Job Description
Director of Artistic Programming (This role will be posted through Monday, October 21, 2024)
ABOUT US Deeply rooted in our local Beverly Hills community and influenced by cultural change, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, a public-private partnership with the City of Beverly Hills, strives to be a site for the convergence of relevant, dynamic performing arts, education and civic life, strengthening our local and global community is our role as a presenter, producer, educator and community resource. We approach our work with the pioneering creative spirit of Beverly Hills and greater Los Angeles, while also recognizing that we live in a multi-cultural every-changing world guided by our core values of Trust, Artistic Courage, Enlightenment, Cooperation, Communication, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Accountability.
The campus itself is a breathtaking 70,000-square-foot facility celebrating the classic and the modern and has garnered six architectural awards. The restored building features the original 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office (on the National Register of Historic Places), which serves as the theater's dramatic yet welcoming lobby, and includes the contemporary 500-seat, state-of-the-art Bram Goldsmith Theater; the 150-seat Lovelace Studio Theater, dedicated education wing for GRoW @ The Wallis, including an enclosed outdoor education courtyard, and a n inviting open-air plaza for family, community and other performances.
ABOUT THE JOB The
Director of Artistic Programming (Music, Dance and Comedy) in concert with their department leadership partner, the Director of Artistic Programming (Theater, Family and Film), is responsible for developing and implementing the artistic vision of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. In consultation with the Executive Director/CEO, the Directors of Artistic Programming make major programmatical decisions that align with The Wallis’ mission to be a site for the convergence of relevant, dynamic performing arts, education and civic life, strengthening our local and global community in our role as presenter, producer, educator and community resource. This individual will exemplify and carry out The Wallis’ core values and strongly held commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access at all levels of the organization.
The Directors of Artistic Programming together lead the programming efforts for the Bram Goldsmith Theater (500-seat capacity) and Lovelace Studio Theater (140-seat capacity) for each annual season, which runs September through July, and generates millions in revenue through presenting efforts, including partnerships with local performing arts organizations. This role is an integral partner on The Wallis’ leadership team and is key to internal and external relationships, including artistic partnerships, educational and community partnerships, as well as individual and institutional donors.
The ideal candidate must have demonstrable experience in and knowledge of the music and dance industry and general performing arts sectors, and booking experience in comedy is preferred. Preferred candidates in this role will have shrewd negotiation skills and the ability to astutely identify mutually beneficial outcomes for The Wallis and the presenting artist. Relationship building is an essential skill for this role, as are customer service and hospitality, facilitation, and leadership skills. As a successful and impactful arts leader in the So Cal community, this role requires a candidate with an innate business development sense, who seeks to build their network in the community. Creativity, strong character and ethics, and management experience are all important qualities to succeed in this role.
This role directly supervises the
Artistic Programming Manager (Music, Dance and Comedy) , which is the role that manages key administrative duties for the Director of Artistic Programming (Music, Dance and Comedy) and the other members of the Artistic Department regarding the planning and execution of the Wallis season of programming. The Programming Manager directly supervises the Artistic Coordinator.
WHAT YOU’LL DO Responsibilities for the
Director of Artistic Programming include but are not limited to:
Departmental Leadership - Leads and manages a strong team to excellent operational results. Responsible to clearly communicate both organization-wide and departmental goals and lead the team in the achievement of those goals. Identify and manage any areas of inefficiency or potential set-backs, identify and communicate solutions, when needed;
- Serves on The Wallis’ leadership team, attends quarterly board meetings, weekly HOD meetings;
- Meets with donors and board members pre-show and post-show as needed in the Founder’s room and at other development-related venues and initiatives;
- Fosters a work environment in which all team members are treated with respect and able to do their best work in support of The Wallis’ mission;
- Represents The Wallis with integrity and in compliance with our company policies, both internally and externally;
Artistic Vision - Curates the music, dance and comedy artistic programming for The Wallis’ annual season (September to July); attends music, dance and comedy performances (local and outside markets) in these curation efforts, which may require a need to travel;
- Develops and executes a programming strategy for music, dance and comedy that makes sense for The Wallis’ market and leverages gaps in audience experience in the greater LA market;
- Works closely with the Executive Director/CEO and co-Director of Artistic Programming (Theater, Family and Film) in development of programmatic goals and strategies for The Wallis;
Administration, Budget Management and Operations - Manifests the artistic vision by driving and attending meetings and programming discussions with artist promoters, management teams, arts organization leaders, strategic partners, and individual artists;
- Creates and oversees department budgets for artistic programming in specified areas of responsibility (music, dance and comedy);
- Leads bookings from initial concept through negotiation of deal memo points; smoothly and with clarity of communication, hand off the contract execution and settlement to the Artistic Programming Manager (Music, Dance and Comedy);
- Defines and meets annual performance and revenue and attendance goals for music, dance and comedy programs;
- Works closely and effectively with the marketing, public relations, and box office teams in developing and implementing marketing, branding, sales and pricing strategies for presented and produced events in the areas of music, dance and comedy;
Communication and Relationship Management - Cultivates and maintains strong relationships with local arts organizations, industry leaders, promoters, agents and artist management teams, and individual artists;
- Fosters and maintains strong collaborative relationship with the Executive Director/CEO, Director of Artistic Programming (Theater, Family and Film), Director of Production, Director of Education, General Manager, Marketing and PR team, and the Artistic team; allow space for differing opinions to be heard and remain open to consider various perspectives in the overall artistic programming and marketing strategies;
- Resolves conflicts between The Wallis and artists/promoters/agents, including re-negotiation of contract terms;
- Attends production meetings, artist meetings, development and other institutional meetings as required;
Thought Leadership - Stays ahead of the curve on audience trends in the Greater Los Angeles area to ensure The Wallis is well-positioned to capitalize on audience behaviors, trends, and patterns;
- Stays well-informed and informs The Wallis’ leadership team and, when appropriate, all staff on trends in the areas of music, dance and comedy performance; this role is the organization’s resident expert in those disciplines;
- Supports key initiatives for The Wallis’ IDE&A Program and foster these initiatives via programming process and decisions, wherever possible;
- Stays apprised of grant funding available for artistic programming initiatives the potential impacts of those programs for The Wallis;
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE NEEDED - Associate’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university is preferred. Some college education is required;
- Five or more years of experience booking artists and negotiating contracts;
- At least three years leadership experience managing a team;
- A proven ability to manage people, programs and budgets is essential and expected;
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, including public speaking and writing skills, are essential in this role; requires the ability to collaborate effectively with artists, staff members, tour promoters/agents, local arts organizations, board members, donors and other external stakeholders, City of Beverly Hills staff, and the general public; gain cooperation through discussion, facilitation and persuasion;
- The ability to interpret and explain booking and scheduling policies and procedures; recognize and assess various options and opportunities to determine and recommend the most effective course of action. Astutely negotiate contractual terms with performing arts promoters, agents, managers and artists;
- A strong commitment to and understanding of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDE&A) and demonstrated results from effectively incorporating IDE&A into all aspects of their work;
- Ability to work various hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays; a responsible colleague who is able to effectively manage a hybrid work environment, who is present for programs that are within their area of responsibility;
- Desired traits and characteristics include:
- a strong sense of quality performance and the ability to balance out-of-the-box programs with dependable programs to attract new and returning audiences to The Wallis;
- a passion for arts education is important for this role, although it is not in the Education department (GRoW @ The Wallis), this role works very closely in partnership with the programming efforts of GRoW;
- an outstanding, clear and persuasive communicator with captivating public speaking skills, the ability to interact professionally with professionals at all levels;
- a natural relationship-builder and leader with an aptitude in listening, organizing, structuring, gaining consensus, and moving forward on mission-critical goals, objectives, and plans;
- a team member with a strong work ethic and a high degree of responsiveness, flexibility, integrity, creativity, sense of humor and emotional intelligence will be highly valued.
SALARY & BENEFITS This is a full-time, exempt position and is not eligible for overtime. The salary range for this position is $120,000.00 to $145,000.00 per year with 100% paid medical benefits, including dental, vision and life insurance ($25,000) for the employee, paid vacation, personal and sick days, 401k and paid parking. Complimentary tickets are occasionally available for performances and events at The Wallis.
HOW TO APPLY Please apply online at , attaching your resume and a cover letter.
No phone calls please. The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity and encourages applicants of any age, national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or gender. Every applicant is not expected to meet every qualification. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the role, and that candidate may not meet every single qualification and requirement on this list. If you are interested in applying for this role, we encourage you to apply. We are eager to meet candidates to are passionate about our mission and can contribute to our team. The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity and encourages applicants of any age, national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or gender.
Job Tags
Holiday work, Full time, Contract work, Local area, Outdoor, Afternoon shift,