Building upon a stable foundation, the Executive Director will:

• Become an expert on the organization – its history, priorities, values, issues, and funding strategies; establish strong working relationships with the Board of Directors, staff, artists, awardees, funders and the public;

• Sustain and promote an artist-centric vision, and ensure that the organization’s integrity and service to the artists is of the highest quality;

• Procure and manage $1.3 million annually by articulating Artadia’s value proposition and identifying potential revenue streams (including earned income); develop and lead a fundraising strategy appropriate to Artadia’s artists, patrons and potential supporters; work with the Board to assure long-term sustainability; steward existing funding sources and cultivate new individual, foundation, corporate and government supporters;

• Nurture relationships with the existing dedicated and diverse Board of Directors to maximize their interest and involvement in the growth and development of Artadia; ensure the Board has the right balance of members, information and resources necessary to govern effectively and responsibly; activate board committees; and establish opportunities for sustained meaningful engagement in the seven key program cities;

• Bring a leading-edge vision and leadership to the organization’s direction, growth and development, including an assessment of its current grantmaking programs and goals; encourage and support innovation and strategic risk-taking within a rigorous and responsible programmatic framework;

• Establish a relational approach to sustaining donor relationships by engaging audiences, patrons and the broader communities in the core program cities; this includes an active travel schedule and leading dynamic donor trips focused on Artadia’s mission;

• Assess the organization that has grown in the last decade around a charismatic and beloved director; adapt, if appropriate, the current structure, staffing and systems to be responsive to work, audience and objectives; integrate any technological advances that improve operations internally and artists and community engagement externally;

• Ensure that Artadia sustains a culture of inclusivity and is a truly national program, working across race, class and ethnic boundaries and reaching deep into grass-roots organizations to increase opportunities for active engagement for artists regardless of location, gender, age or ability;

• Building on Artadia’s legacy, take a leadership role in furthering the support for artists nationwide; partner with other organizations when appropriate to expand interest in, visibility of and support for Artadia’s mission and its artists; consider key alliances and partnership opportunities in the for-profit sector, such as commercial galleries, auction houses and art fairs, that would create platforms for Artadia Award artists in the marketplace and for the organization;

• Manage external communications by representing Artadia publicly; building relationships with like-minded organizations and thought leaders; cultivating speaking engagements; conducting interviews; encouraging key conversations about philanthropy and increasing the visibility of and deeper understanding of the value of supporting artists;

• Supervise a motivated professional staff; delegating specific responsibilities and appropriate authority, holding individuals accountable for specific and collective performance, maintaining a nurturing environment that fosters staff satisfaction, mentorship, and retention;

• Oversee the organization’s financial operations; develop its budget; ensure that staff and programming keep within the allocated financial resources; provide the Board and funders with timely financial data for budgeting decisions and fundraising plans; refine an ambitious fundraising plan for the 25th anniversary capital campaign along with Board and staff.

Desired Qualifications

Executive Leadership should demonstrate cultural competency, exhibit a commitment to visual artists and have a keen understanding of the arts and culture sector. They should have a demonstrated commitment to Artadia’s mission and vision, and value an artist-centered approach to decision-mak­ing. Prospective candidates must have a strong fundraising and cultivation track record and be able to manage multiple priorities simultaneously, as well as exhibit excellent written and verbal communi­cation, analytic, computer and organizational skills.

The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and experience:

• A minimum of ten years relevant experience in the arts connected to grantmaking, artist support and services

• Strong leadership, facilitation and managerial skills, including proven recruitment, supervisory, staff development and retention, program management, and budgetary skills

• Strategic fundraising expertise to maintain and grow a diverse funding base for Artadia, including but not limited to foundations, corporations, government, individual supporters, and special initiatives

• Understanding of and an engagement with the arts funding community, including but not limited to foundations, government, and individuals

• Ability to assess current fund raising efforts and build upon existing development systems to diversify income opportunities

• Creative problem solver with the demonstrable ability to think strategically

• Ability to manage deadlines productively and professionally

• Ability to understand and enable a number of specialized efforts such as legal issues, fundraising, programs, tax and finance in collaboration with external vendors

• Maintain a strong network of artists, relevant practitioners, and funders

After one year, we expect to have achieved the following together:

• Secured $1.3 million for Artadia’s operations and programs for fiscal year 2024

• A complete assessment of Artadia’s programming history, archive, management systems, fundraising tools, relationships, and assets

• A thoughtful strategic process and implementation schedule informed by Artadia’s key priorities Savvy use of existing funding relationships to ensure continued visibility and sustainability of the organization

• Strategic building of new donor relationships and funding opportunities to ensure support of the organization’s efforts

• A credible three year plan to incrementally build the organization and its programs to an appropriate level of staffing and funding