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- From Messages to Conversations: AI Agents are Changing how we Find Culture
The first audience for your art is becoming a machine. The question isn’t just how to optimize for that machine, it’s what you give it to say, and whether what it says is worth a conversation. - Good Morning
The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has been quietly altering its own content since Trump returned to office — not because the administration demanded it, but because the museum anticipated the demand (Politico). That particular reflex — institutions reshaping themselves before anyone even asks — shows up across today’s stories. Josh Kline’s viral essay is a despairing elegy for a New York art world that real estate priced into irrelevance (ARTnews). The Chronicle of Higher Education traces how humanists helped wreck the humanities (Chronicle of Higher Education). At the New Yorker, a fact-checker writes about being illegally fired after leading the magazine’s union. Condé Nast, it seems, might violate labor law before it’ll tolerate organized workers (The Nation).
On a brighter note, Minneapolis’s major arts institutions are mostly posting surpluses after some brutal years (Star Tribune). And Duchamp — whose century-old question about what counts as art still hasn’t been settled — gets a fresh reassessment (The New York Times). See you tomorrow.
All of our stories below.
- Vice President of Marketing and Communications- Brooklyn Academy of Music via TOC Arts Partners
About the Opportunity
BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) stands at an important moment of transformation and rebirth. Like many cultural organizations rebounding from the pandemic, BAM has been developing new practices and regaining momentum with audiences. With sustained capacity to program a broad array of distinguished artists, a commitment to engaging the public in a variety of artistic formats including performing arts and film programming, and an ability to present captivating long-running theater productions like last year’s re-imagining of A Streetcar Named Desire, BAM continues to possess remarkable opportunities to bring audiences together for both extraordinary and everyday artistic experiences. As our world evolves, BAM remains one of the most unique and impactful performing arts centers not just in New York City, but across the country and globe.
To further enhance the standing of this legacy institution and embrace a new era of artist and audience connection, BAM seeks a forward-thinking, and tenacious Vice President of Marketing and Communications to join the senior leadership team and manage the talented department charged with marketing, creative services, ticket services, market research/audience data analysis, revenue forecasting, communications, and brand storytelling. This Vice President will work in close partnership with the Artistic Director, Producer and Chief Programming Operations Officer, and Vice President of Advancement to promote the ambitious and diverse programming for which BAM is known. Reporting to newly named President Tamara McCaw and serving as a key member of the senior leadership team, the Vice President of Marketing and Communications also interacts with an engaged Board, committed to strengthening the organization’s vitality and reach. The successful candidate must be an individual who has a passion for the performing arts and film, an admiration for BAM’s history and its place in the national and local cultural landscape, and an excitement for the challenges of growing and sustaining a vibrant and diverse audience base.
The Vice President of Marketing and Communications will be a strong manager and mentor, ready to bolster the morale and strengthen the collaborations of a marketing team that is clearly dedicated to the mission of the organization. They should be deeply knowledgeable in traditional marketing tools and strategies and yet, adaptive and eager to experiment with new channels and practices. As a leader and manager, they should be capable of moving from a strategic mindset to an operational approach to collaborate with colleagues and external partners. Finally, they should be eager to think holistically about revenue for the organization, maintaining a close partnership with their colleagues in Advancement and helping to lead BAM into its next chapter of vibrancy and impact.
About BAM
A world-class home for adventurous artists, audiences, and ideas, BAM is North America’s oldest multi-disciplinary arts center, showcasing the work of emerging artists and modern icons.
For more than 160 years, BAM has been a thriving, urban multi-arts complex renowned for presenting an unparalleled roster of visionary and cutting-edge dance, theater, music, opera, visual arts, literature, and film engagements. Attracting more than 750,000 people annually to its home in Brooklyn, BAM provides a welcoming cultural stage and meeting place for global and local communities of all backgrounds. BAM’s distinctive multi-theater campus is alive year-round with inspired new engagements and signature programs alike including the renowned Next Wave (one of the world’s most influential festivals of contemporary performing arts, founded in 1983), the iconic DanceAfrica, an acclaimed repertory film program, and literary, archival, educational and humanities programs. For more information visit BAM.org.
Job Description
The Vice President of Marketing leads a dedicated team (17+ staffers) to build a rigorous marketing plan and implement innovative tactics that amplify BAM’s position as one of this nation’s most celebrated and influential cultural institutions. This role works across the organization to develop innovative marketing and communications strategies, and then oversees comprehensive campaigns that strengthen the BAM brand; drive awareness of its programs; expand and diversify its audience; and achieve the organization’s revenue goals.
Key Opportunities and Result Areas
Strategic Leadership
- Build brand awareness and ensure consistency of BAM’s voice across all channels and touchpoints
- Deeply understand and appreciate the institution’s program strategy, working closely with the artistic team to advance BAM’s mission, celebrate artists, and engage audiences across a dynamic mix of performance and film programming
- Partner with the Advancement team to align marketing and fundraising strategies, ensuring that communications inspire philanthropic investment alongside ticket sales
- Partner with senior leadership on long-term audience growth and revenue strategies and institutional positioning
Team & Department Oversight
- Develop, manage, motivate, and retain a high-performing team, which includes marketing, creative services, ticket services, communications, social media, and marketing operations staff
- Foster a collaborative, creative, and data-informed culture
- Provide leadership and coordination of marketing function, optimizing operational aspects of marketing to ensure greatest workflow efficiencies
- Oversee the Division’s planning/budgeting process, ensuring the effective and efficient use of resources; develop revenue projections and re-forecasting for all ticketed programs
Brand Marketing & Management
- Articulate and implement the institution’s brand and brand storytelling strategies designed to
- secure BAM’s reputation as one of the nation’s most iconic cultural institutions
- Steward the BAM brand by ensuring the consistency of the visual and verbal identity across all consumer facing touch points; champion and activate BAM’s brand ethos across all marketing channels, initiatives, and programming
Campaign Development & Execution
- Oversee multi-channel marketing and communications campaigns for all programs and initiatives
- Collaborate with Advancement to design and execute integrated campaigns that support grass roots giving, promote membership, and elevate patron opportunities
- Integrate direct marketing, advertising, organic social, promotions, communications, and grassroots efforts to maximize reach and impact
Audience Insights & Analytics
- Use audience research and data analytics to inform strategy and optimize campaigns
- Monitor sales and engagement metrics, adjusting tactics in real time
Revenue & Growth
- Expand and diversify audiences in support of meeting the institution’s attendance and revenue goals
- Deepen engagement with existing audiences by encouraging repeat attendance and long-term loyalty
- Collaborate with Development to drive membership sales, and to support donor and sponsor engagement
- Work across institutionally to develop new revenue streams and expand existing revenue streams like venue rentals and merchandise
Duties and Responsibilities
Communication & Partnership
- Lead BAM’s marketing strategy, reporting directly to the President
- Collaborate with institutional leadership to develop strategic planning for audience development and revenue growth
- Collaborate closely with BAM’s Artistic Director, Producer, VP of Advancement and CFO to align marketing efforts with programming and fundraising goals; collaborate with other cross-functional teams to integrate marketing efforts with overall organizational goals
- Hire, manage, mentor, and guide a diverse team to achieve the institution’s goals; develop and mentor three direct reports; building their capacity for people-centered leadership while building a culture of collaboration, accountability, and high performance
- Measure and report on the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, providing insights to leadership and the Board of Trustees
- Cultivate and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including media partners and community organizations who can help us reach and engage target audiences
Oversight of Strategies, Tactics, & Goals
- Develop annual marketing plans and budgets in collaboration with department directors; track spending to ensure resources are used effectively and that the department achieves expense efficiencies
- Oversee audience segmentation and targeting strategy to ensure the institution is using its resources effectively to engage priority segments
- Grow ticket revenue and attendance by implementing effective pricing strategies including successful implementation of both dynamic pricing and strategic discounting
- With internal teams and external agency partners, develop and implement innovative campaigns (direct marketing, advertising, communications, promotions, etc.) to drive awareness as well as attendance and revenue for BAM’s diverse set of programs
- Conceive of, develop, and implement innovative marketing and communications campaigns to support all program verticals (Film, Theatre, Music, Dance, Opera, Literary, Community, and Education) and the institution’s signature Next Wave and DanceAfrica festivals
Maintaining Systems for a Strong Department
- Develop and implement systems and optimize existing processes in order to increase the
- team’s effectiveness and efficiency
- Leverage insights gained through ongoing work with artistic and production teams and with sales data from BAM’s programs each season to create revenue projections, monitor sales, and make revenue forecast adjustments as requested
- Develop and implement a framework for data-driven marketing strategies, leveraging analytics and market research to inform decision-making; optimize advertising media buy based on data analysis and audience insights
- Foster a culture of innovation and experimentation in marketing approaches, aligning with BAM’s mission vision and values
- Stay abreast of emerging marketing trends and technologies in the arts and cultural sector
- Manage conceptualization and review of promotional material and publications, including website, email, and digital or print materials, such as brochures or programs
- Oversee creative (external marketing assets) production for all BAM events and new programming schemes and series in production
- Ensure effective use of technology to meet BAM marketing goals
- Ensure marketing efforts support BAM’s commitment to inclusion and accessibility in the arts
Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience as a marketing lead in an in-house brand or arts non-profit of similar scale to BAM
- Proven track record of developing and executing large-scale, multi-channel campaigns in the cultural sector
- Expertise in digital marketing, audience development, and brand strategy; ability to balance creative vision with data-driven decision making
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage, mentor, and inspire a diverse team of marketers with various levels of experience
- Ability to translate artistic and brand vision into compelling marketing campaigns
- Excellent collaborative skills, with experience working across departments and with external partners
- Proficiency in marketing technologies, CRM systems, and digital marketing platforms
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-informed decisions
- Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, and ability to adapt communication style depending on the interactions and audience
- Experience in budget management and resource allocation
- Knowledge of current trends in arts marketing and audience development
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts
- Flexible, open, and capable of thriving in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, and managing multiple projects simultaneously
- Passion for BAM’s mission and contemporary performing arts
- Familiarity with the New York arts and cultural landscape preferred
- Good sense of humor
- Ability to follow BAM’s hybrid work policy, which currently requires at least two days per week in the office, but is subject to change
Working Conditions
- Category 2- Administrative work with walking
Compensation
The salary for this position is $235,000-250,000. BAM provides a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plan opportunities including both 401(k) and pension plans, as well as BAM-related benefits including access to BAM’s fantastic programming.
The office location for this position is the Peter Jay Sharp Building, at 30 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, NY.
BAM respects diversity and accordingly is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, military/veteran status, age, marital/family status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, arrest record, caregiver status, sexual and other reproductive health choices, or any other protected personal characteristic under applicable federal, state, or local law. Our management team is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment during employment. Employees with questions or concerns about equal employment opportunities in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of the HR Department.
Application Instructions
The Vice President of Marketing and Communications search is being conducted on behalf of BAM by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by Search Consultant Brenna Thomas, 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:
Brenna Thomas
Search Consultant
brenna@tocartspartners.comApplications will be accepted until this role is filled. Interviews may begin at any time, and we encourage you to apply as early as possible for best consideration. All applicants will receive a response regarding the consideration and status of their candidacy. No phone calls, please.
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.
- Fact-Checker Jasper Lo On His Illegal Firing From The New Yorker
“Why me? I wondered. I had finished my three-year term as the first vice chair of the New Yorker Union the week prior. Condé Nast had violated our collective bargaining agreement and broken labor law dozens of times, but it had never attempted something as reckless as illegally firing union leaders.” – The Nation
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Stories like Shy Girl and The New York Times’ profile of AI romance author Coral Hart, who boasted of using AI to write and self-publish 200 hundred books across 21 pen names, demonstrate that theoretical disputes did not prepare us to be confronted with the reality of AI. – The Conversation
- Original Dancers In Pina Bausch’s “Kontakthof” Revive The Piece After Half A Century
“Nearly 50 years since that first performance in 1978, Meryl Tankard is getting the Kontakthof band back together. Now a choreographer, she has assembled nine of the dancers (including herself) and adapted the piece to synchronise with black-and-white footage of their younger selves projected onto a giant screen behind them.” – The Times (UK)
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A combination of technological, economic, political, and cultural forces, at work both within and without the university, had by the early 2020s effectively pummeled the tradition of universitarian humanism into unconsciousness. – Chronicle of Higher Education
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I think Duchamp got at something vital about Western culture over the previous 400 years: that an object didn’t count as “art” because of its beauty, its subject matter or its greatness, but because of how it asked us to use it. – The New York Times
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The Justice Department has quietly resolved a yearslong investigation into possible anticompetitive practices by a major player in the lucrative touring market for Broadway shows, saying it decided not to prosecute the company. – The New York Times
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- Major Arts Institutions In Minneapolis-St. Paul Are (Mostly) Bouncing Back
After some very challenging years, the Walker Art Center, Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis Institute of Art, and Minnesota Opera have all posted budget surpluses; while the Minnesota Orchestra’s deficit has grown, earned income and attendance are both up. – The Minnesota Star Tribune (MSN)
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- U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Proactively Changed Material After Trump Returned To Office
“Unlike his posture toward the Smithsonian, Trump has not publicly commented on the USHMM’s content. … But two former museum employees who left amid the changes told POLITICO they believed the museum was altering its content preemptively, so as to not draw unwanted negative attention from the Trump administration.” – Politico
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- How to Make Resistance a Daily Part of Our Lives<a href="https://www.artsjournal.com/herman/2026/04/how-to-make-resistance-a-daily-part-of-our-lives.html" title="How to Make Resistance a Daily Part of Our Lives” rel=”nofollow”>
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- The Industrial Revolution Killed Jobs. To Fill Idle Time With What, Was The Question
It might repay us to take a moment, not just from our jobs but also from our leisures, to make some to-do about doing nothing. – The American Scholar
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Book scientists are working tirelessly with an array of technologies — including microscopes, multispectral imaging and artificial intelligence — to recover, understand and preserve many valuable ancient texts. – The Conversation
- When The WPA Placed Art At The Center Of Democracy
The WPA provided for culture workers through Federal One, encompassing the Federal Art, Music, Theatre, and Writers’ Projects. But the social benefits of painting a mural were less obvious than those of planting a tree. – ARTnews
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Despite unsteadiness across the museum industry, the country’s most-visited institutions remained relatively stable. – NPR
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Leading figures from the world of comedy have met the government to make the case for comedy, including that it be recognised as an art form in its own right to improve funding access and policy development. – BBC
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Per the outlet, the corporation is seeking signed equity commitments of close to $24 billion, for which Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has agreed to contribute approximately $10 billion. – Deadline
