Global Arts Live Seeks Director of Artistic Programs

Global Arts Live

Director of Artistic Programs

Organization

Global Arts Live, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a vibrant nonprofit arts presenter dedicated to celebrating the world’s music, dance, and performance traditions. Since its founding in 1990, the organization has been and will continue to be a cultural anchor in the Greater Boston area, presenting more than 60 performances annually in venues ranging from intimate 250-seat clubs to major theaters seating up to 3,500, primarily in Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston. Known for its adventurous spirit and deep commitment to cultural exchange, Global Arts Live connects local audiences with renowned and emerging artists from more than 70 countries. The organization’s programs engage audiences with performances that span traditions, genres, and geographies, and each season brings a rich mix of global artistry to venues in Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston.

Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Connie Chin, who joined in 2021, and Founder & Director of Artistic Programs Maure Aronson, Global Arts Live is undertaking a strategic leap forward and unprecedented organizational growth by launching a new performing arts center, 585 Arts, set to open in Fall 2026 in Cambridge’s Kendall Square. The custom-built center, featuring a 400-seat state-of-the-art proscenium theater designed for dance, music, and other genres; a 125-seat cabaret stage; a rehearsal studio; and a ground floor commons that will offer an urban living room to the public. The new venue offers meaningful opportunities to deepen the organization’s commitment to community engagement, including collaborations with neighborhood organizations, cultural groups, and civic partners.

Strategic priorities include strengthening local partnerships, expanding educational and audience development efforts, and building sustainable earned revenue models—all while staying true to its core mission of presenting transformative global performances. As it looks toward the future, Global Arts Live continues to champion global performances. With a proud legacy, a clear curatorial vision, and a deeply engaged local audience, the organization is a vital force in the cultural life of Greater Boston and Massachusetts—bridging continents, building community, and bringing the world to local stages.

Global Arts Live is governed by a 13-member board of directors chaired by biotech entrepreneur Nagesh Mahanthappa. A dedicated full-time staff of 12 supplemented by part-time staff and independent contractors supports artistic planning, production, marketing, development, venue operations, special initiatives, and administration. By the time 585 Arts opens, the number of full-time staff will be doubled. Together, they ensure that Global Arts Live remains an accessible, high-impact organization rooted in collaboration and creativity.

Global Arts Live has an operating budget of $2.8 million for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2025. Approximately 53% of this comes from earned revenue (ticket sales), 45% contributed revenue, and the remainder from interest and other income. Its subsidiary entity, 585 Arts, has an additional budget of $4 million for the same fiscal year, driven almost entirely by contributed revenue from a $20 million campaign for launch, initial operations, and sustainability. After 585 Arts opens, approximately two-thirds of its budget will come from earned revenue.

Community

Home to more than 4.8 million people, the Greater Boston area is New England’s economic and cultural hub. The region is the ancestral home of the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag, and Nipmuck peoples, among others. Today, Greater Boston is the 11^th largest metropolitan area in the United States with a vibrant post-secondary population of more than 200,000 students and an exciting blend of cultures.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a culturally rich, socially dynamic city of about 118,000 residents located just across the Charles River from Boston. Known globally as home to Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge is a hub of innovation, higher education, and civic engagement. Its economy is driven by education, research, biotechnology, healthcare, and a thriving startup culture centered in Kendall Square. The population of the City of Cambridge is diverse and globally connected—nearly 20% of residents identify as Asian, more than 10% as Black or African American, and approximately 9% as Hispanic or Latino. More than a third of households speak a language other than English at home. A relatively young median age and high educational attainment reflect Cambridge’s appeal to students, professionals, and families alike. Cambridge is also home to a robust and eclectic arts and culture ecosystem. Theater companies, visual arts institutions, artist-run spaces, and festivals are embedded in neighborhoods throughout the city. Public art, creative placemaking initiatives, and city-supported cultural efforts contribute to a lively and accessible creative environment.

Cambridge's retail and transportation hubs—Kendall, Central, Harvard, and Porter Squares, as well as Union and Davis Squares in adjacent Somerville—offer a blend of independent businesses, dining, and cultural venues, all easily reached by public transit. With its combination of historic charm, progressive values, walkable neighborhoods, green spaces, and year-round cultural life, Cambridge offers a uniquely stimulating environment for creative professionals committed to community, access, and impact.

Sources: www.cambridgema.gov, www.census.gov, culturaldata.org

Position Summary

The Director of Artistic Programs (Director) will lead the visioning, planning, and booking of Global Arts Live’s annual performance seasons, curating a diverse slate of global music, jazz, folk/roots, and dance, presented at both the new performing arts center and several other venues in Boston, Somerville, and Cambridge. They will oversee all artistic programming activities, including season design, artist selection, agent engagement, contract negotiation, and scheduling. The Director will partner with the Chief Executive Officer, production team, marketing, development, and community engagement staff to ensure programs are mission-driven, financially viable, and culturally resonant. They will focus on performing arts curation with a global artistic sensibility and a strategic approach to programming in a multi-venue, community-oriented context. The Director will succeed the Founder and oversee community engagement programs for both Global Arts Live and 585 Arts, including supervision of the newly created Community Engagement Manager position.

Roles and Responsibilities

Artistic Vision and Season Planning

Lead the artistic vision and programming strategy for Global Arts Live, curating an annual season of 100+ live global music, jazz, folk/roots, and contemporary dance performances.
Build and sustain artist and agent relationships, align programming with organizational values, and support cross-departmental collaboration.
Curate a concert portfolio that balances returning artists, debuts, premieres, and cross-genre innovation across multiple venues.
Cultivate and sustain relationships with a wide network of artists, agents, and touring managers to secure compelling, mission-aligned bookings.
Monitor artistic trends and global performance landscapes to identify new curatorial opportunities and audience-growing content.
Align artistic priorities with budget realities, audience data, and strategic goals.
Embrace other artistic vision and season planning responsibilities as needed.

Program Execution and Production

Oversee the full life cycle of booked events, including contracting and calendar management in coordination with production and venue staff.
Collaborate with production, marketing, and development teams to ensure smooth logistics, effective promotions, accurate donor visibility, and impactful programmatic funding opportunities.
Finalize artist agreements and manage contract execution; lead concert settlements in partnership with the finance team; and ensure artistic documentation, artist communications, and internal workflows are timely and accurate.
Track programming metrics, artist histories, and deal terms through program databases and systems.
Embrace other program execution and production responsibilities as needed.

Community Engagement and Audience Development

Direct and collaborate with the Community Engagement Manager to build programmatic partnerships with cultural organizations, schools, and community groups, including programming for the cabaret stage.
Identify opportunities with mission-aligned partners to extend the reach and relevance of Global Arts Live and 585 Arts.
Support strategies that build cross-cultural audience participation and promote deeper community relationships across Greater Boston.
Create, in collaboration with the Community Engagement Manager, engagement strategies such as but not limited to talkbacks, panels, and educational programs that contextualize the season, amplify Global Arts Live’s curatorial voice, and develop audiences.
Embrace other community engagement and audience development responsibilities as needed.

Financial and Institutional Alignment

Curate a concert portfolio that maintains the high artistic integrity of the last 35 years, and also, as a whole, returns a net profit as it has throughout the organization’s history.
Partner with the Chief Executive Officer and finance team to develop annual programming budgets and artist fee structures aligned with revenue and expense forecasts and fundraising strategies.
Provide curatorial support for institutional fundraising, including contributing to grant narratives, case-making, funder crediting, and donor briefings.
Engage with the development team to align programming with stewardship events, residencies, and cultivation opportunities.
Forecast artist costs, identify co-commission or touring consortium opportunities, and track programmatic ROI over time.
Embrace other financial and institutional alignment responsibilities as needed.

Organizational Leadership and Culture

Participate fully as a member of Global Arts Live’s senior leadership team, engaging in strategic planning, cross-functional communication, and organizational culture leadership, helping drive this dynamic growth phase of the institution.
Mentor junior staff, interns, and artistic associates, as needed.
Champion internal alignment between departments by actively participating in team meetings, planning retreats, and strategic working groups.
Ensure the artistic voice of the organization is represented in branding, messaging, and public-facing communications.
Embrace other organizational leadership and culture responsibilities as needed.

Traits and Characteristics

The Director will be a culturally fluent and intuitively curious curator who leads with vision, empathy, and integrity. Rooted in both discernment and imagination, they will balance artistic risk-taking with pragmatic decision-making. With strong interpersonal insight and a love of connection, this leader will build trust across artistic, organizational, and community contexts. Equally comfortable negotiating deals and navigating cultural nuances, they will approach relationships with openness, humility, and strategic clarity. They will bring a collaborative spirit to internal planning, a respectful tenacity to external partnerships, and a deep commitment to amplifying diverse voices on stage. Guided by values and driven by impact, they will champion more than 100 presentations in programming that inspires, challenges, and resonates across Cambridge and Greater Boston communities.

Other key competencies include the following:

Interpersonal Skills and Cultural Awareness – The ability to effectively and empathetically interact with people of varied backgrounds and communication styles, fostering trust, respect, and mutual understanding across artists, teams, and communities.
Planning and Organizing – The capacity to prioritize objectives, manage time and resources efficiently, and translate artistic vision into executable programming aligned with organizational goals and logistical realities.
Teamwork and Leadership – A collaborative and accountable contributor who builds consensus, supports cross-functional alignment, and helps others succeed by fostering clarity, ownership, and shared mission.
Resiliency and Flexibility – The composure to remain grounded in changing or high-pressure environments, demonstrating persistence, adaptability, and self-regulation in pursuit of long-term impact.

Qualifications

A minimum of five to eight years of experience in a comparable role is required, with preferably 10 years in performing arts curation, global programming, and cultural presenting. A strong track record of artistic leadership in multi-venue and community-engaged environments is needed. A deep knowledge of global music, jazz, folk/roots, contemporary, and global dance performance genres, artist touring landscapes, and season planning is essential. Demonstrable experience developing curatorial strategies, negotiating artist deals, and collaborating across departments to deliver impactful, mission-aligned programs is expected. Strong communication, project management, and interpersonal skills are critical, along with a values-driven, audience-centered approach to programming. Experience working across cultural contexts or with diasporic communities is strongly preferred. Familiarity with artist contracting and settlement processes, customer relationship management systems, or related collaborative planning platforms is beneficial. A demonstrated commitment to equity, access, and inclusive leadership is essential, along with the ability to champion diverse voices, balance multiple priorities, and foster a culture of artistic excellence, responsiveness, and integrity. The Director’s work will be based in Cambridge, with regular in-person work required at Global Arts Live’s offices and event venues, as well as evening and weekend performances and community engagement events in Greater Boston.

Not sure if you meet 100% of these 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. Global Arts Live is dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether you're taking the next step in your career path, looking to transition, or returning to work after a gap in employment, we will be glad to have you on our radar.

Compensation and Benefits

The role is a full-time exempt, senior management position with an estimated salary in the range of $150,000 to $170,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Benefits include paid vacation, holidays, sick, and personal time; health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurances; SIMPLE Cafeteria flexible spending account; and a 403(b) retirement plan.

Applications and Inquiries

As part of an equitable and inclusive executive search process, interested applicants are invited to inquire and/or submit a cover letter that uplifts their interest in and qualifications for the position; a resume that highlights a chronological career progression, education, and associated accomplishments; and a production-oriented curriculum vitae that demonstrates past performing arts presenting experience, including highlights of the artists with whom the applicant has presented, commissioned, or produced. To submit materials (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit ArtsConsulting.com/OpenSearches. For questions or general inquiries about this unique job opportunity, please contact:

Dat Ngo, Vice President
Bruce D. Thibodeau, President

292 Newbury Street, Suite 315
Boston, MA 02115
Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 235 (Ngo) and Ext. 201 (Thibodeau)
Email GlobalArtsLive-ArtisticPrograms@ArtsConsulting.com

Global Arts Live is committed to building a work environment rooted in respect, integrity, diversity, and inclusion—one that reflects the artists we present and the audiences we serve. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, including those historically underrepresented in the arts and nonprofit sectors.

Click here for the downloadable PDF.