The Executive Director, Cultural Programs, Grants & Services, in partnership with the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, will have shared responsibility to: formulate the vision of the organization; lead and manage its people; foster a culture of innovation and inclusion; oversee fundraising sufficient to fund an annual budget in excess of $3,000,000; and represent LMCC and its programs to its board and external stakeholders. The Executive Director, Cultural Programs, Grants & Services will also have individual responsibility to: oversee the department of Cultural Programs and the department of Grants & Services: curate and implement a compelling vision for LMCC’s public programs, Lower Manhattan and Governors Island-based artist residency programs and, Borough of Manhattan based regrant fund activities; execute the delivery of professional development services to artists; and develop and curate new programs, partnerships and services to advance the mission of LMCC.
Founded in 1973 by Flory Barnett with support from David Rockefeller, Sr. and Chase Manhattan Bank, New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), and other local business and civic leaders, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) is built on the premise that artists are pillars of resilience and inspiration and therefore are vital to New York City. Over the past decade, demand for LMCC’s programs has flourished, and in response, we have grown in programmatic scope, community impact, and capacity. This momentum has enabled us to forge meaningful connections with individual artists, arts groups, public officials, community groups, property owners and developers, and other employers as well as stakeholders in the downtown and cultural landscapes at large. LMCC empowers artists by providing them with networks, resources, and support, to create vibrant, sustainable communities in Lower Manhattan and beyond.
LMCC’s programs include:
- The River To River Festival, whereas lead producer LMCC presents free to the public dance, music and multi-disciplinary performances across a variety of indoor and outdoor Lower Manhattan venues; River To River is just part of over 60 days of free cultural experiences produced by LMCC each year for the public to enjoy
- The Arts Center at Governors Island, providing a permanent home for Process Space, LMCC’s retreat-style residency program for mid-career and established artists and arts groups working across all disciplines, as well as a mix of exhibition, rehearsal, performance, convening, training and administrative spaces on two floors in Building 110 at Soisson Landing overlooking New York Harbor and Lower Manhattan; the Arts Center will undergo an extensive renovation beginning in fall 2017 to expand its capacity to serve artists and engage audiences
- Workspace, a 9-month studio residency program that leverages tens of thousands of square feet of vacant commercial real estate donated by our real estate industry partners for emerging artists in the visual, performing, and literary arts; through Workspace and the Arts Center, LMCC provides residency support to over 100 artists and arts groups annually
- Arts East River Waterfront, a series of collaborations on the Lower East Side, connecting residents, artists, and other art-lovers
- Annual regranting to artists and arts organizations across the borough of Manhattan; LMCC regranted $650,000 in 2017
- Professional development workshops and seminars serving more than 500 artists annually and covering topics such as personal finance, fundraising and marketing and providing forums for connecting artists to business leaders and arts professionals
The combination of LMCC’s investment in individual artists and small arts groups, our robust network of partners in the public and private sectors, and our integrated approach to fostering local neighborhood engagement, aims to spark public imagination as well as inspire personal attachment and investment in NYC’s communities.
ROLE SUMMARY
In recent years, with the founding of the Arts Center at Governors Island and the successful repositioning and planned growth of the River To River festival, LMCC’s Cultural Programs and Services have diversified and expanded. Commencing this fall, the Arts Center will be transformed from 15,000 square feet of temporary artist studios to a 40,0000 square foot, newly renovated, long-term facility. LMCC, as a result, is poised to substantially advance its impact and expand its mission with audiences, artists and arts organizations Downtown, across the City and beyond.
In concert with its programmatic expansion and diversification, LMCC has revised the design of its organization and put in place a shared leadership approach that will partner an Executive Director of Finance and Administration (ED-F&A) with an Executive Director of Cultural Programs, Grants & Services (ED-CPG&S). Together, the two EDs will articulate the vision and mission of the organization, lead and manage its talents and resources, and build a culture of innovation, inclusion, collaboration and teamwork. To further these objectives, LMCC is seeking a dynamic individual to complement and partner with its current Interim Executive Director and CFO, an experienced LMCC executive, who will transition to the ED-F&A role at the conclusion of this search.
PRIMARY SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES
In partnership with the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, the Executive Director, Cultural Programs, Grants & Services will:
- Formulate and articulate the vision and mission of the organization
- Lead, cultivate and manage LMCC’s team of creative and empowered people, its resources and operations
- Foster a culture of innovation, inclusion, collaboration and teamwork
- Working with the Vice President, Institutional Advancement, set and achieve fundraising goals and initiatives sufficient to fund an annual budget in excess of $3,000,000; grow existing new sources of financial support to meet the evolving needs of the organization and its programs
- Oversee the Vice President, Institutional Advancement (IA) and the IA Department
- Represent LMCC and its programs to its board, patrons, fellow institutions, community and government stakeholders and its public audiences
PRIMARY INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The Executive Director of Cultural Programs, Grants & Services will:
- Working with the Director of Cultural Programs and the Vice President, Grants & Services, develop, curate and implement a compelling vision for LMCC’s public programs (including creative leadership of the River To River Festival and the Arts Center at Governors Island), its Lower Manhattan and Governors Island-based Artist Residency Programs, Borough of Manhattan based Regrant Fund activities, and the broad delivery of professional development services to artists
- Working with the Vice President, Institutional Advancement, develop communications, marketing and promotional strategies to build an increasingly diverse and engaged audience for LMCC and its programs and artists
- Foster an environment that enable LMCC artists to create and share their best work, engage with the communities in which they live and work and advance in their careers
- Oversee the Director of Cultural Programs, the Vice President, Grants & Services, and their respective departments
- Develop and curate new Programs, Partnerships and Services to advance the mission of LMCC
RELATIONSHIPS
- Reports to Board of Directors
- Shared Responsibilities: works in partnership with the Executive Director, Finance and Administration
- Supervises: Director of Cultural Programs (CP), Vice President, Grants & Services (G&S) and their respective departments
TO APPLY
Please e-mail your resume with a thoughtful cover letter, stating how you heard about the position and your qualifications, to Diego Segalini, Interim Executive Director at jobs@lmcc.net . Please title the email “ED-CPG&S: YOUR NAME.” No phone calls please. Only those we wish to interview will be contacted. Salary commensurate with experience. Includes an attractive benefits package.
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building a culturally diverse and equitable environment, and strongly encourages applications from people of color and women. To learn more about LMCC, please visit www.lmcc.net
- A minimum of ten years of arts leadership experience, with a track record of success in working with contemporary artists and arts groups to program, curate and produce work across a broad range of disciplines and media including the innovative integration of performing and visual arts in a fast paced and complex institution
- Demonstrated ability to successfully engage in and deliver fundraising and sponsorship efforts, including developing sophisticated, multi-faceted grant proposals and engaging individual donors
- Deep knowledge of the most progressive dance, performance art, music, visual arts, and theater, both historical and current, is necessary
- 5 or more years of experience successfully developing and managing compelling programming with an annual budget in excess of $1,000,000, while demonstrating disciplined financial management
- Experience developing and nurturing relationships with local, regional and national artists, agents, and philanthropies
- A proven track record of promoting understanding across diverse communities, with sensitivity to artists and audiences in underrepresented groups
- 5 or more years of experience successfully leading and managing composite teams of both full- time staff and part-time staff
- Writing and public-speaking experience
- Demonstrated understanding of branding and marketing
