Co-Artistic Director Jobs
Co-Artistic Director jobs are open across theater, dance, opera, and performing arts organizations, from emerging companies to established regional institutions, with specializations in ensemble leadership, programming strategy, and community-engaged art-making. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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The Director of Artistic Planning and Operations is responsible for planning and executing the artistic operations of WNO in collaboration with the artistic vision and business goals established by the General Director & CEO and Artistic Director.
The Director of Artistic Planning and Operations is responsible for collaborating with the Artistic Director to cast WNO’s productions and lead WNO’s season planning process. The incumbent will also oversee WNO’s Artistic Department and all related functions. These functions include: engagement of stage directors and conductors; developing and implementing commission and performance rights agreements; overseeing administration of artistic contracts and visas; orchestra management; and management of WNO’s music staff, orchestra librarian, chorus, supernumeraries, and dancers.
The Director of Artistic Planning and Operations is responsible for developing and overseeing the artistic and orchestra budgets which, combined, are in the range of $9 million annually, as part of WNO’s annual operating budget of $30 million. This role takes responsibility for an array of financial and labor issues, participating in labor negotiations and liaising with unions, as necessary.
Responsibilities
- Principally responsible for working with the Artistic Director to cast WNO’s artists (principally solo singers and conductors but also encompassing directors, choreographers, music staff, etc.). Maintain travel schedule to attend performances and hold auditions (regionally, nationally, and internationally) to recruit and invite artists to WNO.
- Collaborate with General Director & CEO and Artistic Director to drive the season planning process according to WNO institutional priorities. Work closely with these colleagues as well as WNO’s Director of Production, Technical Director, Costume Director, and Director of the Cafritz Young Artist Program and other relevant members of the WNO Management Team on all future seasons and company-wide budgeting and planning.
- Responsible for the operational functions of WNO’s Artistic Department in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements. Supervise and manage three full-time staff members to accomplish the work of WNO’s artistic and orchestra operations, including contract administration, securing required visas, budget management, and oversight of music staff, the orchestra librarian, the WNO Orchestra, chorus, corps dancers, and supernumeraries.
- Provide artistic content for recitals, concerts, and special events as necessary.
- Act as WNO’s management liaison to guest artists, and attend performances and rehearsals as relevant to support guest artists and other members of the Artistic teams as described above.
- Manage the staffing of pre-performance lectures and post-performance Q&A sessions as well as development and audience engagement events, as needed.
- Ensure flow of artistic information throughout the company to support interdepartmental needs and planning. Review and approve all printed and digital materials pertaining to casts and artistic teams. Responsible for ensuring that WNO-specific artistic databases are updated to reflect current casting and contract information.
Qualifications
- 8 – 10 years’ experience in opera artistic management.
- Knowledge of opera, music, and the performing arts is a must; experience with managing collective bargaining agreements is preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree in artistic or related field or equivalent training/ experience. Advanced degree a plus.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Must exercise good judgment, show initiative, and handle sensitive data in a trustworthy manner.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently as well collaboratively as in a team environment.
- Discretion, maturity, and composure, especially under pressure.
- Ability to establish priorities and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- High standards and strong sense of responsibility.
- Comfortable with up to 30% domestic and international travel
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this position is $150,000 - $170,000 per year. This range reflects what WNO in good faith expects to pay for this role. Where a candidate is placed within the range depends on their relevant experience, skills and competencies, qualifications, and internal pay equity. WNO offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance, and paid time off.
Equal Employment Opportunity
We believe that a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences strengthens our work and our community. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, family responsibilities, personal appearance, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or District of Columbia law.
WNO is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities.
The Director of Artistic Planning and Operations is responsible for planning and executing the artistic operations of WNO in collaboration with the artistic vision and business goals established by the General Director & CEO and Artistic Director.
The Director of Artistic Planning and Operations is responsible for collaborating with the Artistic Director to cast WNO’s productions and lead WNO’s season planning process. The incumbent will also oversee WNO’s Artistic Department and all related functions. These functions include: engagement of stage directors and conductors; developing and implementing commission and performance rights agreements; overseeing administration of artistic contracts and visas; orchestra management; and management of WNO’s music staff, orchestra librarian, chorus, supernumeraries, and dancers.
The Director of Artistic Planning and Operations is responsible for developing and overseeing the artistic and orchestra budgets which, combined, are in the range of $9 million annually, as part of WNO’s annual operating budget of $30 million. This role takes responsibility for an array of financial and labor issues, participating in labor negotiations and liaising with unions, as necessary.
Responsibilities
- Principally responsible for working with the Artistic Director to cast WNO’s artists (principally solo singers and conductors but also encompassing directors, choreographers, music staff, etc.). Maintain travel schedule to attend performances and hold auditions (regionally, nationally, and internationally) to recruit and invite artists to WNO.
- Collaborate with General Director & CEO and Artistic Director to drive the season planning process according to WNO institutional priorities. Work closely with these colleagues as well as WNO’s Director of Production, Technical Director, Costume Director, and Director of the Cafritz Young Artist Program and other relevant members of the WNO Management Team on all future seasons and company-wide budgeting and planning.
- Responsible for the operational functions of WNO’s Artistic Department in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements. Supervise and manage three full-time staff members to accomplish the work of WNO’s artistic and orchestra operations, including contract administration, securing required visas, budget management, and oversight of music staff, the orchestra librarian, the WNO Orchestra, chorus, corps dancers, and supernumeraries.
- Provide artistic content for recitals, concerts, and special events as necessary.
- Act as WNO’s management liaison to guest artists, and attend performances and rehearsals as relevant to support guest artists and other members of the Artistic teams as described above.
- Manage the staffing of pre-performance lectures and post-performance Q&A sessions as well as development and audience engagement events, as needed.
- Ensure flow of artistic information throughout the company to support interdepartmental needs and planning. Review and approve all printed and digital materials pertaining to casts and artistic teams. Responsible for ensuring that WNO-specific artistic databases are updated to reflect current casting and contract information.
Qualifications
- 8 – 10 years’ experience in opera artistic management.
- Knowledge of opera, music, and the performing arts is a must; experience with managing collective bargaining agreements is preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree in artistic or related field or equivalent training/ experience. Advanced degree a plus.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Must exercise good judgment, show initiative, and handle sensitive data in a trustworthy manner.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently as well collaboratively as in a team environment.
- Discretion, maturity, and composure, especially under pressure.
- Ability to establish priorities and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- High standards and strong sense of responsibility.
- Comfortable with up to 30% domestic and international travel
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this position is $150,000 - $170,000 per year. This range reflects what WNO in good faith expects to pay for this role. Where a candidate is placed within the range depends on their relevant experience, skills and competencies, qualifications, and internal pay equity. WNO offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance, and paid time off.
Equal Employment Opportunity
We believe that a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences strengthens our work and our community. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, family responsibilities, personal appearance, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or District of Columbia law.
WNO is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities.
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Find Co-Artistic Director JobsCo-Artistic Director Job Market
Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in Co-Artistic director jobs.
- Demonstrated experience leading or co-leading a professional performing arts organization
- Proven record of programming full seasons, including commissioning or developing new work
- Experience managing artists, directors, or creative staff across multiple productions
- Strong community engagement, partnership-building, and donor relationship skills
- Familiarity with nonprofit board governance, budget oversight, and grant reporting
- Bachelor's or master's degree in theater, dance, arts administration, or a related field
Tips for Your Co-Artistic Director Job Search
Lead your resume with programming vision
Co-artistic director candidates are evaluated on artistic judgment as much as management experience. Open your resume with a summary that names the aesthetic or community focus you bring, not just your production credits or administrative titles.
Build a portfolio with institutional context
Attach a one-page artistic statement that connects your past seasons or projects to measurable outcomes: audience reach, new work developed, or community partnerships launched. Hiring committees want to see how your vision translated into real programming.
Target organizations at your governance stage
A co-artistic director role at a founder-led company operates very differently from one at a board-governed institution. Read the job posting carefully for language about consensus-based decision-making, succession planning, or organizational restructuring before you apply.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists co-artistic director openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare a co-leadership philosophy statement
Many interview panels will ask how you divide artistic authority with a co-director. Have a clear, concrete answer ready that describes your process for resolving creative disagreements and crediting collaborative decisions publicly.
Follow up with a season concept, not just a thank-you
After a final-round interview, send a brief note that names one programming idea specific to that organization's community or mission. It signals genuine investment in that institution rather than a broad job search.
Co-Artistic Director Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most co-artistic directors?
Chapman University, Ballet West, and The New School are hiring the most co-artistic directors right now, with openings concentrated in Georgia, California, and Ohio, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Regional theater companies and mid-size dance organizations account for the largest share of active searches.
How many co-artistic director jobs are remote?
About 40% of co-artistic director openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of leading live performance organizations. The sub-areas most likely to offer remote or hybrid arrangements include dramaturgical development, grant writing leadership, and organizational strategy work, where in-person rehearsal presence is not required daily.
How do you become a co-artistic director?
Most co-artistic directors build toward the role by directing multiple productions within a single company, taking on associate or assistant artistic director responsibilities, and demonstrating they can program seasons that reflect a coherent vision. Developing relationships with playwrights, choreographers, or composers you champion shows institutional investment. Many are promoted from within or recruited from smaller companies where they served as sole artistic leader.
Can you get hired as a co-artistic director with little experience leading an organization?
Some smaller or newer companies hire co-artistic directors who are strong directors or performers but have not yet led an organization, especially when the role is structured as a founding or co-founding position. Framing your application around a clear artistic vision for that specific community, concrete relationships with artists you would engage, and evidence that you can collaborate on shared decision-making compensates for limited executive experience.
What does the co-artistic director interview process look like?
Most searches involve an initial screening conversation with a search committee or board member, followed by a panel interview that includes artistic staff, board leadership, and sometimes community representatives. Finalists are frequently asked to present an artistic vision statement or respond to a programming prompt specific to the organization. References from collaborators and past board members carry significant weight at the final stage.
Where can I find and apply to co-artistic director jobs?
You can find and apply to co-artistic director jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from performing arts organizations across the United States. Find roles that match your artistic focus and organizational experience, then apply directly to each listing from the page.
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