Executive Artistic Director Jobs
Executive Artistic Director jobs are open across performing arts organizations, regional theaters, opera companies, dance ensembles, and arts nonprofits, from associate-level artistic roles to chief artistic leadership, with specializations in programming, community engagement, and development. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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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 JobsExecutive Artistic Director Job Market
Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in executive artistic director jobs.
- Five or more years of senior artistic leadership at a professional arts organization
- Demonstrated experience developing and managing full seasons or programming cycles
- Proven ability to cultivate relationships with donors, boards, and community partners
- Strong public speaking and community representation skills on behalf of the organization
- Experience managing budgets, artistic staff, and production departments simultaneously
- Bachelor's or master's degree in theater, arts administration, music, or a related discipline
Tips for Your Executive Artistic Director Job Search
Align your portfolio to institutional mission
Hiring committees want to see that your programming history reflects their organization's values and audience. Pull season histories from your past work and frame each production choice as a strategic decision, not just a creative one.
Highlight board and donor relationships clearly
Executive artistic director roles expect fundraising partnership with the board. If you've co-stewarded major gifts, led capital campaigns, or cultivated individual donors, name those contributions explicitly on your resume rather than burying them under artistic credits.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists executive 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 programming vision statement
Most search committees ask finalists to present a multi-season programming vision. Draft a concise statement tailored to each organization's repertoire, demographic, and budget reality before your first interview, not after you advance.
Target organizations at the right budget tier
Arts search firms and boards categorize candidates by the annual operating budgets they've managed. Identify your bracket and focus applications there, since a jump of several tiers in either direction typically draws skepticism from search committees.
Follow up with a written artistic statement
After a first-round interview, send a one-page written artistic statement that addresses feedback or questions raised in the conversation. Few candidates do this, and it signals both seriousness and the communication skills boards expect at the executive level.
Executive Artistic Director Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most executive artistic directors?
The most active employers for executive artistic directors right now are Chapman University, Ballet West, and The New School, and the most openings are in Georgia, California, and Ohio, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Regional theater companies and mid-size arts nonprofits account for the largest share of active searches.
How many executive artistic director jobs are remote?
About 40% of executive artistic director openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on leadership nature of most roles. Sub-areas with more remote flexibility include guest artist contracting, digital programming development, and grant writing partnerships, while resident company leadership is almost always on-site.
How do you become an executive artistic director?
Most executive artistic directors build toward the role by leading productions as a director or curator, then stepping into associate or managing artistic director positions where they take on staff oversight, budget responsibility, and board communication. Building a recognizable programming voice, cultivating a network of artists and funders, and completing an arts administration credential or graduate program each accelerate the path significantly.
Can you get hired as an executive artistic director with little experience?
Smaller and emerging arts organizations, particularly new nonprofit startups, community arts centers, and festival-based companies, do hire candidates whose artistic vision outpaces their administrative résumé. The most effective approach is to document any board service, budget management, or fundraising you've done in non-executive roles and pair it with a clear, specific vision for the organization you're applying to lead.
What does the executive artistic director interview process look like?
Most searches begin with a résumé review by a board search committee or retained arts search firm, followed by a video screening interview focused on leadership philosophy and organizational fit. Finalists typically visit in person for a full-day process that includes a public programming vision presentation, individual meetings with staff and board members, and a formal panel interview before a hiring recommendation is made.
Where can I find and apply to executive artistic director jobs?
You can find and apply to executive artistic director jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the roles available, find the ones that match your background and artistic focus, and apply directly to each listing that fits.
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Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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