Executive Director – Spruce Peak Arts

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Organization

Spruce Peak Arts (SPA) is dedicated to using the inspiration and creativity of the performing arts to fulfill its ambitious mission to be a year-round window into the world for the Northern Vermont region, and to inspire, educate, and entertain the community. Spruce Peak Arts delivers engaging experiences for all ages that connect audiences to the performing arts in deep, meaningful, and delightful ways. The organization’s goal is to be both a collaborator and catalyst and to inspire the imagination of the audience and the artist through unforgettable shared experiences.

A year-round presenter of performing arts, educational and family programs, Spruce Peak Arts operates the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center located in the Spruce Peak Village Community in Stowe, Vermont. Opened in December 2010, this 420-seat multi-use theater is a modern performance center boasting pristine acoustics and state-of-the-art technical systems, including the capacity to support high-quality live streaming and recording. The front of the house features a mixed-use lobby/gallery and exhibition space and hosts small events, receptions, art exhibitions, readings, and lectures.

Spruce Peak Arts offers world-renowned entertainment, including live music, art exhibitions, dance, comedy, film, lectures and features emerging artists and performers known locally, nationally, and internationally. From Natalie Merchant, Noah Kahan, and Watch House to the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Berklee Indian Ensemble, as well as Freedom House and Original Thinkers, Arlo Guthrie, Warren Miller, Mountain Film Fest, and Orebolo, Spruce Peak Arts reaches and inspires the community using its artistic platform.

The Spruce Peak Arts Gallery was founded in 2018, elevating the creative energy and collaboration in the beautiful theater setting. In the summer of 2021, Spruce Peak Arts presented the exhibition Exploring Earth, the third installment of an environmental art series that began with Exploring Air in 2018, followed by Exploring Water in 2019. The exhibitions provided a platform for the visual artists in this series to collaborate on the Spruce Peak Arts’ virtual panel discussion series Being a BIPOC Artist in Vermont.

Spruce Peak Arts is committed to creating access to the arts and enhancing educational experiences for central and northern Vermont communities, supported by the Community & Education Fund. Arts education is offered through the Curious Place program, which includes student matinee performances, artist school visits, classes, workshops, and residencies. Spruce Peak Arts provides greatly discounted tickets for students, increasing access to the arts and enhancing educational experiences for area schools, families, and community organizations year-round.

Spruce Peak Arts is led by the Executive Director and governed by an eight-member board of directors led by Chair Dianne Matukaitis Brown. There are 5 full- and 2 part-time employees, as well as 9 production and services contractors. For the fiscal year ending October 31, 2022, the organization reported total revenue of $1,746,963, with $485,952 from contributions and grants and $298,061 from program services. Total expenses were $1,086,608.

Community

Nestled at the foot of Mount Mansfield, Spruce Peak Arts is located in the Spruce Peak Village, a master planned community, at the heart of world-class Stowe Mountain Resort in the town of Stowe, Vermont. The town is situated in North Central Vermont; 45 minutes from Burlington, Vermont, 2.5 hours south of Montreal, and 3.5 hours north of Boston. Home to approximately 648,000 residents statewide, Vermont is small in population but steeped in natural beauty and history.

A quintessential Vermont village, Stowe is one of New England’s most picturesque, scenic communities and home to an intimate community of 4,500 year-round residents, differentiating it from other resort and ski towns. Named as one of America’s best small towns by Travel + Leisure Magazine, Stowe attracts a significant community of part-time residents, with almost 70% of residencies in Stowe serving as second homes.

There is a wide diversity of outdoor recreational activities for people of all ages and abilities from winter alpine and Nordic skiing and snowboarding to summer golfing at the Stowe Mountain Resort, spring trout fishing, maple sugaring, hiking, paddling, and road, gravel, and mountain biking.

Stowe is also home to a vibrant arts and cultural community featuring numerous performing arts organizations, galleries, museums, festivals, artisans and craft makers, and many other attractions. In addition to Spruce Peak Arts, Stowe hosts the Lamoille County Players, Stowe Theatre Guild, and Stowe Performing Arts, which is held on the spectacular grounds of the Trapp Family Lodge. Visual and contemporary arts are presented at The Current and Little River Hot Glass Studio & Gallery. The region’s storied history is preserved by the Stowe Historical Society Museum, Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum, and the nearby Noyes House Museum. Stowe also hosts numerous festivals and events, including the Stowe Winter Carnival, Vermont Renaissance Fair, Green Mountain Games, von Trapp Brewing Oktoberfest, and the Stowe Jazz Festival.

Source: gostowe.com; travelandleisure.com, vtcng.com; usnews.com

Position Summary

Spruce Peak Arts is seeking a leader who has the vision and initiative to take the organization to the next level. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director (ED) will be a strategic, visionary, collaborative and experienced leader responsible for all aspects of SPA’s operations, including its artistic planning and programming, marketing and promotion, relationship-building and fundraising, educational activities, strategic vision, financial administration, and community outreach. The ED will serve as the chief advocate and public face of the organization throughout the region to enhance the organization’s profile and visibility, cultivating new partnerships and relationships as a presenter, marketer and promoter, and producer. Partnering with the board to establish and implement a strategic direction, the ED will implement programs and initiatives to fulfill SPA’s mission.

Roles and Responsibilities

Programmatic and Artistic Leadership

• Collaborate with the board to develop and refine a strategic vision for programming that serves the Spruce Peak Village, Stowe Mountain Resort, Stowe residents, second homeowners and visitors, and north central Vermont regional communities.
• Identify opportunities to achieve a balanced year-round schedule of programs and events suited to serving central Vermont and the greater Stowe community, while raising the profile of the organization in the region.
• Actively engage existing and potential artistic and community partners, building meaningful relationships to meet the strategic programming vision.
• Spearhead innovation and creativity in facility and production operations, guest services, education, and artistic programming to achieve programming objectives.
• Embrace other programmatic and artistic leadership duties as required.

Communication, Community Engagement and Fundraising

• Serve as the primary spokesperson for SPA and establish the brand and public image for the organization, clearly articulating its mission and impacts to all stakeholders.
• Represent SPA throughout the community, engaging with local organizations to increase awareness, participation, and collaboration.
• Provide strategic marketing direction for SPA, leading and coaching staff and contract personnel in the development and implementation of effective promotional strategies, including digital, for programs and events that will provide leverage for fundraising and revenue enhancement goals.

Board Development and Governance

• Build a deep partnership with the Board of Directors, communicating, guiding, advising, recruiting, and mobilizing board members to embrace their roles as fundraisers, policymakers, and community ambassadors.
• Collaborate with the board in the development and implementation of strategic and long-range operational planning, capital asset management, and budgeting.
• In collaboration with the Controller, develop annual budgets and regularly monitor and report to the board on financial performance, participation, and other metrics.

Management and Operations

• Foster a culture that maintains the highest standards for customer service, excellence of visitor experience, and quality of operations.
• Oversee all personnel and operations to ensure that the organization is efficient and effectively utilizes resources and that patrons, artists, and community members.
• Collaborate with the Director of Development and Board of Directors to develop short and long-term goals and strategies around all areas of contributed and earned revenue.
• Coordinate, support, and mentor staff and volunteers.
• Ensure that the necessary organizational structure, policies, systems controls, and procedures are in place and regularly reviewed.
• Demonstrate a clear commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, able to attract and retain staff and volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of operations, audience participation, and community trends, collecting and assessing data to measure and support the implementation of operating and programmatic decisions.

Traits and Characteristics

The Executive Director will be a visionary leader, passionate about the performing arts and community building. Forward-looking and innovative, this individual will be receptive to new ideas and approaches and keenly aware of emerging trends in the performing arts. The ED will thrive working in a collaborative environment as an engaging, enthusiastic, and accomplished relationship builder with the ability to anticipate and solve problems and deliver results. This individual will be people-oriented and will embrace the perspectives and experiences of others in the community, formulating plans and achieving successful outcomes. As a tenacious leader, the Executive Director will be an entrepreneur in working with the board to develop a long-term vision with achievable goals and a strategy that embraces a range of partners and community collaborations.

Other key competencies include:

• Communication and Interpersonal Skills – The dexterity to connect with a diverse array of people and personalities, while effectively communicating, building rapport, and relating well to all kinds of people.
• Time and Priority Management – The clarity to prioritize and complete tasks to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.
• Personal and Professional Accountability – The ability to meet the highest ethical standards in establishing relevant, realistic, and attainable goals and objectives while anticipating the effects, outcomes, and calculated risks.
• Leadership and Teamwork – The capability to organize and influence people to believe in a vision, while also creating a sense of purpose and direction and cooperating with others to meet objectives.

Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree with a minimum of five to seven years of relevant senior management leadership experience in a performing arts organization or the equivalent combination of education and experience is required. The successful candidate will have significant experience creating, developing, and implementing artistic and educational programs, including all aspects of facility and program planning and venue management. The willingness and commitment to embrace and become part of the unique rural setting of North Central Vermont is necessary.

Compensation and Benefits

Spruce Peak Arts offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, including a base salary range between $110,000 and $130,000, medical and dental insurance, a total of 24 days of paid time off plus an additional eight company holidays, and 403(b) retirement plan option.

Applications and Inquiries

To submit a letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/employment. Applications will be reviewed as they are received; we encourage interested candidates to submit their materials early. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact:

Renée Danger-James, Vice President

Wyona Lynch-McWhite, Senior Vice President

292 Newbury Street, Suite 315

Boston, MA 02115-2801

Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 212 (Ms. Danger-James) or Ext 225 (Ms. Lynch-McWhite)

Email    [email protected]

Spruce Peak Arts strongly supports equal employment opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.