Benefits include paid vacation, holidays, sick, and personal time; health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurances; SIMPLE Cafeteria flexible spending account; and a 403(b) retirement plan.
Applications and Inquiries
As part of an equitable and inclusive executive search process, interested applicants are invited to inquire and/or submit a cover letter that uplifts their interest in and qualifications for the position; a resume that highlights a chronological career progression, education, and associated accomplishments; and a production-oriented curriculum vitae that demonstrates past performing arts presenting experience, including highlights of the artists with whom the applicant has presented, commissioned, or produced. To submit materials (electronic submissions preferred), please visit https://artsconsulting.com/opensearches/global-arts-live-seeks-director-of-artistic-programs/.
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.
