AJ Four Ways: Text Only (by date) | headlines only
DANCE
IDEAS
- 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.
- Creativity Turns Out To Be Physical
Good Morning,
Aeon runs an argument backward today: humans didn’t invent art, art invented us — ecstatic truth came first, the truth of accountants much later (Aeon). Set that next to a researcher who scanned children’s brains while they made up tunes at the piano and found improvisation running on a different system entirely than playing (The Conversation). Creativity isn’t a refinement of thought, goes one version of this.
Which makes the rest of the day’s cluster look less like coincidence. Violinists are being told to train like athletes (The Strad). A new company exists for dancers past 40, on the premise that the body is the one instrument you can’t re-string (Pointe). The Aurora Orchestra is performing Mahler’s First from memory, with choreography and a play attached (The Guardian). And competitive dance has signed its first media rights deal with ESPN (The Hollywood Reporter).
Meanwhile the major labels are asking chart companies to disqualify AI tracks unless a human substantially made them (Hollywood Reporter).
On the oops-I-forgot beat: A man in Kiama, Australia returned a library book 150 years overdue, found bricked into a fireplace (AP). No fine assessed.
All of our stories below.
- 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
ISSUES
- The ARTnews List Of America’s 30 Best Art Museums
“For this list, we focused primarily on the breadth and distinction of each institution’s permanent collection. Additional considerations included the strength of its temporary exhibition program and the grandeur of its architecture.” – ARTnews
- Staffers At All Of V&A’s London Locations Vote To Authorize Strike
The union’s dispute with management is over pay, working conditions, and the museum deciding not to seek living-wage accreditation. Staffers at the new V&A Storehouse in particular complain of inadequate restroom breaks and chances to get water, comparing conditions there to those at an Amazon warehouse. – The Guardian
- New York State Museum Accused Of Fraud
Federal investigators said high-ranking administrators at the New York State Museum in Albany directed a subordinate to falsify time sheets, allowing the state to improperly draw down $597,624 in federal grants from 2020 to 2022. – The New York Times
- Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, One Of Frank Gehry’s Last Buildings, Finally Has An Opening Date
“After a slew of delays and controversies, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi has finally narrowed down its big debut to a single day: December 11. The winter inauguration keeps the museum (just about) on track to open in 2026, as previously promised, but arrives two decades after the mammoth museum project was first announced in 2006.” – Artnet
- A Chagall Etching Is Liberated After Languishing For 20 Years In Customs
The etching, L’Acrobate au violon (1924), and another work were confiscated from a shipment of art being taken from France to Switzerland in 2005 after French agents determined that the items weren’t authorized to leave the country. The pieces were rediscovered after two decades, and the Chagall is now on display in Besançon. – Artnet
MEDIA
- Director Ruth Mackenzie, Sacked From Paris’s Théâtre Du Châtelet In 2020, Joins UK Prime Minister’s New Government
Following her abrupt firing, she went to direct Australia’s Adelaide Festival, then quit two years early to work in South Australia’s state government. Nine months after that, she departed for London to head the British Council. One year later, Mackenzie is now in the House of Lords as Under-Secretary for the Arts. – Limelight (Australia)
- Italian Theatres, Mt. Olympus Added As World Heritage Sites
Meeting in Busan, South Korea, for its 48th session from July 19 to 29, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee inscribed 19 cultural sites, five natural environments, and one property exhibiting both cultural and ecological significance. – Artnet
- Two Of Dallas’s Largest Performing Arts Institutions Are Merging
The AT&T Performing Arts Center — which includes the Winspear Opera House, Wyly Theatre, Annette Strauss Square, and Sammons Park — and one of its five resident companies, Dallas Theater Center, plan to combine administrations and many operations, with DTC becoming ATTPAC’s producing arm. – KERA (Dallas)
- Interlochen Center Issues Report On History Of Sexual Misconduct By Faculty
“The 97-page report spells out some 70 instances of sexual misconduct by multiple former faculty and staff spanning seven decades. … None of the 47 people accused in the report is currently employed by Interlochen. And owing to the amount of time that has passed, about a third of those accused are now dead.” – Interlochen Public Radio
- Performing Arts Centers In Australia’s “Second Cities” Form A Network
Four of Australia’s leading regional performing arts organisations have joined forces to establish a new national pathway for developing and presenting large-scale Australian theatre, backed by funding from Creative Australia. – Limelight
MUSIC
- 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
- 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!)
- Oops: Book Returned To Public Library 150 Years Late
- It’s Not Just Homer. Gertrude Stein Is Having A Moment, Too.
“Something’s in the air: My Year in Paris with Gertrude Stein, published last month by FSG, is just one in a recent cluster of genre-spanning books that interpret, adapt, and play with Stein’s legacy, as well as that of her longtime partner Alice B. Toklas.” – Publishers Weekly
- Grandparents Are Giving Their Grandkids Personalized AI-Slop Children’s Books, Driving Parents Nuts
“If the odds are against parents who disapprove of artificial intelligence, it’s because there’s an entire ecosystem of AI services designed to insert real children into books … and some relatives can’t resist their ads for specially curated storybooks.” – Wired
PEOPLE
- 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.
- Creativity Turns Out To Be Physical
Good Morning,
Aeon runs an argument backward today: humans didn’t invent art, art invented us — ecstatic truth came first, the truth of accountants much later (Aeon). Set that next to a researcher who scanned children’s brains while they made up tunes at the piano and found improvisation running on a different system entirely than playing (The Conversation). Creativity isn’t a refinement of thought, goes one version of this.
Which makes the rest of the day’s cluster look less like coincidence. Violinists are being told to train like athletes (The Strad). A new company exists for dancers past 40, on the premise that the body is the one instrument you can’t re-string (Pointe). The Aurora Orchestra is performing Mahler’s First from memory, with choreography and a play attached (The Guardian). And competitive dance has signed its first media rights deal with ESPN (The Hollywood Reporter).
Meanwhile the major labels are asking chart companies to disqualify AI tracks unless a human substantially made them (Hollywood Reporter).
On the oops-I-forgot beat: A man in Kiama, Australia returned a library book 150 years overdue, found bricked into a fireplace (AP). No fine assessed.
All of our stories below.
- 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
PEOPLE
- 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.
- Creativity Turns Out To Be Physical
Good Morning,
Aeon runs an argument backward today: humans didn’t invent art, art invented us — ecstatic truth came first, the truth of accountants much later (Aeon). Set that next to a researcher who scanned children’s brains while they made up tunes at the piano and found improvisation running on a different system entirely than playing (The Conversation). Creativity isn’t a refinement of thought, goes one version of this.
Which makes the rest of the day’s cluster look less like coincidence. Violinists are being told to train like athletes (The Strad). A new company exists for dancers past 40, on the premise that the body is the one instrument you can’t re-string (Pointe). The Aurora Orchestra is performing Mahler’s First from memory, with choreography and a play attached (The Guardian). And competitive dance has signed its first media rights deal with ESPN (The Hollywood Reporter).
Meanwhile the major labels are asking chart companies to disqualify AI tracks unless a human substantially made them (Hollywood Reporter).
On the oops-I-forgot beat: A man in Kiama, Australia returned a library book 150 years overdue, found bricked into a fireplace (AP). No fine assessed.
All of our stories below.
- 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
THEATRE
VISUAL
- 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
- 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
- Are We Headed To Culture Collapse?
Given worsening inequality, political polarisation, falling fertility, resource shortages and global conflicts, Wilson argues that we are hurtling towards the same end as ancient Rome, the Mayan civilisation and every other sophisticated society before us. – The Guardian
- Out, Damned Bot: How The Bots Took Over Our Lives
This strategy of manufacturing a froth of interest around a given subject, from Nicki Minaj’s political perspectives to Sydney Sweeney’s jean ads, has recently been especially effective, and has moved culture-war fights from the trenches of bot-infested social networks into more mainstream channels. – The New Yorker
- The Depressing Notion Of AI Art
The point is that art is linked to dialectical movement. In most societies at most points in time, art is decoration or religious offering — the lyric is also possible. But to actually have artistic evolution, you really need a movement of historical forces that art, essentially, is keeping pace with. – Castalia