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- Musicians Say Touring Has Become Unsustainable
Independent venue closures, social media algorithms, streaming royalties and the rise of generative AI have contributed to a wider ecosystem that artists say is becoming increasingly difficult for working musicians to weather — and which they say makes the sustainability of touring more crucial than ever. – NPR
- Bollywood Is Rushing Headlong Into AI
While union rules constrain Hollywood’s use of the technology, Indian cinema is racing ahead, pitting efficiency against questions of creative authenticity and audience acceptance. – Reuters
- Uffizi Hit By Cyberattack
The Uffizi said it had been targeted by a cyberattack on February 1, but added that nothing had been stolen and no information lost. It also denied that the hackers had obtained security maps or that employees’ phones had been infiltrated. – Reuters
- Italian Court Orders Netflix To Refund All Subscription Price Hikes
The lawsuit was brought by Italian consumer advocacy group Movimento Consumatori, which alleged that the price hikes violate the Consumer Code, Italian legislation that aims to protect consumer rights. – Ars Technica
- What An Elite College Degree Really Buys
So the people who go to the fanciest colleges tend to have the most successful careers—this is not exactly news. The question of why this is the case, however, is surprisingly tricky to answer. – The Atlantic
- How do We Police AI in Writing?
Although I don’t buy the claim that AI is “inevitable” in some theoretical sense, I also feel like the current incentives in media and publishing, as Max Read recently argued, make it highly unlikely it won’t be used by some writers at some stage of the writing process. – The Third Hemisphere
- Good Morning
The Writers Guild has a new deal — four years, notably longer than the three-year contracts that have been Hollywood’s norm since the 1940s (The Hollywood Reporter). What the guild is really buying is time to figure out how AI reshapes the work before the next negotiation.
That question is all over today’s feed. A NYT freelancer used AI to write a book review, prompting the obvious rejoinder: criticism is a human conversation, not a summary job (The Conversation). Meanwhile, accusations that everything is AI-generated are proliferating so fast that “Proudly Human” verification badges are now a thing — though verifying humanness turns out to be its own problem (The Verge).
Elsewhere, the contraction continues. Portland State has eliminated its once-storied dance program (Oregon ArtsWatch). An Atlanta theatre that just lost its lease is asking its audience for real-estate leads (American Theatre). And the Smithsonian’s board sits with empty seats as the White House stalls appointments (The New York Times).
After 11 years in court, heirs have finally reclaimed a Modigliani looted by the Nazis (The New York Times).
All of our stories below.
- “Blows Off the Dust of History”
Reviewing my new novel “The Disciple: A Wagnerian Tale of the Gilded Age,” the British critic Clive Paget writes in “Musical America” that it’s “a richly detailed depiction of [New York] at the apogee of the Gilded Age and its embrace of all things Wagnerian.” His review reads in part:
- The Writers Guild Has Reached A Tentative Four-Year Deal With Studios
“If given the stamp of approval, the deal will be notable for its unusually long term. Three-year deals have generally been the norm since at least the 1940s for Hollywood unions,” but the extended 2023 strikes changed things. – The Hollywood Reporter
- Heists Are So Hot Right Now, From Art To KitKats, But Why Are We Fascinated?
“What is it about these heists that people like, as long as nobody gets hurt?” – The Guardian (UK)
- This Guy Was Set Up By An Amazon Comedy Wherein He, Accidentally, Played The Part To Perfection
Anthony Norman thought he was just doing a job. But no, says a writer for the weirdly Truman Show-like series: “It was so much more than we ever could have hoped for. … He’s a true hero.” – The New York Times
- Making Technology So Easy To Use Was Clearly A Huge Design Error
“What started as a technique to support human understanding in the face of increasingly complex tools became a way to replace human understanding. Ease became an unquestioned good. Complexity became something to hide.” – Slate
- Is The Vice President Trying To Use His Book Titles To Squash The Books Of Bell Hooks?
No, you can’t “steal” a book title, but this is … hm, interesting. – LitHub
- Melvin Edwards, Sculptor Who Welded The African Diaspora, Has Died At 88
“Edwards rose to prominence in 1963 with the first works of what would become his most notable series, ‘Lynch Fragments.’ … He combined fragments of found and recycled steel and welded them into forms of chains, sharp tools, barbed wire and other metal objects.” – Los Angeles Times (MSN)
- Nuns Inspired Call The Midwife
“Sister Margaret-Angela saw their involvement in Call the Midwife as something that would endure. ‘We’ve bought all the DVDs so it’ll be in our archives,’ she said. ‘It’s part of the community history now.’” – BBC
- Honestly, Who Would Serve On The Smithsonian’s Advisory Board Right Now?
Also, what’s that board going to look like once the president gets finished with it? “Smithsonian officials declined to comment on the appointment process, and offered no explanation for the delays.” – The New York Times
- The Increasing Accusations That Everything Is Made With AI
- Dali Made Some Iffy Choices, Including Layering Whites And Then Varnishing Them
“Dalí prescribes this very method, deeming zinc white the color with which ‘you will achieve the most absolute whites in your picture.’ But chemically speaking, this approach causes problems.” – Artnet
- How That Guy Is Reshaping The English Language
“The president uses verbs to evade responsibility and even proclaim a new form of leadership. Perhaps surprisingly, this is true even when Mr. Trump is proudly, if also prematurely, declaiming military successes.” – The New York Times
- Portland State University Eliminates Its Once-Storied Dance Program
PSU’s “dance program had once been a cornerstone of Portland’s artistic community, even as it struggled against decades of intermittent support, administrative turnover, and shifting school priorities.” – Oregon ArtsWatch
- An Atlanta Theatre Loses Its Lease, Asks Its Audience For Real-Estate Leads
“According to producing artistic director Rachel May, Synchronicity’s programming, partnerships, and community impact have never been stronger, and the theatre’s leadership is actively engaged in a search for a new theatrical home.” – American Theatre
- Behind The Scenes In The Final Days Of Hacks
“As they shot the finale, Einbinder wept often. Even Smart, a tough cookie, misted up a few times. The creators’ eyes stayed mostly dry.” – The New York Times
- Why We Desperately Need A Silent Film Of Super Mario
“Mario has always belonged to an older generation of comedy. … Charlie Chaplin built a legacy on the notion that a body can be battered by the world and still rise back up, like Mario, hat intact.” – Washington Post (MSN)
- Dear NYT Freelancer Who Used AI To ‘Write’ A Book Review, You’ve Missed The Point
“The role of the critic isn’t to summarise or repackage art, but to actively participate in a conversation about it,” and using AI isn’t going to help with that. – The Conversation
- PayPal And Other Online Payment Systems Seem To Be Silencing Media Sites They Don’t Like
“Payment services don’t have any incentive to consider the value of controversial and unpopular speech or how it may benefit our society.” – LitHub
- After 11 Years In Court, Heirs Reclaim A Modigliani Looted By The Nazis
“The claim, registered in a New York lawsuit filed in 2015, has long been disputed by the Nahmad family, a prominent dynasty of art dealers that wields enormous power in the international art market.” But a federal judge (finally) ruled for the claimants. – The New York Times
- The Feminist History Of Baseball’s Biggest Musical Moment
“At a time when women did not yet have the right to vote, but were playing in women’s leagues and filling the stands at occasional Ladies Days, ‘Take Me Out’ celebrates a fictional young woman’s deep and abiding passion for baseball.” – NPR
- AJ Chronicles: The Excellence Problem and Why it Matters
I don’t mean to be pedantic, but I think defining what we mean by excellence really matter if we’re really going to figure out the place of AI in creativity. Four stories this week suggest layers to this debate: - Maribeth Stahl shares why Data, Depth and Discovery are critical to fundraising
Maribeth Stahl, Chief Development Officer of The Cleveland Orchestra, shares why Data, Depth and Discovery are key ingredients for successful fundraising.
- Chandler Center for the Arts seeks Arts Center Manager
Organization
As part of the City of Chandler’s Cultural Development Department, the Chandler Center for the Arts is a vibrant regional arts destination dedicated to connecting communities and inspiring people through inclusive and enriching visual and performing arts experiences. Serving more than 160,000 patrons annually, CCA presents a diverse array of nationally and internationally recognized performances, including music, theatre, comedy, dance, and family programming, alongside dynamic visual art exhibitions in The Gallery at CCA, a 2,000-square-foot exhibition space that features rotating exhibitions by various artists throughout the year. CCA’s mission is to make the arts accessible to all, acting as a creative resource for the community while harnessing the cultural and economic vitality of the arts for residents, schools, and visitors throughout the region.
Since opening on August 25, 1989, as a shared-use facility serving both the City of Chandler and the Chandler Unified School District, CCA has continued to grow as a hub for artistic excellence. The CCA’s performance venues, the 1,500-seat Main Stage, 350-seat Hal Bogle Theatre, and 250-seat Recital Hall, host a broad and acclaimed 2025–26 season that highlights collaborations with celebrated ensembles and touring artists, world music showcases, contemporary dance engagements, Broadway-style musicals, and community-driven experiences that celebrate local talent and cultural diversity. Recent seasons have featured standout presentations, including internationally renowned performers, cross-disciplinary arts festivals, and expanded family arts initiatives that bring interactive experiences to audiences of all ages. Looking ahead, CCA is also undertaking a major summer 2026 renovation, scheduled from June 15 through October 15, that will enhance accessibility, comfort, and patron experience through replacement of all theatrical seating, new carpet and epoxy flooring, improved floor and chair lighting, and renumbered seats for easier wayfinding, while also addressing critical fire sprinkler, theatrical rigging, and electrical systems to support the facility’s long-term reliability and service to the community.
The nonprofit Chandler Cultural Foundation, established in conjunction with the CCA’s launch, partners closely with CCA to advance programming, fundraising, and audience development, strengthening organizational sustainability and creative impact. Through robust education and outreach efforts, CCA engages schools, youth ensembles, local artists, and creative partners, reinforcing its role as an essential engine for cultural engagement, artistic collaboration, and community connection.
The Chandler Cultural Foundation has a 17-member board of directors led by Chair Julia Marreel. The Arts Center Manager oversees a staff of 15, including a Development & Donor Engagement Manager, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, and Performing Arts Program Manager, among other positions. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, CCA’s audited financial statements reported total revenue of $3.7 million, including 12% from contributions and 88% from earned revenue sources. The projected revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, is $3.6 million, including 79% from earned revenue sources and 21% from contributions.
Sources: edited from chandlercenter.org; propublica.org
Community
Situated in the heart of the Sonoran Desert and on the ancestral lands of the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and Pee-Posh (Maricopa) peoples, Chandler, Arizona, is home to approximately 280,000 residents and is part of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area of more than five million people. Located in Maricopa County’s fast-growing East Valley, Chandler is recognized for its strong economy, high quality of life, and commitment to innovation. The city consistently ranks among Arizona’s most desirable communities, offering safe neighborhoods, highly rated schools, expansive parks, and a business-friendly environment anchored by leading technology and advanced manufacturing companies.
Chandler blends suburban livability with a vibrant and increasingly urban downtown core. Its historic downtown district features locally owned restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, public art, and year-round festivals that foster a strong sense of place and community connection. Residents enjoy abundant recreational opportunities, including more than 60 parks, golf courses, aquatic centers, and an extensive network of walking and biking paths. Proximity to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, professional sports venues, and the natural beauty of Arizona’s mountains and desert landscapes adds to the city’s appeal for families and professionals alike.
Arts and culture play a central role in Chandler’s civic identity. Public art initiatives and a robust calendar of community festivals reflect the city’s investment in creative expression and cultural vitality. Strong partnerships among the City of Chandler, Chandler Unified School District, local businesses, and nonprofit organizations support arts education, youth engagement, and community programming. With its dynamic economy, growing and diverse population, and commitment to cultural development, Chandler offers an exceptional environment for leaders seeking to make a lasting impact in a forward-looking and connected community.
Sources: chandleraz.gov; census.gov
Position Summary
The Arts Center Manager of the Chandler Center for the Arts (CCA) will serve as a bold, community-minded leader who will elevate CCA’s visibility, impact, and momentum, championing its role as a flagship cultural destination for the city of Chandler. The Arts Center Manager will provide strategic, hands-on oversight of finance, administration, public relations, and programming, and will advance long-range planning for the Arts Center Division within the City’s Cultural Development Department. Reporting to the Cultural Development Director, the Arts Center Manager will align people, priorities, and resources, and will ensure high-performing daily operations.
As chief steward of the Chandler Cultural Foundation and CCA’s chief ambassador, the Arts Center Manager will drive revenue growth and audience engagement through integrated budgeting, fundraising, grant development, marketing, and sales strategies. The Arts Center Manager will shape a compelling, multi-year program, spanning presented performances, youth and community engagement, co-promotions, rentals, exhibits, and City events. Serving as a confident, media-ready spokesperson and key liaison to Chandler Unified School District and community stakeholders, the Arts Center Manager will build excitement, deepen relationships, and will position CCA as an essential hub for arts and culture.
Roles and Responsibilities
Operations, Policy Compliance, and People Leadership
- Act as President of the Chandler Cultural Foundation.
- Supervise and oversee daily operations.
- Set goals and objectives for assigned areas.
- Manage schedules and establish work priorities.
- Monitor and evaluate staff performance.
- Facilitate access to resources and training opportunities.
- Provide guidance and address operational and personnel issues.
- Conduct interviews and make hiring decisions.
- Interpret policy to ensure nonprofit practices comply with municipal contracts, processes, and procedures.
- Embrace other operations, policy compliance, and people leadership responsibilities as needed.
Relationship Management
- Build and sustain strong, trust-based relationships across all key stakeholder groups.
- Ensure relationship-building remains central to day-to-day leadership and long-term success in the role.
- Maintain effective working relationships with staff, volunteers, board members, city officials, and community partners.
- Establish credibility with internal and external stakeholders over time.
- Strengthen CCA’s existing relationships while developing new connections and confidence in leadership.
Financial Management and Planning
- Prepare budget projections and reports, and monitor revenue and expenditures.
- Assist with developing and monitoring capital improvement projects and short- and long-term division planning.
- Embrace other financial management and planning responsibilities as needed.
Programming and Presenting
- Guide multi-year program development, including contracting presented performances, youth and engagement programs, co-promotions, City events, rental events, and exhibit schedules.
- Facilitate off-site presenting at partner venues in collaboration with local, regional, and national arts centers.
- Monitor community needs and industry trends through surveys and research.
- Embrace other programming and presenting responsibilities as needed.
Revenue Development, Marketing, and Communications
- Develop and monitor fundraising, grant writing, marketing, public relations, advertising, and sales strategies for the Chandler Center for the Arts.
- Serve as spokesperson for media inquiries and promote activities through public speaking opportunities.
- Embrace other revenue development, marketing, and communications responsibilities as needed.
Traits and Characteristics
The Arts Center Manager will be a collaborative and community-minded leader who thrives in a supportive role, contributing to collective success with humility and a focus on shared outcomes. Guided by a harmonious and balanced approach, they will value diverse perspectives and foster an inclusive environment that reflects the vibrancy of CCA’s communities. They maximize the effective use of time and talent by being resourceful and results-driven. Drawing on strong instincts and professional experience, they will be able to make thoughtful, informed decisions and pursue knowledge as needed to navigate complex challenges. Highly engaging and people-oriented, they will build meaningful relationships across a wide range of stakeholders, while remaining versatile and adaptable in a dynamic environment. With a healthy sense of competitiveness, they will bring confidence, drive, and determination to elevate the CCA’s visibility, impact, and long-term success.
Other key competencies include:
- Leadership and Personal Accountability – The fortitude to organize and influence people to believe in a vision, while creating a sense of purpose and direction, and taking ownership of personal actions.
- Time and Priority Management – The organizational acumen to prioritize and complete tasks to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.
- Planning and Organizing – The ability to establish courses of action to ensure that work is completed effectively.
- Teamwork and Understanding Others – The capability to cooperate to meet objectives while understanding the uniqueness and contributions of others.
- Problem Solving and Decision Making – The ability to define, analyze, and diagnose key components of a problem to formulate solutions and make consistently sound, timely decisions.
Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree in business administration, arts administration, museum studies, social science, public history, or a related field is required, along with at least eight years of progressively responsible experience in theatre management, public/visual arts program management, museum administration and business operations, and/or municipal environments, including a minimum of three years of supervisory experience. The Arts Center Manager will possess strong operational and business acumen, sound judgment, and the ability to lead teams, manage complex priorities, and deliver high-quality public-facing programs and services. Experience working with diverse communities, boards, and staff is preferred. A valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record is required. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the knowledge and abilities necessary to perform the work will also be considered.
Compensation and Benefits
The City of Chandler provides a competitive and equitable compensation package with an estimated base salary in the range of $110,780.80 to $160,596.80. Benefits include three medical plan options offered through the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona network, comprehensive dental coverage through Delta Dental of Arizona, and vision coverage through Vision Service Plan (VSP). The City also offers tax-advantaged accounts including Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts and a Health Savings Account (available with the White medical plan), provides employer-paid short-term disability coverage, and supports retirement savings through a voluntary 457(b) plan (including a City contribution for eligible employees) and a Post Employment Health Plan (PEHP) with a City contribution of $25 per pay period.
Employees participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) when eligible and receive paid leave benefits, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays. In the first year, employees accrue 130 hours of paid vacation and 96 hours of paid sick leave, both available for use immediately following accrual, as well as 12 paid holidays annually, with the potential for additional holiday leave at the end of 2026, subject to approval by the City Manager.
Additional benefits include eight hours of paid time off annually to volunteer in the community, tuition reimbursement (up to $5,250 per calendar year for regular full-time employees), and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through SupportLinc, offering confidential support and up to 10 counseling sessions. Employees also have access to a robust Employee Wellness Program with a $350 incentive, professional development opportunities, and free membership to Tumbleweed Recreation Center.
Applications and Inquiries
To apply for the position, please visit https://artsconsulting.com/opensearches/chandler-center-for-the-arts-seeks-arts-center-manager/
Applications will be accepted until May 1, 2026.
This position will start on August 1, 2026.
The City of Chandler is committed to Equal Opportunity and Reasonable Accommodation.
- Vice President, Division of Media Arts Ventures, Emerson College
About Emerson College
Located in the heart of Boston’s vibrant Theatre District, Emerson College is internationally recognized as a premier institution for communication and the arts. The College’s mission is to educate and elevate extraordinary artists, communicators, scholars, and professionals for the betterment of humanity.
Founded in 1880, Emerson serves more than 5,000 graduate and undergraduate students from the United States and more than 70 countries and territories. The College maintains a global presence through campuses in Boston, Los Angeles, and the Netherlands, as well as partnerships in Paris and throughout the world.
Emerson’s Extraordinary Emerson 2030 strategic plan positions the College as a global communication and arts leader, focusing on Academic Innovation, Collaborative Connections, Community Engagement, and Operational Excellence. The College’s exceptional alumni network includes influential leaders across entertainment, journalism, marketing, performing arts, and media.
For more information on Emerson College’s strategic plan, please visit http://extraordinary.emerson.edu.
Emerson College is led by Dr. Jay M. Bernhardt, who became the 13th president of Emerson College in July 2023, bringing extensive leadership experience in higher education, and applied scholarship and executive practice in strategic communications. Prior to Emerson, he served as dean of the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin, one of the nation’s largest and most respected communication and media programs. President Bernhardt’s vision for Emerson is captured in the Extraordinary Emerson 2030 strategic plan. The creation of the Division of Media and Arts Ventures (DMAV) is directly aligned with this vision, reflecting Emerson’s commitment to integrate its unparalleled arts and media assets into a unified strategic enterprise that serves students, the institution, and the broader community.
The Opportunity
Emerson College invites applications and nominations for a visionary leader and experienced manager to serve as its inaugural Vice President for Media Arts and Ventures. This newly aligned executive leadership position represents a transformational opportunity to integrate and elevate the College’s distinctive constellation of arts and media assets into a unified strategic enterprise that advances Emerson’s mission while positioning the institution as Boston’s preeminent cultural destination and a national model for arts-integrated higher education.
Reporting directly to President Jay Bernhardt and serving on the President’s Council, the Vice President will provide leadership and strategic coordination over a portfolio that includes ArtsEmerson, one of Boston’s leading theater presenters, Emerson’s many professional theaters and live-event spaces in downtown Boston, WERS 88.9 FM radio station, Emerson Contemporary gallery, public art initiatives, and many other newly created and aligned arts and media offerings.
This position offers a rare chance in the arts and in higher education to architect a comprehensive vision for how a premier communications and arts college can leverage professional programming and venues to enhance student learning, strengthen community engagement, generate meaningful revenue and philanthropic support, and establish cultural leadership at local, national, and international levels.
Strategic Context
The Division of Media and Arts Ventures (DMAV) is positioned as essential infrastructure supporting Emerson College’s Extraordinary Emerson 2030 strategic plan, a bold vision that positions the College as a global communication and arts leader in education and scholarship. The VP overseeing DMAV will ensure that arts and media programming advances all four of the strategic plan’s priorities:
- Academic Innovation: Professional programming becomes a laboratory for curriculum development, providing industry partnerships and real-world learning opportunities while enhancing faculty development through practitioner engagement.
- Collaborative Connections: Strategic programming positions Emerson as a convener of Boston’s cultural community, engaging residents and alumni through high-quality professional events and cultivating corporate partnerships that leverage the College’s arts credibility.
- Community Engagement: Vibrant campus programming integrates theaters into the heart of college life and admissions experience, while professional opportunities connect students with career pathways and the facilities serve as gathering spaces that strengthen ties with the City of Boston.
- Operational Excellence: Diversified revenue generation reduces institutional subsidy while optimized resource utilization and brand elevation through cultural leadership strengthen Emerson’s competitive positioning.
Portfolio Overview
The Vice President will provide strategic leadership, operational oversight, and/or coordination for the following realigned and reimagined entities and functions:
ArtsEmerson
Boston’s leading presenter of contemporary international theater, serving over 40,000 patrons annually and generating significant media exposure for the College. The programming philosophy emphasizes sparking civic engagement through artistically rigorous, community conscious work while maintaining meaningful collaborations through artistic residencies, educational initiatives, and partnerships with local organizations. ArtsEmerson is poised for an expanded vision and broadened focus that extends beyond its theater presenting origins to encompass a wider range of performance formats, community partnerships, and audience development strategies aligned with Emerson’s institutional ambitions.
Venue Operations
Stewardship and operational management of five performance venues including the historic Cutler Majestic Theatre (1,180 seats), Robert J. Orchard Stage, Jackie Liebergott Black Box, Semel Theater, and Greene Theater. These venues support academic programming, internal college events, external rentals, and professional presentations.
WERS Radio (88.9 FM)
Boston’s longest-running radio station with approximately 100,000 weekly listeners, providing a platform for student engagement and professional broadcast experience while serving as a distinctive element of the Emerson brand with deep emotional connection among alumni.
Emerson Contemporary
Visual arts initiatives including gallery programming and public art installations that extend the College’s cultural footprint into urban spaces and community engagement.
UnCommon Stage
A seasonal, street-level performance and gathering space in the southeast corner of the Boston Common that serves as a neighborhood anchor and programming laboratory, hosting live music, community events, and public-facing activations that connect the College to the surrounding Theatre District.
Student Media
Coordination with student-led media outlets and productions that provide experiential learning opportunities and serve as a pipeline between academic programs and the division’s professional operations.
Emerson Stage
The College’s academic producing program, led and managed by the Performing Arts department, stages student and faculty-directed productions across DMAV venues. Close coordination between the division and the program is essential to scheduling, production support, and ensuring that academic and professional uses of shared venues reinforce one another.
New Programming Initiatives
Development of new content verticals, including comedy programming, speaker series, news hours, podcasting, and other formats that leverage Emerson’s distinctive alumni network and brand strengths to diversify audiences and revenue streams.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Vision and Leadership
- Develop and execute a comprehensive, integrated strategic vision for the Division of Media and Arts Ventures, aligned with the College’s strategic plan, that elevates the Emerson brand, drives institutional distinction, and positions the College as Boston’s leading cultural destination
- Architect innovative programming strategies that diversify content offerings beyond current specializations to include other genres of theatrical productions, comedy, speaker series, musical performances, podcasting, and other formats that leverage Emerson’s distinctive alumni network and brand strengths
- Lead the transformation from a siloed organizational unit to an integrated institutional capability that advances multiple strategic priorities while generating sustainable revenue
- Champion the arts and media within Emerson College and across the Boston region, establishing the institution as a convener of cultural conversation and civic engagement
Academic Integration and Student Success
- Create seamless pathways between professional programming and academic experiential learning, ensuring students gain meaningful professional experience and career acceleration opportunities
- Foster collaborative relationships between DMAV operations and academic schools and departments to enhance learning outcomes and industry preparation
- Develop student professional development programs, including internships, masterclasses, and guaranteed placement opportunities that distinguish Emerson’s experiential learning model
- Integrate theaters and venues into campus tours and the overall Emerson student experience
Revenue Generation and Financial Stewardship
- Drive diversified revenue generation through facility optimization, corporate and foundation sponsorships, innovative programming, digital monetization, and enhanced ticketing strategies
- Lead strategic fundraising initiatives in partnership with Institutional Advancement, cultivating major donors and building relationships with foundations, corporations, and government funders
- Provide strong fiscal oversight for an annual operating budget of approximately $10 million, ensuring expenditure control while achieving revenue goals
- Optimize space utilization and scheduling, working with all critical stakeholders and partners, to maximize venue availability for revenue-generating activities while maintaining priority support for academic programming
External Relations and Community Engagement
- Build and strengthen relationships with Boston’s cultural community, civic leaders, peer institutions, and municipal officials to enhance Emerson’s position in the regional arts ecosystem
- Represent the College in cultural leadership forums, arts advocacy initiatives, and community partnerships that amplify Emerson’s visibility and impact
- Cultivate strategic partnerships with arts organizations, recording companies, artistic management firms, and promoters nationally and internationally
- Develop alumni engagement strategies that leverage the College’s substantial network of successful graduates in entertainment, media, and the performing arts
Team Leadership and Organizational Development
- Build and lead a high-performing, collaborative team of professional staff, supported by students and intermittent staff across artistic programming, production, marketing, development, operations, and administration
- Coach and mentor direct reports, including AVPs, Directors, Department Heads, and senior managers, to achieve institutional vision and strategic objectives
- Foster a culture of collaboration, service excellence, and institutional alignment that replaces siloed operations with integrated teamwork
- Maintain effective communications with the President, President’s Council, Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and students to ensure alignment and transparency
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will have the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
Strategic Leadership and Transformation
- Articulates and advances a compelling vision for media and arts presenting within a higher education context
- Navigates academic structures and aligns programming with institutional priorities
- Translates complex goals into actionable strategies and measurable outcomes
- Leads effectively across complex, multi-site environments
Revenue Generation and Operational Excellence
- Demonstrates entrepreneurial leadership in developing sustainable revenue streams
- Oversees budgets, financial planning, and resource allocation with strong fiscal discipline
- Uses data and analytics to inform decision-making and measure success
- Drives organizational effectiveness through change management and continuous improvement
Collaborative Leadership, Communication, and Inclusion
- Builds consensus across academic, administrative, and artistic stakeholders
- Communicates with clarity and impact in public, written, and interpersonal settings
- Leads with cultural competency and a commitment to institutional values
- Fosters an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing organizational culture
Artistic Innovation, Programming, and External Engagement
- Curates forward-thinking programming across diverse disciplines and formats
- Maintains strong relationships within national and international arts presenting networks
- Serves as a visible ambassador, elevating organizational profile and partnerships
- Leverages media, broadcast, and digital platforms to expand reach and impact
In addition, strong candidates will offer:
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in arts administration, business, or related field strongly preferred
- Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible arts management experience with at least 7 years in senior leadership roles
- Demonstrated success in personnel and organizational management, strategic planning, revenue generation, and organizational transformation within complex arts or higher education environments
- Proven track record in fundraising, donor cultivation, and/or foundation/corporate underwriting
- Experience planning and managing multi-million-dollar organizational budgets
- Experience leading high-performing teams and navigating change management in multi-stakeholder environments
- Strong business acumen combined with deep knowledge of the performing arts and media sectors, audience development, and venue management
- Familiarity with union environments and experience achieving artistic and institutional goals within frameworks of negotiated agreements
- Exceptional communication skills with ability to articulate vision compellingly to diverse audiences including boards, donors, faculty, students, and community stakeholders
Compensation & Benefits
The annual salary range for this position is $300,000 to $350,000. Relocation support is available.
Contact
DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Naree Viner, Susan VanGilder, and Tenley Bank. Express interest in this role by https://talent-profile.dsgco.com/search/v2/22982 or emailing the search team directly at Emerson_VPDMAV@dsgco.com. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.
DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
Emerson College is committed to an active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity, in people, in the curriculum, in the co-curriculum, and in the college’s intellectual, social, cultural, and geographical communities. Emerson endorses a framework of inclusive excellence, which recognizes that institutional excellence comes from fully engaging with diversity in all aspects of institutional activities.
Emerson College is an equal opportunity employer that encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds and identities.
About DSG | Koya
DSG | Koya, a DSG Global company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, DSG | Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. DSG | Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
DSG Global is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.
Learn more about DSG | Koya via the https://www.dsgco.com/industry/nonprofit-and-social-impact/.
- Clowns March Through Bolivia’s Capital To Protest New School Law
“The (fully-costumed) clowns gathered in front of the Ministry of Education in La Paz to oppose a decree published in February. The new mandate says schools must give 200 days of lessons each year — effectively banning schools from hosting the special events where these entertainers are frequently employed.” – AP
- HarperCollins Partners With AI Company For Animation
HarperCollins has announced a multi-year partnership with Toonstar, an “AI-powered” animation studio, to adapt a slate of the publisher’s titles into original YouTube series. – Publishers Weekly
- When Does Bach Cease To Be Bach? Or, What The Hell Did Jean Rondeau Do To The Goldberg Variations?
Next month the hipster harpsichordist is doing the cycle three different ways: the usual manner, for solo keyboard; arranged for strings, flute and continuo (the scoring of Bach’s Musical Offering; and as a new composition, UNDR for piano, percussion and electronics. He explains here in a Q&A. – Bachtrack
- German Artist Sentenced To Jail In Absentia In Moscow For Art Mocking Putin In Germany
A German artist who created carnival displays mocking Russian President Vladimir Putin was sentenced in absentia on Thursday to 8 1/2 years in prison by a court In Moscow. – AP News
