About the Opportunity
NXTHVN seeks an Executive Director to provide visionary leadership at a defining moment in the organization’s evolution. Founded in 2018 by acclaimed artist Titus Kaphar and impact investor Jason Price, NXTHVN has grown rapidly into a nationally recognized institution that weaves together residencies and fellowships for visual artists, professional advancement, exhibitions, and community-rooted economic development. The next Executive Director will partner with the founders, the Board of Directors, and a deeply committed staff to steward this distinctive model into its next chapter, deepening NXTHVN’s impact for artists and curators, for the Dixwell community, and for the broader arts and cultural sector.
This is a meaningful inflection point for the organization. NXTHVN has built a transformative Fellowship Program, a celebrated High School Apprenticeship Program, a robust exhibition slate, and a 40,000 square foot creative campus with adjacent fellows’ housing in the Dixwell neighborhood of New Haven. Over the past year, the organization has also expanded its Board of Directors to twelve members under the leadership of new Board Chair Hassan Smith, deepening governance capacity and broadening the networks available to support NXTHVN’s next phase of growth. The Executive Director will inherit that foundation and bring fresh strategic clarity, fundraising momentum, and operational discipline to support continued growth.
This is both an organizational stewardship opportunity and an organizational builder’s opportunity. The next Executive Director will serve as NXTHVN’s primary external ambassador and internal anchor, ensuring that the organization’s programs, partnerships, and resources are aligned with the mission, the founders’ vision, board policies, and community needs. The right candidate will bring a multi-million dollar fundraising track record, sound nonprofit financial stewardship, operational rigor, and an authentic connection to the role of the arts in advancing equity, opportunity, and community well-being.
About NXTHVN
NXTHVN was founded in 2018 by Titus Kaphar and Jason Price. The organization combines arts and entrepreneurship in a distinctive model that, through access, education, programming, and impact investing, launches the careers of artists and curators while strengthening the livelihood of the surrounding community. NXTHVN operates with an annual budget of approximately $2 million and is governed by a twelve-member Board of Directors.
Mission
NXTHVN’s mission is to create groundbreaking educational and professional opportunities, and to deliver resources, knowledge, and capital to underrepresented professional artists, curators, and members of the surrounding Dixwell community.
Programs and Impact
Fellowship Program
NXTHVN’s cornerstone initiative is its transformative ten-month Fellowship Program, which has gained national recognition for accelerating the careers of emerging and underrepresented artists and curators. The intensive, cohort-based program provides:
- Professional studio spaces and housing accommodations
- Mentorship from established industry professionals
- Exhibition opportunities in NXTHVN’s gallery
- Professional development workshops and networking events
- Financial support through stipends
NXTHVN Fellows have secured representation at major galleries, presented work at international exhibitions, and received significant grants, awards, and industry recognition. The program’s alumni network continues to grow, creating a powerful community of visual arts professionals who support one another’s career advancement.
High School Apprenticeship Program
NXTHVN’s paid apprenticeship program for local teens has become a model for arts education and youth development. The program:
Connects Dixwell neighborhood teens with NXTHVN Fellows for direct mentorship
- Provides one-to-one hands-on training in artistic techniques and professional practices
- Offers stipends that make arts participation economically accessible
- Builds pathways to higher education and careers in the arts
- Develops transferable skills in communication, critical thinking, and collaboration
Exhibition Program
NXTHVN produces four professional exhibitions annually, with three hosted at its Dixwell gallery. These exhibitions showcase the work of current Fellows alongside established artists, provide curatorial opportunities for emerging professionals, engage the local community through opening events and educational programming, attract visitors from throughout the region, and generate critical discourse around contemporary art practices. The exhibition program has received coverage in major arts publications and helped position NXTHVN as an important voice in the contemporary art landscape.
Local Strategic Initiatives
Through its strategic initiatives, NXTHVN nurtures cultural and economic impact in the Dixwell neighborhood by supporting entrepreneurial ventures that benefit the local economy, providing event space and resources for community-focused businesses, connecting entrepreneurs with mentorship and investment opportunities, and creating sustainable economic development in a historically underserved area.
About New Haven and the Dixwell Neighborhood
New Haven, Connecticut is a vibrant small city with a deep cultural identity, a celebrated culinary scene, and a long tradition as a hub for the arts, education, and ideas. Home to Yale University, the Yale Center for British Art, the Yale University Art Gallery, the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, Long Wharf Theatre, and many independent galleries and creative practitioners, New Haven offers a uniquely rich environment for an organization like NXTHVN to thrive. The city is easily accessible by train and highway from New York City and Boston.
The Dixwell neighborhood stands as one of the oldest African American communities in New England, with a heritage dating back to the mid-19th century. During its heyday from the 1940s through the 1960s, Dixwell Avenue was known as “Connecticut’s Harlem,” featuring renowned jazz clubs, Black-owned businesses, churches, and cultural institutions. The neighborhood has strong connections to the civil rights movement and is home to Dixwell Avenue Congregational United Church of Christ, founded in 1820 and recognized as the oldest African American Congregational Church in the world.
Today, Dixwell represents a community that holds its cultural heritage with pride while embracing new opportunities for growth. Recent revitalization efforts, including the restoration of the historic Q House, have reinvigorated community gathering spaces. NXTHVN’s presence in Dixwell creates a bridge between the neighborhood’s storied past and its future, investing in arts, education, and community development to honor and revitalize local history. For the next Executive Director, understanding and engaging with Dixwell’s history, current dynamics, and aspirations will be essential to fulfilling NXTHVN’s mission of strengthening this distinctive community through arts and entrepreneurship.
Job Description
The Executive Director will provide leadership and strategic direction for NXTHVN, ensuring a strong and sustainable business model that fulfills the mission and expands the organization’s impact. Reporting to the Board of Directors and partnering closely with the founders, the Executive Director oversees fundraising, financial management, strategic planning, programmatic alignment, community engagement, and organizational development. The Executive Director also serves as NXTHVN’s primary spokesperson and ambassador to donors, partners, community members, business leaders, and the broader arts and cultural sector.
The successful Executive Director will balance internal organizational stewardship with external relationship building. The role calls for an outstanding facilitator, collaborator, and communicator who can earn the trust and confidence of founders, staff, Board members, program participants, partners, funders, and other stakeholders, and who brings the discipline to translate vision into systems, plans, and measurable results.
Reports to: Chair of the Board of Directors; frequent collaboration with all Board members
Status: Full-time, exempt
Location: On-site at NXTHVN’s creative campus in New Haven, CT; must reside in or within 45 miles of New Haven
Direct Reports: Senior leadership team
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Vision
- Lead the development and implementation of strategic plans and initiatives, ensuring alignment between programs, operations, and organizational mission
- Foster a culture of innovation, excellence, and continuous improvement throughout the organization
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships that advance NXTHVN’s goals and enhance its impact within the arts community and beyond
- Stay informed about trends and best practices in the arts, entrepreneurship, and community development to ensure NXTHVN remains at the forefront of innovation
Fundraising and Financial
- Steward NXTHVN’s strong existing institutional and individual funder relationships and cultivate new relationships with donors, foundations, corporations, and government agencies, with the goal of sustaining and growing multi-million dollar revenue
- Develop and implement strategies to diversify and expand revenue streams to ensure long-term sustainability
- Oversee financial health, including budget development, financial planning, and fiscal management
- Provide comprehensive management of the facility’s balance sheet, including debt service obligations, ensuring long-term financial stability while maintaining programs and community access
- Ensure compliance with all financial reporting requirements and best practices, working with the Board to develop and implement sound financial policies, procedures, and clearly articulated key performance indicators
Community Engagement and External Relations
- Serve as the primary spokesperson and ambassador for NXTHVN, representing the organization at community events, conferences, and other forums
- Build and maintain strong relationships with the Dixwell community, with deep respect for the neighborhood’s history, current dynamics, and aspirations
- Develop and maintain partnerships with arts organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and community groups to expand NXTHVN’s reach
- Oversee communications and marketing efforts to raise NXTHVN’s profile locally and nationally, ensuring consistent messaging that effectively communicates the organization’s value
Operational and Administrative Leadership
- Oversee day-to-day operations of the 40,000 square foot creative campus and adjacent fellows’ housing, ensuring these facilities support programmatic goals and provide an inspiring environment for artists, curators, and the community
- Develop and implement policies, systems, and procedures to ensure efficient and effective operations across all aspects of the organization
- Recruit, supervise, and evaluate staff, providing opportunities for professional development and growth to build a high-performing team
- Foster a positive, inclusive, and collaborative organizational culture that reflects NXTHVN’s values
- Ensure compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements
Programmatic Leadership
- Working closely with the Director of Programs and Exhibitions, oversee the development, implementation, and evaluation of all programs
- Ensure programs align with NXTHVN’s mission and meet the needs of artists, curators, and the community
- Identify opportunities to enhance existing programs and develop new initiatives that further the mission
Board Relations
- Work closely with the twelve-member Board of Directors to advance the organization’s mission, providing regular reports on activities, finances, and strategic initiatives
- Support continued Board development and engagement, helping to build a strong governance structure that enhances NXTHVN’s effectiveness and sustainability
- Implement Board policies and decisions, ensure clear communication between the Board and staff, and leverage Board members’ expertise and networks to benefit the organization
Key Priorities for the First Two to Three Years
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of NXTHVN’s history, mission, values, culture, programs, and community impact
- Strengthen the organization’s financial position by enhancing existing revenue streams and diversifying funding through expanded fundraising initiatives
- Create a comprehensive business development and fundraising plan that includes pipeline expansion, stewardship of existing donors, and broader reach across key fundraising verticals
- Provide comprehensive management of the facility’s balance sheet to ensure long-term financial stability while maintaining programs and community access
- Conduct a thoughtful assessment of organizational strengths, challenges, and opportunities, and lead the development and implementation of a strategic plan to guide impact, community initiatives, operations, and overall vision
- Build strong, trust-based relationships with staff, the Board, fellows, alumni, program participants, donors, community partners, and other key stakeholders
- Strengthen operational systems and processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness across the organization
Experience and Qualifications
- Demonstrated senior leadership experience, with at least ten years of increasing responsibility and direct management of staff and teams
- Track record of success in nonprofit management, ideally in arts, cultural, educational, or community-based organizations
- Established multi-million dollar fundraising track record across institutional and individual donor communities, with the proven ability to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts at meaningful levels
- Fluency in nonprofit finance, including budgeting, cash flow management, audit oversight, and the financial dimensions of capital and facilities
- Experience overseeing capital projects, physical facilities, and the operational realities of a campus environment
- Demonstrated success aligning resources with strategic goals in an organization known for innovative artistic, educational, or community-based programs
- Genuine connection to the arts and to the role of arts in community life, with cultural fluency and an appreciation for the creative process
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
The Successful Candidate Will Bring
- Genuine passion for NXTHVN’s mission and a deep belief in the transformative power of art
- A commitment to cultivating belonging for people of all backgrounds, with humility and a track record of fostering inclusive environments
- A collaborative leadership approach that empowers staff, partners, and stakeholders, paired with the willingness to make decisive calls when needed
- Entrepreneurial mindset, with the creativity and discipline to build, test, and refine programs, partnerships, and revenue streams
- A hands-on leadership style and the willingness to engage with challenges across the organization
- Emotional intelligence and steadiness, with patience, sound judgment, and a calm, thoughtful approach in complex moments
- Clear and transparent communication, providing context, rationale, and follow-through to build understanding and confidence across the organization
- The ability to balance compassion with accountability, offering warmth and support while making thoughtful, sometimes difficult, decisions in service of the mission and budget realities
- Infectious energy, enthusiasm, and resilience to guide NXTHVN through its next phase of growth
- Highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct in all interactions
- Willingness and ability to work occasional evenings and weekends and to travel domestically and internationally as required
Compensation
The salary range for this position is $175,000 to $200,000 annually, commensurate with experience. NXTHVN provides comprehensive benefits, including health and dental insurance (employee contributory), paid time off, and holidays, in addition to a supportive and dynamic work environment.
Application Instructions
The Executive Director search is being conducted on behalf of NXTHVN by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by Edie Demas, in consultation with the TOC Arts Partners search team.
To apply, please submit your materials through the online application. Your cover letter should include any training or experience relevant to the position profile that you would like to highlight, why you consider yourself a strong fit for this opportunity, and anything else you would like us to know about your qualifications that may not be evident in your resume. Applications will be accepted until the role is filled.
For general questions or to nominate a prospective candidate, please contact searchteam@tocartspartners.com. We kindly request no phone calls.
Specific questions about the position may be directed to:
Edie Demas
TOC Arts Partners
edie@tocartspartners.com
Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that some candidates apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria, while others tend to apply only if they meet every requirement. If you believe 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. Whether you are returning to work after a gap in employment, looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.
NXTHVN is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership, parental status, military status, or any other non-merit factor.
