Forty-eighth Street was once famous for stores that sold musical instruments. Those stores catered to musicians of every stripe, but the vibe was very rock and roll. The names that stand out for me are Manny’s and Sam Ash, but there were several others, packed together, one next to the other, each a world unto itself. In my own private atlas of the city, that street was also notable for the degree its character changed in the course of one block, from Seventh Avenue to Sixth Avenue. The music stores, like the support of a seesaw, were the point at which that character made its pivot.
Plagiarism? Are There Really Any New Ideas?
Writing consists of basically two things: idea and execution. You come up with an idea, and you figure out how to execute it in terms of style, setting, and genre. Writers are understandably protective of our ideas, but for better or worse the law only really protects execution. Unless someone is directly stealing your exact words, it is nearly impossible to prove that they took the idea. And it probably wouldn’t be a good thing if it did.
Does The Future Of Stagecraft Lie In Virtual Or Augmented Reality?
Howard Sherman: “While I don’t look forward to watching plays while holding up my mobile phone (ringer off, of course) for two hours, technology is beginning to offer ways for companies to create more immersive worlds without the construction of physical scenery. As work increasingly bursts out beyond prosceniums, augmented reality may offer possibilities to performances anywhere people can congregate, but without the need for lugging scenery into parks and playgrounds.”
Opera Australia Bets The Future On A (TK) Digital Revolution
Lyndon Terracini is staking much of the future and reputation of the national opera company on a digital revolution designed to immerse audiences and create an experience more akin to watching a movie than traditional opera. The glittering reptiles on the Joan Sutherland Theatre stage are part of the wholly digital production design for OA’s upcoming Aida. It’s the first step along a road Terracini says will revolutionise the way opera is staged and experienced.
Everywoman in Ohio
Jaw-Dropper from Wardropper: Expansion to Temporarily Expel Frick Collection’s Collection
It was bad enough when we learned that the Frick Collection might need to close its New York home for about two years to accommodate the construction for its latest (downsized) expansion plan, designed by…
Make Them Fall, Help Them Stand
Amazon Has Made Self-Publishing Lucrative For Authors
For decades, self-publishing was derided as an embarrassing sign that an author couldn’t cut it in the “real” publishing industry—“the literary world’s version of masturbation,” as Salon once put it. And Amazon, the world’s biggest e-commerce site, with its bookstore-beating prices, was painted as an enemy to authors. But now its self-publishing service, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), has made it easy for people to upload their books, send them out into the universe, and make money doing so. Its store has created a place for readers to go and easily find inexpensive self-published books. The site that got its start by radically changing where books are sold is now reshaping how books are published and read.
It’s Important To Understand What Book Prizes Are (And Aren’t)
“Prizes, at least the biggest ones, help sell books. Many of them were created for just that purpose and the prize-givers are not shy about saying so, and why should they be? What’s the point of publishing great books if you can’t find an audience for them? Authors and editors all hope that a nomination or a prize will draw attention to work they’ve already committed enormous amounts of time and energy to bringing into print. Still, the contrast between the language of literary merit and that of cool business calculation can be jarring.”
The Benefactor Who Gave Away Millions Anonymously To Support Artists Comes Forward
Her own anonymous grant program is called Anonymous Was a Woman, in reference to a line in Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own,” to pay tribute to female artists in history who signed their paintings “Anonymous” so that their work would be taken seriously. The donor behind the prize wanted to remain unknown. But now she is stepping out from behind the curtain: Susan Unterberg, herself a once underrecognized female artist over 40.
Scientific Study: Beetles REALLY Don’t Like Rock Music
The researchers report beetles who were serenaded by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings ate just as many aphids as those who dined in silence. But exposure to the rock music greatly depressed their appetites. Listening to AC/DC reduced by nearly half the number of aphids they consumed over a 16- to 18-hour period.
Problematic Classics Make Us Uncomfortable, But They Should…
These shows are important – but we can’t be uncritical of them. When an all-new Broadway version of West Side Story was recently announced that Ivo van Hove will direct with new choreography by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, its lyricist Stephen Sondheim said: “What keeps theatre alive over time is reinterpretation, and when that reinterpretation is as invigorating as [Ivo van Hove’s] productions of A View from the Bridge and The Crucible, it makes for something to look forward to with excitement.”
The Myths Of Meritocracy
“The whole process of constructing life narratives is biased in ways that almost guarantee that people won’t recognize the role of chance events adequately. We remember the moments or months of perseverance that contributed to our triumphs, but forget, or even fail to notice, when Lady Fortune smiles on us: a great teacher, a chance encounter, or—in Breaking Bad actor Bryan Cranston’s case—having other A-list actors not take up the role of Walter White.
Donald Trump, The Opera?
Donald Trump is the undisputed hero of this comic opera in three acts. “Comic” does not here mean superficial or laugh-out-loud hilarious: as Rossini so superbly demonstrated in “The Barber of Seville”, comic opera combines a sophisticated analysis of human interactions with a light touch. Foreign policy offers plenty of opportunities to study human nature; at summits, each participant brings not only his or her personality but a country’s sensitivities, strengths and weaknesses to bear. Like Bartolo—the central character in “The Barber of Seville”, a buffoon-like doctor of medicine with ambitions that supersede his abilities—Mr Trump is sung by a bass.
How Blockchain Is Subverting Censorship In China
The anonymous activists sent themselves zero Ether on the platform and embedded the text of Yue’s open letter in the transaction’s metadata. Transactions on blockchain are irreversible, so the information cannot be altered. Furthermore, transactions generate distributed copies of themselves within the network, which ensured that Yue’s letter would be permanently documented in the public domain and accessible to any user who looked the transaction up.
Publicity Manager, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center seeks a creative, high energy Public Relations Manager, with proven success achieving consistent high visibility for a classical arts or other not-for-profit institution, in both main stream and classical arts media across all platforms, to design and execute all public relations outreach for this premier international chamber music organization on the verge of its 50th anniversary season. This position works collaboratively with the Director of Marketing and the Director of Digital Content and reports to the Executive Director.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Public Relations Manager designs and executes all phases of public relations strategy aimed at securing coverage for all concerts, national and international tours, recordings, and additional projects, in every form of available media. He/she serves as the primary liaison to the press, working closely with the Executive Director on the proper positioning of the institution, and with the Marketing Department to maximize and coordinate promotional strategies.
SKILLS AND QUALITIES:
The successful candidate has knowledge and love of classical music, a broad network of contacts in traditional and online media, extensive experience in social media, blogs and other online outlets, excellent taste, sensitivity, great interpersonal skills, flourishes in a fast-paced environment, and is an accomplished writer and a collegial team player. He/she will have a minimum of 3-5 years communications experience in the classical music or other areas of the not-for-profit world.
Please send a cover letter and resume to info@chambermusicsociety.org. NO CALLS PLEASE.
Why The World Has Problems With Women Musicians?
Any new music or new message has problems with reception. Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven all had problems with reception. Even Jesus had problems with reception in his own hometown. Women in particular, though, have problems with reception in music. Lucy Green, music education philosopher and author of Music, Gender, Education, posits that there is a spectrum for acceptance of women in music. A woman singer is accepted because using her body to make music is an extension of her femininity. Put an instrument in her hands or in front of her face, and it interrupts the impression of a woman as either “sexually available or maternally occupied.”
The Nobel Academy Is Plagued With Scandal And In Disarray
The academy is paralysed by the scandal, which was followed by a slew of resignations and expulsions. Six of The Eighteen have withdrawn from any part in its deliberations; another two were compelled to do so. The statutes say that 12 members must be present to elect any new ones, so with only 10, no important decisions can be taken and no new members elected. The vacuum has been filled with invective.
How Prominent Artists Spend Unrestricted Grants
How he’s spent the money: “Paying off my student loans—going to grad school in New York City is a doozy! My other big thing was getting my dancers health care. And just making sure my mother had grocery money after my father died.” Biggest mistake: “I had no knowledge of how to invest, or deal with the tax implications. I wound up losing a fair amount of money because I didn’t know how to properly channel the money so it could accrue interest. I kept it in my savings account and when tax time came around I was really shocked and scared by some letters from the IRS!”
Study: Employees Are Happier, More Productive After Switching To Four-day Work Week
Jarrod Haar, a human resources professor at Auckland University of Technology, said employees reported a 24 percent improvement in work-life balance, and came back to work energized after their days off. “Supervisors said staff were more creative, their attendance was better, they were on time, and they didn’t leave early or take long breaks,” Mr. Haar said. “Their actual job performance didn’t change when doing it over four days instead of five.”
Giant Scientific Publisher Cuts Off Scientists In Sweden And Germany From Access To Papers
Elsevier last week stopped thousands of scientists in Germany from reading its recent journal articles, as a row escalates over the cost of a nationwide open-access agreement. Negotiators in Germany and Sweden want all their papers published in Elsevier journals to be open access as part of any new contracts. They have said that they will not pay more than they did previously for subscriptions. But, until now, the Dutch publisher has offered other countries read-and-publish deals that cover only a small proportion of a country’s publishing output.
Movie Theatre Ticket Prices Rise To Record High
Average ticket prices in North America rose to $9.38 in the second quarter of 2018, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners. That number is a 22 cent uptick from 2018’s first quarter average of $9.16 and a 43 cent bump compared to the same period in 2017.
Comcast Pulls Out Of Bid For Fox Freeing The Way For Disney
What Dance Workers (Including Dancers) Earn
Today’s AJBlogs 07.19.18
Followup: Bechet By Liebman And Stowell Following the June 28 Rifftides review of the Scenes trio’s Destinations album, its guitarist, John Stowell, sent this comment: “Your readers might also enjoy the recent duo CD I recorded with Dave Liebman. It was … read more
AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2018-07-19
So you want to see a show? Here’s my list of recommended Broadway, off-Broadway, and out-of-town shows, updated weekly. In all cases, I gave these shows favorable reviews (if sometimes qualifiedly so) in The Wall Street Journal when they opened. For more … read more
AJBlog: About Last Night Published 2018-07-19
Highlights From Today’s AJBlogs 07.18.18
On Community Kate Balug, another Creative Community Fellows alum, writes powerfully about narrow definitions of “community” and how her work seeks to do the opposite by breaching walls to promote inclusiveness. After several years of working as … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2018-07-18
How To Be a Great Museum Trustee What kind of museum donor hosts a visit in her home with the museum’s director, as she is nearing death, and asks him to read aloud the list of artworks in her final bequest? What … read more
AJBlog: Real Clear Arts Published 2018-07-17
Rethinking Communities Justina Crawford is a Creative Community Fellows alum who works for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Her picture of community is impacted by current events and reflects creating more inclusive environments. After living … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2018-07-17
Second Thoughts: Two High-Profile Hires Depart Sotheby’s Advisory Service In rapid succession, two ballyhooed recruits to Sotheby’s Fine Art Division (the firm’s art advisory service) have left their posts: —Eric Shiner, whose departure was reported today by Anny Shaw in The Art Newspaper, will … read more
AJBlog: CultureGrrl Published 2018-07-17
US House Rejects Cutting NEA Budget After Last-Minute Attempt To Do So
The vote on Wednesday was 297-114. It was a boost to arts advocates, who argued that such funding was just a tiny fraction of the federal budget yet offered any array of benefits to local communities. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) proposed the funding cut via an amendment to a larger government funding bill, arguing that the purpose was to make a “small dent” in federal spending
Community Engagement and Development Manager, Department of Performing Arts – Georgetown College
The Community Engagement and Development Manager supports the overlapping missions of Theater and Performance Studies (TPST) and Davis Performing Arts Center (DPAC) as they steward artistic, community, educational, and broad-based interdisciplinary initiatives that reach over 10,000 patrons annually, including faculty and students tied to the Home Season from across campus.
Georgetown’s Department of Performing Arts (DPA) fosters artistic excellence, interdisciplinary learning, socially engaged performance, and the spirit of collaboration. Home to the College’s undergraduate degree programs in American Musical Culture and Theater & Performance Studies, as well as dozens of performing groups in music, theater, and dance, the Department features a renowned faculty and close partnerships with leading arts organizations from the D.C. region and beyond.
The Community Engagement and Development Manager supports the overlapping missions of Theater and Performance Studies (TPST) and Davis Performing Arts Center (DPAC) as they steward artistic, community, educational, and broad-based interdisciplinary initiatives that reach over 10,000 patrons annually, including faculty and students tied to the Home Season from across campus. Reporting to the DPAC Artistic Director, the Manager has duties that include but are not limited to:
- Helps to disseminate the home mission and broader work of DPAC, run by the TPST Program, to a range of stakeholders including collaborators/ partners from on and off campus, guest artists, alumni, grant agencies, donors and prospective donors.
- Plans special events in relationship to the TPST Program.
- Coordinates logistics and manages outreach on behalf of TPST’s academic program and Davis’s public initiatives, interfacing with other units on campus, as well as off-campus partners, such as embassies, schools, and cultural organizations.
- Promotes TPST and DPAC in their interdisciplinary involvement and highly active community engagement through website content development and other outlets.
- Engages in audience development, including on-campus outreach, such as targeting specific academic departments and shepherding their participation for particular evens – for example, home season shows and auxiliary events.
- Supports the TPST Director and DPAC Artistic Director in development efforts, playing a leadership role with alumni and donor relations, such as development of grant proposals and their documentation, web-database/ newsletter, and logistical coordination of an alumni board and related events.
- Provides project management support and serving as liaison/host on a range of academic and art.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- 3 years of experience in administrative support for the arts or community engagement
Attention to detail and ability to multi-task and prioritize.
Preferred qualifications
- Professional, service-oriented demeanor
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Please apply at the following link: https://bit.ly/2O1yMHt
Chief Development Officer, Miami City Ballet
The prestigious and internationally acclaimed Miami City Ballet seeks a Chief Development Officer to establish a best-in-class fundraising operation, advance the development strategies of the company, and achieve sustainable growth.
DHR International has been exclusively retained to conduct a search for the Chief Development Officer for Miami City Ballet.
THE COMPANY:
Miami City Ballet (MCB), founded in 1985, is universally admired as one of the world’s preeminent interpreters of the choreography of George Balanchine. Its repertory of more than 100 ballets, including 12 world premieres, was built upon the Balanchine repertory, style, and technique, and then expanded to include beloved classical works of importance and exciting new choreography by contemporary and ground-breaking artists. MCB is led by former NYC prima ballerina and television personality, Lourdes Lopez. Now in her sixth year as Artistic Director, Ms. Lopez is bringing a new level of artistry to the company, adding classical repertoire, and commissioning new works. MCB presents a season of four repertory programs and a newly designed Nutcracker at Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, and is presented annually at Artis-Naples. It also presents the Nutcracker annually at Los Angeles Music Center. The annual operating budget is approximately $17 million, half of which is earned through ticket sales, touring fees, and school tuition.
MCB is also presented nationally and has appeared in New York City and Jacobs Pillow. This May it performed at Spoleto Festival and in June during Les Etés de la Danse in Paris. Its 2016 debut at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater was hailed by the national press as a resounding success. The New York Times’ Alastair Macaulay wrote, “Of all the ballet troupes who have visited the Koch in recent years, none looks so truly and completely a company.”
Miami City Ballet School (MCB School), founded in 1993, is one of the largest dance training programs in the nation, training dancers for careers with MCB and other professional companies throughout the world. MCB School’s expanded national and international audition tours attract more than 1,300 students each season, and MCB School’s scholarship program offers support to children from around the corner and across the globe, providing nearly $500,000 worth of scholarships each year. As one of the most diverse classical ballet companies in the nation, MCB serves as a gateway to the Americas for dancers from Central and South America, resulting in a robust international roster of both dancers and students.
MCB’s transformative Share the Dance: Community Outreach and Educational Programs reach deep into the community, touching nearly 23,000 young people, seniors, and other traditionally underserved community members annually through a wide array of programming. This expanded portfolio of programs introduces new and underserved audiences to the art form of classical ballet while building strong community relationships and engagement with the arts.
MCB recently named Tania Castroverde Moskalenko as Executive Director and Julii Oh as Chief Marketing Officer. The Chief Development Officer will join this dynamic new team, who, with the Board of Directors and Artistic Director, lead the organization into the future.
SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will be one of the executive leaders in the organization, capable of placing the needs of the entire organization in the context of his/her departmental demands, while also being a hands-on and deeply involved fundraiser. The CDO will work with the Executive Director, Artistic Director, Board, and senior management team overseeing MCB’s annual fund campaigns, including all individual, corporate, and foundation efforts for annual operations; designated programming needs; fundraising for new productions; as well as planning a contemplated future capital campaign. The CDO will be the leader in the development and implementation of the strategic vision for the fundraising effort that will ensure long-term sustainable growth in the annual fund, deepening MCB’s relationships with its donors and its community. MCB’s current fundraising goal is currently at $10 million, with the objective of achieving sustainable growth over the next 3 years.
Critical Priorities:
The Chief Development Officer is responsible for advancing the following critical priorities:
- Strengthen the Development Infrastructure
MCB is making significant investments in Development to establish a best-in-class fundraising program. By elevating the former Director of Development position to a Chief Development Officer role and adding frontline fundraising positions, MCB is providing the human and financial resources for success. Evaluating, strengthening, and establishing Development systems and processes is an immediate priority for the CDO. Concurrently, mentoring existing staff through training and professional development and hiring dynamic fundraisers with a passion for MCB will drive the achievement of current and future ambitious goals. The CDO will collaborate with each staff member to set mutually agreed upon, well-defined, and measurable work plans to establish a culture of shared responsibility for success. - Define, Monitor, and Adjust Development Plans
A comprehensive FY19 Development plan is in place. The CDO will monitor and adjust that plan and related strategies as necessary to reach the Board-approved annual contributed revenue goal of $9.9 million. The CDO, in concert with the ED, will anticipate the growing operational and capital needs of MCB year over year, and, as a result, will tailor the development plans and goals to achieve these needs on a short, mid, and long-term basis. - Develop Strategies and Pipeline to Fund Exciting New Productions
Presently, MCB is in the early stages of a $5M campaign to mount an exciting reinterpretation of an iconic full-length ballet. Having already raised approximately 50% of the goal, the CDO will work with consultants and Board members already engaged in the campaign process to achieve or exceed the goal by FY 19. Artistic excellence is one of the key aspects of the MCB brand, and new works are an important part of maintaining our status as one of the world’s leading ballet companies. Therefore, a critical part of the success of the CDO will be the cultivation and growth of a pipeline of donors to fund new works. - Advance MCB Toward the Launch of a Comprehensive Campaign in 2022
In the past 24-months, MCB has achieved fiscal equilibrium thanks in large measure to generous philanthropic investments by Board members and other major donors. The CDO will continue to build on that momentum and deploy the necessary strategies and tactics to advance MCB toward the launch of its first comprehensive campaign in 20 years, the last of which was a capital campaign for the construction of its current home. MCB anticipates that this will be a capacity building campaign to address and provide long-term funding and sustainability of the four pillars of MCB’s strategic plan: artistic excellence, premiere training, impactful Community Engagement, and strong organizational capacity.
Strategically expanding the major gifts program, building out planned giving, and fostering a culture of comprehensive multi-year solicitations/giving are essential elements for campaign preparedness. - Fully Deploy Technology to Build and Enhance Relationships
MCB employs Tessitura, a unified database, to manage ticketing, fundraising, customer relationship management, and marketing. Development continues to expand its application of Tessitura’s functionality. All CRM, solicitation plans, fundraising goals, budget monitoring, and monthly projections reside in Tessitura. The CDO will continue to expand the application of Tessitura to improve CRM, revenue tracking and datamining/analysis and will ensure that all Development staff are enthusiastic adopters of this enterprise system. - Establish Metrics to Measure, Monitor, and Improve
By making significant investments in its infrastructure, MCB has the human and technological resources in place to support the attainment of its ambitious financial, artistic, educational, and community goals. Establishing metrics to measure, monitor, and guide success in Development will grow the Department’s capacity. Assessing the level and frequency of staff’s strategic engagement with prospects/donors, the return on investment of all types of events, the rapidity in closing charitable gifts, and the breadth of the donor pipeline will be important responsibilities for the CDO. - Collaborate Across Institution for Success
The successful CDO will develop strong collaborative relationships across MCB. S/he will be a thought partner with the Executive Director and Artistic Director to advance MCB and engage them strategically in fundraising. The CMO and CDO will enhance the culture of collaboration and the mutual interdependency between Development and Marketing. Concurrently, the CDO will work closely with the Director of Finance to develop and monitor budgets and projections. S/he will also develop strong partnerships with Community Engagement and the School to help grow donor engagement.
KEY SELECTION CRITERIA:
Potential candidates will have ten (10) or more years of related experience, with a career track that demonstrates increasing levels of tenure and job status from one or more of the following roles:
- Chief Development Officer in a modern dance or ballet company, symphony orchestra, festival, regional theater, or performing arts center.
- Chief Development Officer from another nonprofit like a hospital, university, foundation, etc., but with a proven understanding of the nonprofit arts field and knowledge of the arts, particularly ballet.
In addition, the ideal candidate will possess the following characteristics, qualifications, and experience:
- A record of personal success in raising money through major gifts from individuals, businesses, foundations, corporations, or the public sector; broad-based knowledge of various development activities including: direct mail; proposal and grant development; planned giving; event planning and management; direct solicitations; leveraging fundraising databases and support systems for donor segmentation, research, and volunteer management.
- Ability to navigate a fundraising environment with nuanced strategies and initiatives, while building an effective group of volunteer fundraisers through board development and annual fund committee activity, and gaining respect of community and business leaders and the board.
- A track record as an exceptional communicator, in writing as well as verbally; adept at writing proposals, solicitation letters, donor correspondence, and other materials.
- Success in using analytical tools and quantitative measurements to plan, track, and communicate fundraising progress.
- Demonstrated management skills in motivating, directing, and managing staff and consultants, and in coordinating and supporting the fundraising activities of others; particular expertise in mentoring others, encouraging the best efforts of each member of the development team, and in modeling active solicitation is important.
- Capital campaign experience is preferred.
PERSONAL / PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES:
The successful candidate should be:
- An experienced, proven leader with the ability to project confidence, humility, emotional intelligence, high energy, and empathy. A hands-on engaging individual who also possesses the ability to see the entire picture of the organization, its mission, its position in the community and in the arts world.
- A mission-driven individual with a belief in and commitment to the mission of MCB; a strong interest in, and passion for, ballet and the diverse communities of South Florida.
- A good listener and strategist; comfortable receiving input from many sources, and able to analyze and formulate disparate information into a sound, well-organized plan.
- Determined yet respectful of other’s concerns; someone with the flexibility and creativity needed to find alternative ways to reach funding objectives when barriers arise; a skilled negotiator who does not drive him/her selves or others into a corner.
- A charismatic communicator, able to build enthusiasm for MCB, its performances and programs, and for innovative approaches that advance the reputation of MCB as a ballet leader in the world; exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
- Bachelor’s degree is required, ideally with an advanced degree in a field related to the position. CFRE is a plus.
- An ability to communicate in Spanish is desirable, but not required.
LEADERSHIP BIOGRAPHIES:
Kristi Jernigan
Kristi Jernigan has been Chairman of the Board of Trustees since May 1, 2017. With a career in finance and marketing, Kristi brings to her role as Board Chair a strong sense of community engagement and interest in youth empowerment. Jernigan was Director of Business Development and Marketing at Argonaut Capital, a macro hedge fund, in London prior to moving to Miami in 2013 with her husband, Dean, the founder and CEO of Jernigan Capital. She was also the founder and owner of KWJ Capital, a London-based investment marketing firm representing U.S. funds in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
During their time in Memphis from 1997-2002, the Jernigans were very active in the revitalization the city’s downtown area, bringing a AAA baseball team and building a $75 million ballpark located in the heart of downtown Memphis. Kristi was also the Vice-Chair of the Riverfront Development Corporation, a public-private partnership charged with master planning the Mississippi Riverfront for Memphis. She served on numerous boards and chaired fundraising campaigns, and founded UrbanArt, a public art commission for Memphis and Shelby County that successfully passed a “percent for art” city and county ordinance during her chairmanship.
During the Jernigans’ 11 years in London, she served on the Council for the Serpentine Gallery. Presently, she is a member of the Centre Pompidou Foundation, an American-based not-for-profit supporting the mission of the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
Lourdes Lopez
Lourdes Lopez became Artistic Director of Miami City Ballet in 2012, bringing with her a nearly 40-year career in dance, television, teaching, and arts management. She was recently named one of “The Most Influential People in Dance Today” by Dance Magazine.
Under Lopez’s direction, Miami City Ballet has become one of the country’s premier ballet companies. According to The New York Times, “This troupe [is] at the forefront of all those dancing choreography by George Balanchine today…. Bold, light, immediate, intensely musical, the dancing of Miami City Ballet flies straight to the heart.”
Born in Havana, Cuba in 1958 and raised in Miami, Lopez began taking ballet lessons at the age of five. At the age of 11 she received a full scholarship to the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, and five years later she joined the corps de ballet of New York City Ballet.
Under the direction of George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, her star rose quickly at New York City Ballet; In 1984, she was promoted to Soloist, performing countless featured roles including Balanchine’s Violin Concerto, Liebeslieder Walzer, Firebird, Serenade, Symphony in C, Agon, The Four Temperaments; and Robbins’ Dances at a Gathering, Glass Pieces, Fancy Free, In the Night, Four Seasons and Brandenburg.
Upon retirement, Lopez joined WNBC-TV in New York as a Cultural Arts reporter, writing and producing feature segments on the arts, artists, and arts education. She was also a full-time senior faculty member and Director of Student Placement, Student Evaluation, and Curriculum Planning at New York’s Ballet Academy East. She served on the dance faculty of Barnard College and guest taught at numerous dance institutions and festivals in the United States.
In 2002, Lopez became the Executive Director of The George Balanchine Foundation, which works to educate the public about dance and to further the art of ballet, with a special emphasis on the work and achievements of George Balanchine. In this position, she oversaw the 2004 Balanchine Centennial Celebration, a worldwide festival honoring the choreographer and his legacy.
In 2014, Lopez was elected to serve on the Ford Foundation’s Board of Trustees, marking the first time an artist was elected to serve on its board and in 2011, she received the prestigious Jerome Robbins Award for her years in dance. She has served as a dance panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts. Lopez is married to investment banker George Skouras. They are the parents of two daughters: Adriel and Calliste.
Tania Castroverde Moskalenko
Tania Castroverde Moskalenko was named Executive Director of Miami City Ballet in June 2018, bringing more than 20 years of performing arts experience and executive management expertise to the organization. She is a dynamic leader who possesses a rare combination of exemplary management skills, a passion for the arts, and a history of leading strong, financially viable arts centers.
Most recently, Castroverde Moskalenko was President and CEO of the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. The 4,000-seat theater is the home of Joffrey Ballet and the Chicago home of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. During her tenure, the Auditorium announced a long-term partnership with American Ballet Theatre as their visiting resident ballet company. In addition, the Auditorium also presents other international dance and ballet companies, Broadway, jazz, film, speakers, and a range of other classical and popular art forms, plus extensive community education programs. Tania joined the Auditorium in October 2016. During her tenure, she erased the theatre’s operating deficit and oversaw an increase in overall theater utilization, ticket sales, and contributed revenue.
Previously, Tania was the President and CEO of the Center for the Performing Arts and the Great American Songbook Foundation in Indiana, where she provided the artistic vision and the strategic direction for the combined $10.1 million nonprofit organizations. She joined the Center in June of 2012 and was able to stabilize spending, create a strategic plan to guide the future of the organization and add programming and educational experiences that have expanded the Center’s reach and engaged a broader audience.
Prior to the Center, Tania spent 7 years as the Executive Director of the Germantown Performing Arts Centre in Tennessee, where she erased an operating deficit, created a reserve fund, completed a 5-year strategic plan in 2 years, doubled corporate support and quadrupled grant support.
In 2017, Tania was named “Chicagoan of the Year for Dance” by the Chicago Tribune, and, most recently, was announced as a nominee for the Latina Leader of the Year award by the Chicago Latino Network.
Tania holds a BFA from the University of Memphis and is currently completing a master’s degree in philanthropic studies from Indiana University. In October 2013, she was honored with a Women of Influence award by the Indiana Business Journal. She serves on the board of directors of the Auditorium and of Roosevelt University’s Chicago College for the Performing Arts.
Tania was born in Cuba and arrived in the United States with her family as political refugees when she was six. She grew up in Miami and her parents and extended family continue to live there. She studied classical dance and is married to a former Russian ballet dancer, Alexei, who is Assistant Artistic Director of the Youth America Grand Prix.
Please send résumé to:
Phil DeBoer
Senior Associate
DHR International
pdeboer@dhrinternational.com
(708) 450-4003
Executive Director of the Office of Arts and Culture
The City of Phoenix seeks an experienced, innovative and collaborative leader to fill the position of Executive Director of the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture. This executive-level position directs 11 staff, a $5 million annual operating budget and a five-year Public Art Plan (percent for art) budget that is currently $12 million. Under the general supervision and direction of a Deputy City Manager, the Arts and Culture Executive Director acts as the chief arts and culture advocate for the City of Phoenix by supporting the development of the arts and culture community and seeking to raise the level of awareness of and participation of City residents in the preservation, expansion, and enjoyment of arts and culture for all residents.u have 200 characters to tease your ad.
DUTIES
The fundamental reason this classification exists is to implement policies, goals, and programs of the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture. The Executive Director acts as a liaison between the Office of Arts and Culture, the Phoenix Arts and Culture Commission, City departments, and the public. The Executive Director also acts as an advocate for arts and culture, and the projects and priorities of the Commission and Office which are consistent with City Council policy or City Manager directives in furtherance of adopted City Council policy. Duties include administration of the City’s public art program and development of an annual Public Art Plan budget, community service grants program, arts learning and community engagement programs, technical assistance, maintenance of cultural facilities, research, cultural planning, and other projects related to arts and culture in Phoenix.
RECRUITMENT DATES
First review of applications will occur the week of August 6, 2018.
Second review will occur the week of August 20, 2018.
Recruitment may close when we have received a sufficient number of qualified applications.
SALARY/COMPENSATION
$79,165 – $134,534 annually. Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.
In addition, city contributes 8.5% of salary into 457/401 plans with no matching required.
$5,220/annual car allowance and $1,200/annual cell phone allowance.
Comprehensive Executive benefits package includes:
- Traditional pension with employer and employee contributions, 11.5 paid holidays, 12 vacation days, 15 sick days, free bus/light rail pass, tuition reimbursement upon hire, choice of Blue Cross/Blue Shield or Cigna HMO, PPO. Relocation assistance may be available. For more details, visit: https://www.phoenix.gov/
hrsite/Benefit%20Category/010. pdf
QUALIFICATIONS
To meet the minimum qualifications for this recruitment, you must have:
- Five years of professional experience in the management and supervision of arts/arts education organization; a local, state, or national agency; or an arts-related program in an accredited college or university;
- A master’s degree in arts/business administration, education/business administration, non-profit management or arts field, or a related field;
- Other combinations of experience and education which meet the minimum requirements may be substituted
A well qualified candidate will possess the minimum qualifications plus experience:
- Working with government or private non-profit boards or commissions in a leadership or a policy advisory position on arts issues;
- Developing and overseeing multi-million dollar operating and capital budgets;
- Developing and implementing creative initiatives that focus on expanding services with limited available financial resources;
- Creating and implementing strategic arts and culture plans;
- Implementing and advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies and practices.
Only the highest qualified will be posted to the eligible to hire list.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- In general, City of Phoenix residency is required within 24 months after the date of hire for newly hired executives , however exceptions apply for current employees. For more details, visit: https://www.phoenix.gov/hr/
who-apply/residency - For other important information related to employment with the City of Phoenix, please visit: https://www.phoenix.gov/
hrsite/Documents/Talent- Acquisition/Employment- Information.pdf
HOW TO APPLY
Apply online at https://www.phoenix.gov/
During the online application process, please be advised that you will need to provide responses to the following open-ended questions (the system allows copying/pasting into the answer fields):
- Please describe your experience working with government or private non-profit boards or commissions in a leadership or policy advisory position on the arts.
- Please describe your experience developing and implementing strategic arts and culture plans.
- Please describe your experience in developing and implementing creative initiatives that focus on expanding services with limited available financial resources.
- Please describe your experience in implementing or advancing diversity, equity or inclusions practices for an institution or organization.
YOUR COVER LETTER AND RESUME, PLUS ANY OTHER REQUESTED MATERIAL, MUST BE IN ONE ATTACHMENT. Only online applications are accepted for this position. The results of the resume screening process will be sent to your primary email address.
If you need assistance applying for this job, please contact our HR Connection Center at (602) 495-5700.
City of Phoenix is an equal opportunity employer; our employees demonstrate superior seamless customer service, integrity, and commitment to innovation, efficiency, and fiscally responsible activity.
AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni who meet the required qualifications are encouraged to apply.
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