Artistic Director Job Description
Bridge Street Theatre in Catskill, NY is seeking an ambitious, inventive leader to replace the outgoing founders and artistic director. Reporting to the Board of Directors in collaboration with the Executive Director, the Artistic Director (AD) will be responsible for continuing Bridge Street’s unique mission of providing a home for exciting new and under-produced plays:
- Artistic Leadership: Move Bridge Street into its next era, building on the foundation laid by its founders while expanding into new aesthetic territory and evolving the theatre’s identity.
- Community Programming: Engage with the vibrant village of Catskill as well as the broader Upper Hudson Valley and Capital Regions to make Bridge Street a place where local artists and others can gather, share their work, and connect with others in the community.
- Sustainability & Growth: Work with Bridge Street’s team, board, and Executive Director to create and execute a growth plan that reflects Bridge Street’s values, accountability goals, long-term financial goals, and strategic direction to ensure the sustainability of the theatre.
Responsibilities
ARTISTIC
- Evolve Bridge Street’s artistic identity while incorporating the aesthetics of its larger artistic team and new collaborators
- Direct a significant percentage of the theatre’s mainstage productions each season
- Develop new plays via readings and partially staged workshop productions
- Seek out new and exciting artistic voices, especially those who have been under-supported by the dominant artist development organizations
- Curate each season’s productions according to Bridge Street’s mission, the needs of the community, and the important cultural and political conversations being had by the country at large
ADMINISTRATIVE
- Represent Bridge Street in community forums, fundraising and donor events, and theater conferences
- Work with the company’s Executive Director and Board of Directors to enable the theater to fiscally sustain its current initiatives and map out practical steps to grow the organization
- Vet and hire artistic collaborators and production crew members, especially those from the local community
- Manage Human Resources operations and supervise and support the tasks of other artistic personnel
- Foster dialogue, participation, and partnership with the region’s theaters and other artistic organizations to bring the arts to a broader cross-section of the public, especially those who have been historically marginalized
- Manage existing volunteer committees who have been working to continue the theater’s work as its current leadership transitions into retirement
- Foster the development of local talent by coordinating educational programming, mentoring future artists and artistic leaders, and hosting other arts organizations in the region
- Expand Bridge Street’s audience beyond the racial, cultural, and economic demographics to which the American theatre has traditionally catered while maintaining relationships with the theater’s existing supporters
Qualification and Skills
Bridge Street Theatre in Catskill, NY is in search of a forward-thinking artistic leader to guide the theatre into a new phase of life as founders John Sowle (Artistic Director) and Steven Patterson (Associate Artist & Dramaturg) step back after over a decade of tireless service to the community. Bridge Street has been called “ the region’s most fearless professional stage company ”, bringing new and under-produced plays (and the occasional classic) to the Catskill community. Building upon the foundation laid by Bridge Street’s founders, the Artistic Director will continue the theatre’s mission, to seek out plays and playwrights who may not be well-known in the regional theatre scene, bringing their own aesthetic while also incorporating the input of the newly formed leadership team and the broader community.
The ideal candidate for this position has leadership experience in not-for-profit arts organizations and professional theatre. They are adept at supervising artistic collaborators and administrative teams in a way that fosters mutual respect and high-quality artistic output. They are skilled communicators who are able to listen to the feedback of staff, associated artists, the Board of Directors, and other members of the community to ensure that Bridge Street’s unique mission intersects with the needs of Catskill and the upper Hudson Valley. In particular, the incoming artistic director will seek out and be receptive to input from communities in the area who have been under-served by arts organizations and the American theatre.
As some of the artistic director’s responsibilities will be creating and sustaining relationships with emerging artists and developing plays that have not yet had full productions, the ideal candidate for the role will have experience in the development of new plays, the discovery of emerging playwrights, and the ability to offer respectful and constructive feedback and support to playwrights and directors. As the artistic director will be expected to direct a significant percentage of each season’s productions, skill and experience in directing for the stage is necessary.
How to apply
Please send your professional and artistic resume, cover letter, and list of professional references to bridgestreetsearch@gmail.com.
Bridge Street encourages applicants to share in writing how their work and life experience applies to the above listed requirements and qualifications and how it prepares them for the position.
Women, BIPOC, and members of the LGBTQ+ community are especially encouraged to apply.
Compensation
The position’s salary range is $55,000 – $65,000, depending upon skills and experience. No benefits currently, though this is planned for the near future. Health insurance can be purchased through the theatre.
FLSA Status
Full-Time, Exempt, Year-Round
Reports to
Board of Directors
Work Environment
This is an in-person position, and preference will be given to those living within or able to move to the upper Hudson Valley region near Catskill.