HEAD OF PROGRAMMING

Ars Nova, a trailblazing non-profit theater company known for nurturing innovative artistic voices, is seeking an accomplished and highly collaborative Head of Programming. The Head of Programming is an artistic leader who is confident in their unique curatorial perspective, their producing skills, and their ability to further Ars Nova’s work identifying and incubating emerging talent in music, theater, and comedy. This Head of Programming will work alongside the new Head of Artistic Development as key leaders of the theater’s artistic efforts, ensuring a seamless path for artists to engage with all that Ars Nova has to offer.

ABOUT ARS NOVA
Ars Nova exists to discover, develop and launch singular theater, comedy and music artists who are in the early stages of their careers. They are the stomping ground and launching pad for visionary and adventurous artists to create new work. They strive to build the next generation of audiences for live entertainment by prioritizing a zeitgeist-forward aesthetic and marrying it with accessible ticket prices. They are committed to creating a collaborative and innovative environment that champions diverse voices and groundbreaking new work. 

Some of their recent highly recognized work includes: the NY Times’, NYMag, and New Yorker “Best of 2022” Oratorio for Living Things; the Lortel Award-winning “Outstanding Musicals” (pray), Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future and KPOP, which transferred to Broadway in 2022; and the Tony Award-winning smash-hit Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.

Ars Nova recognizes both that it is a predominantly white institution and that their institutional practices have historically led to the exclusion of people of the Global Majority from their team. They are actively working to become a more diverse, anti-racist, inclusive organization. They hope candidates of the Global Majority will accept their invitation to apply.

KEY PURPOSE OF POSITION/GOALS
The Head of Programming will be a key player on Ars Nova’s Artistic Team, scouting new talent, building relationships with artists, and producing all public programming toward Ars Nova’s artist discovery and development efforts. Reporting to Co-Artistic Director Andrew Neisler, this role provides critical support to Ars Nova’s curatorial and programming efforts, expanding Ars Nova’s reach and supporting artists at their first stages of a relationship with the organization.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AND COMPETENCIES
The responsibilities, competencies and expectations outlined below are representative and may shift as needed to best align with organizational priorities.

Artistic Scouting and Programming

• Work alongside the Co-Artistic Directors (Co-ADs) as a primary scout of new talent;

• Be an ambassador for Ars Nova at industry shows, readings, presentations, etc;

• Advocate for exciting artists who would benefit from Ars Nova’s community and resources;

• Own and maintain Ars Nova’s coverage and curation systems. Lead regular coverage and curation meetings;

• Line produce all Discover programming with the Ars Nova Producing Team (including ANT Fest and Showgasm); ideating, problem solving, bringing forth artist/project developments and needs, representing artist priorities, delegating to the Ars Nova staff, and being the primary channel for communication flow to and from artists;

• Oversee and participate in the submission and curation process of ANT Fest, Showgasm, and any other open application programming;

• Flag programming budget needs and concerns for Co-ADs in real time;

• Collaborate with Co-ADs to feed programming needs into the programming calendar.

Team Artistic Collaboration

• Collaborate with the Head of Artistic Development on their work to support artistic programs and resident activity;

• Collaborate with Teams Marketing, Production, and Development to ensure they have accurate and thorough information about artists of interest and upcoming programming;

• Attend shows, readings and workshops in the field on behalf of Ars Nova to identify prospective talent; and to support current and former resident artists and community members; 

• Draft written language when needed for grants, outreach, marketing initiatives, etc.;

• As a member of the Artistic Team, support Off-Broadway Launch Programming and fundraising events produced by other teams, including the annual gala Nova Ball and opening nights parties as needed;

• Provide administrative support to the Artistic Team and Co-Artistic Directors, including but not limited to coordinating artistic staff schedules and calendars, maintaining in-house artist hospitality, and reconciling expense reports.

AN EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY:
This is an exempt, full-time, permanent position, based in NYC, with a starting annual salary range of $66,300 (Level 3 of Fair Pay Guidelines). Ars Nova aims to compensate fairly and competitively within the not-for-profit entertainment industry, and on a transparent level salary system within the organization. Their most recent Fair Pay Guidelines are available HERE. Benefits include health, dental and group term life insurance; an open paid time off policy; an opt-in 401(k) retirement savings plan after one year with an employer match up to 3.5%; FSA; vision insurance; long-term disability insurance; additional coverage options including pet insurance; TransitChek plans; and more. 

Ars Nova is based in NYC, and this position will require regular onsite, in-person activity (including some evenings, weekends and holidays), so the applicant should intend to reside in the greater NYC area. This position is primarily based out of Ars Nova’s building at 511 West 54th. Hybrid work is possible to some extent, depending on the type of role and programming schedule and can be discussed during the interview process; however, this role should expect to regularly work in person. Additionally, hours may shift toward evenings to cover internal programming in the theater and external shows.

Requirements

ABOUT YOU

• You have 2+ years of experience working directly with artists at a nonprofit arts organization or can demonstrate an equivalent;
• You have your finger on the pulse of NYC theater, comedy, and/or music;
• You have an eye for raw talent and potential;
• You have line producing experience (or an equivalent) and can manage a team, and effectively delegate;
• You have a passion for Ars Nova’s mission and for supporting emerging artists;
• You love to collaborate and work well with colleagues to discover new ideas, paths, and strategies;
• You have an appreciation for live performance and an understanding of how it’s made;
• You are a creative and proactive problem solver, adaptable to new responsibilities, excellent at time management, and retain new information quickly;
• You are focused, naturally differentiate between noise and news, and can stay on target while juggling multiple daily, weekly, monthly deadlines;
• You have a flexible schedule - able to work evenings and weekends scouting artists around New York City;
• You share a commitment to anti-racism and creating and maintaining an inclusive environment, are excited about joining efforts to make Ars Nova a more just and equitable place to work and make work, and have the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures and socio-economic backgrounds.

BONUS IF:

• You have experience with Google Suite, Airtable, and/or Asana; or some equivalent;
• You thrive in all-out, go-big-or-go-home environments and can move quickly to adjust to changing needs and priorities;
• You bring joy and humor to your work environments.

We know there are candidates who may not have all of the qualifications listed above but possess intuitive knowledge or other transferable skills. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell them about yourself.

Application Instructions

Please submit a resume and a personal statement. Ditch the “cover letter” and speak from the heart about what excites you about this job opportunity. While we ask that resumes be submitted in written form, we invite applicants to submit their personal statement via a written piece, audio or video recording – whatever form best supports your self-expression. 

APPLY HERE:
https://form.asana.com/?k=K1BTsJu_s3g-UTJS3im-Gg&d=75190075101323

HIRING PROCESS:
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through August 15, 2025. Advancing candidates will be invited to a first round interview with Ars Nova’s Co-Artistic Director Andrew Neisler. Second round interviews will be conducted in person at Ars Nova with Co-Artistic Directors Andrew Neisler and Anna Morton Stacey. Finalists may be asked to meet with a staff panel, and will be asked to complete a project and present their work. References will then be checked and an offer is expected to be made in September 2025, with a start date soon thereafter.