Artistic Director

Full time / 125,000 - 140,000 annually / East West Players / Los Angeles, CA

Reporting to the Board of Directors and co-leading with the Managing Director, EWP’s next Artistic Director will be a visionary theatre leader with a proven track record of artistic excellence, equitable practices and values, and skillful administration; a deep cultural understanding of and connection to Asian American communities and artists; and a national perspective on the powerful role EWP can take as the field engages in a time of profound change.

Key responsibilities include:

• Artistic Curation, Producing, and Education
• Create an annual artistic plan that inspires audiences, donors, artists, and staff
• Serve as the lead producer for all EWP productions and ensure artistic quality, production values and work culture are aligned with company values
• Develop programming and production budgets as part of EWP’s annual program budgeting process, a responsibility shared with the Managing Director
• Maintain existing and build new partner relationships that forward the artistic and community goals of EWP
• Identify opportunities for EWP to continue to develop and/or participate in the cultivation of new work, and oversee the commissioning of playwrights and artists
• Grow, nurture, and maintain a network of directors, designers, playwrights, and other theatre artists, locally and nationally
• Oversee casting for productions and developmental workshops

• Provide direction and vision for the company’s education and professional development activities and the staff and artists who deliver them

• Organizational Leadership & Culture

• Share in creating a collaborative leadership model for EWP that will be foundational to the next era of the company’s growth and stability

• Supervise and manage the artistic, education and production teams and functions

• Articulate strategic opportunities and goals of the company, to partner with the board and MD in crafting the roadmap for the next era of EWP

• Co-lead the establishment of productive communications between the staff, leadership team and board

• Co-lead and support operational standards based on the company’s stated values

• Provide leadership investment in the EWP staff by developing and supporting growth opportunities

• Create an environment that centers justice, diversity, equity and inclusion on and off the stage

• Be a public face of the theater, often serving as the “voice” of theater while ensuring that there is alignment with the board and the organization when taking that role

• External Affairs & Resource Development

• Actively and wholeheartedly participate in the cultivation and stewardship of donors – individuals and institutional – to ensure long term viability

• Serve as an engaging public ambassador in Los Angeles, in particular in the Asian American community and in the theatre’s own neighborhood

• Participate actively in the Los Angeles arts community as a key artistic leader and advocate for equity, inclusion and access

• Champion EWP’s vision and mission at performances, special events, and industry gatherings, locally and nationally

• Actively participate in the theatre’s ongoing brand evolution, providing artistic clarity and direction in marketing and communications strategies and products

Requirements

The Search Committee seeks the following qualities in EWP’s next leader:
* A deep cultural understanding of and personal connection to Asian American communities and artists
* A passionate candidate committed to elevating the visibility and voices from the Asian American community, onstage and off
* An artist committed to innovation and risk-taking, to be a leader in pushing the field forward
* An approach to theatre making that achieves artistic excellence while supporting the makers and artists in the process
* A leader with an inspiring long-term artistic vision, combined with a sense of responsibility to long-term organizational health
* An established track record of creating excellent live experiences as a producer, director, or theatre maker, including new plays and musicals
* Experience with or interest in storytelling in the digital space
* Executive-level understanding of revenue generation, both earned and contributed
* Experience or knowledge of navigating the challenges of growth with strategic decision making that maintains fiscal responsibility and staff health
* Well-established network of local and national artistic collaborators
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills exhibiting emotional intelligence and success in building strong relationships and community networks
* Meaningful leadership experience in a professional arts organization
* Ability to work variable schedules and hours as demanded by the production and events schedule of the organization
* Willingness to travel, both within California (best accomplished by possessing a driving license) as well as nationally
* Committed to living in the Los Angeles area (this is not a remote position opportunity)

Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that 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. We are less concerned with you meeting every qualification than we are with assembling a diverse pool of values-aligned candidates who share our vision and mission and are confident that with a strong base of skills and experience, the remainder of the job can be learned. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply.

Whether you’re returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, the selection team will be glad to have you on their radar.

Please use your cover letter to tell them about what you hope to bring to this role.