Organization

Located in the state capital of Concord, the Capitol Center for the Arts (CCA) has grown to become New Hampshire’s premier center for the performing arts. Opened in 1927 and initially known as the Capitol Theatre, CCA believes in the power of arts experiences to shape lives and strengthen community bonds. To that end, CCA’s mission is to serve both area residents and virtual and in-person visitors from near and far through live dynamic engagements with performing artists that inspire, educate, and entertain, deepening human-to-human connections, expanding community vitality, and generating economic growth.

 

CCA offers an exciting and eclectic mix of shows, including Broadway productions, comedy, dance performances, music by pop and country stars, and a wide variety of family and children’s events. It boasts multiple performance spaces, including its 1,304-seat historic Chubb Theatre, which reopened in 1995 after an extensive renovation. This vaudeville-era theater was designed with an Egyptian motif, which was restored to its original glory by a team of 250 volunteers and supported by Congressman Paul Hodes. CCA also houses The Governor’s Hall, which accommodates up to 350 people, and a Victorian mansion, which includes a formal dining room, library, parlor, and board room. In 2019, CCA opened a smaller nearby venue, Bank of New Hampshire Stage, which offers flexible seating arrangements that welcome between 296 and 424 audience members. There are also outdoor mini-concerts presented at the nearby Fletcher-Murphy Park, as well as a robust series of streamed performances and presentations.

 

CCA is deeply committed to community engagement. More than 8,000 students from regional schools attend the CCA’s extensive educational programming annually. These programs include workshops, performances, and various outreach activities. CCA is a critical anchor in Capital Arts Fest, a free event that closes off Main Street for a weekend of activities. Every year, CCA also donates approximately $10,000 in tickets and services to organizations that support disadvantaged children and families throughout Concord and the surrounding areas.

 

In order to ensure continued contributed income, CCA established the Ovation Society. More than 100 strong, these donors provide financial support to CCA through multi-year pledges. Members enjoy a wide range of benefits, including advanced and priority booking of shows, complimentary tickets, a selection of concessions discounts, and invitation-only “Sneak Peek” events. In addition, members are recognized in CCA’s Playbill for their contribution.

 

CCA is governed by a 20-member board of trustees, led by Ron Reed, and currently has 10 full- and part-time staff members, which is down from a high of 42 full- and part-time employees prior to the pandemic, with more than 200 volunteers. For the fiscal year ending July 31, 2020, annual revenues were $3.2 million, with approximately 20 percent from contributions, sponsorships, and memberships and 80 percent from ticket sales, production revenue, and rental income. The 2021 fiscal year is projected to achieve total revenues of $2.2 million and 2022 is budgeted at $3.6 million.

 

Community

Concord has the charm of a quintessential New England town with all of the cultural assets of a city. The region’s current economy is based primarily in education, health services, finance, utilities, and government. Concord is home to NHTI – Concord’s Community College, Granite State College, and the University of New Hampshire School of Law. A desirable place to work, shop, dine, and live, Concord hosts a variety of businesses, state agencies, and nonprofits that take full advantage of local opportunities for doing business, hosting events and social gatherings, and attending cultural experiences.

 

Concord’s vibrant downtown underwent a significant renovation between 2015 and 2016 and serves as a cultural hub for the state. United States Senator Jeanne Shaheen has said that “Concord's Main Street really is New Hampshire's Main Street” and “Concord is the civic heart of the Granite State.” The redevelopment has spawned many new high-quality places to dine, including abundant outdoor options following the expansion of sidewalks and the installation of public art and murals along Main Street. The city hosts multiple local farmers markets, arts markets, artisanal brewers, distillers, and a winery. Outdoor recreation is a year-round activity with more than 20 public parks and more than 30 public hiking and biking trails within city limits. In addition, Concord offers convenient access to some of New England’s best skiing, snowboarding, hiking, camping, kayaking, and mountain biking within driving distance.

In the midst of all this excitement is a thriving arts scene. CCA and Bank of NH Stage are at the epicenter of the economic and creative vitality of Concord's downtown district. Other cultural organizations in the city include Red River Theatres, Concord Community Music School, Kimball Jenkins School of Art, Hatbox Theatre, League of NH Craftsmen Concord Fine Craft Gallery, Concord City Auditorium, and a community makerspace. The lively downtown area hosts festivals and markets through the year. A coalition of the city’s arts organizations co-produces Capital Arts Fest each fall, a city-wide celebration that showcases the community’s creativity through artistic festivities. Concord attracts people from all over New England, the country, and the world, with many cultures represented in the fabric of the community. The city celebrates the growing international population each year during Concord's Multicultural Festival.

 

Concord has a residential population of 43,000 people but, as the capital city of New Hampshire, the active population is upward of 90,000 people during the work week. Situated on the Merrimack River in the south-central area of the state, Concord is 42 miles from New Hampshire's southern boundary and 135 miles from the northern boundary. Conveniently located at the junction of Interstates 89 and 93, Concord is 18 miles north of the state's largest city of Manchester, only 50 miles from the seacoast, within an hour’s drive of the spectacular White Mountains, and 70 miles north of Boston. Concord is among the nation’s top 10 emerging housing markets in an analysis released recently by the Wall Street Journal and Realtors.com.

 

The surrounding region offers enough things to do to fill a lifetime. Wildlife, covered bridges, art galleries, independent bookstores, local shops, museums, historic sites, walking tours, presidential history, farms, orchards, birding, golf, breweries, wineries, country fairs, community suppers, youth activities and four beautiful seasons are part of the many features that enhance the quality of life in the area.

 

Sources: concordnhchamber.com, visitconcord-nh.com, concordmonitor.com, concordnh.gov

 

Position Summary

The Executive Director of CCA will be an engaged statewide leader who will sustain and enhance the organization’s role as a premier venue for performances, concerts, and events at the heart of the cultural vitality for the community. A committed advocate for the performing arts, the Executive Director will ensure CCA takes the lead on critical issues that face arts organizations and creates collaborative relationships within the community. They will be a vital team builder, a leader of highly skilled staff, and a strategic thinker who can align resources with organizational priorities. This individual will also build bridges and develop programs with local and regional organizations to achieve CCA’s strategic, programmatic, and financial goals. Most importantly, the Executive Director will be committed to advancing diversity of programs, audiences, governance, staffing, and other areas that foster an equitable and inclusive organization.

 

Role and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership, Advocacy, and Planning

• Guide all aspects of organizational planning, building a shared vision for the future of CCA through long-range strategic and annual operational plans.

 

• Translate mission and vision into realistic goals and objectives ensuring that annual plans are developed with appropriate department sub-plans to support organizational objectives.

 

• Champion Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Access (EDI&A) strategies both internally and externally and support the work of the EDI&A Advisory Team.

 

• Serve as the primary spokesperson and ambassador for the organization maintaining a positive professional reputation in the local community.

 

• Cultivate effective relationships with key community businesses and organizations, participate in professional organizations, and develop strategic alliances.

 

• Monitor local, regional, and national initiatives and legislation that will have an impact on the operations and future plans of CCA.

 

• Establish ties with state and local political leaders to advocate for CCA’s interests with the legislature and other elected and appointed officials.

 

• Strategize with presenters, promoters, and producers to ensure that the CCA has the most effective mix of program offerings.

 

• Engage with board members to take on appropriate advocacy activities regarding relevant issues that impact CCA, Concord, and the statewide arts community.

 

• Embrace other strategic leadership, advocacy, and planning responsibilities as needed.

 

Revenue and Resource Development

• Develop and implement comprehensive earned revenue plans for ticket sales and rentals that support current and future organizational goals and community needs.

 

• Collaborate with the board and staff to build a more robust portfolio of contributed revenue, cultivate current and future individual and foundation donors, and identify and secure gifts, grants, and sponsorships from businesses.

 

• Seek out public funding opportunities and strengthen relationships with local, state, and federal community and arts agencies.

 

• Oversee marketing and communication strategies that maximize ticket sales, concessions, program fees, rentals, and other earned revenue opportunities.

 

• Launch the next planned phase of the Creating our Futurecapital campaign in partnership with the Campaign Chair and Campaign Cabinet to reach financial goals set by the board and continue to achieve and maintain robust financial sustainability.

 

• Maintain a donor portfolio to guide donor prospects from cultivation through gift solicitation and stewardship in close collaboration with the Director of Development.

 

• Develop innovative partnerships with businesses and other institutions that enhance CCA and its impacts.

 

• Embrace other revenue and resource development responsibilities as needed.

 

Venue and Program Oversight

• Guide the selection of all productions, programs, events, and educational activities in alignment with the organizational mission and community engagement goals.

 

• Oversee capital management within the approved budget to ensure maximum resource utilization and maintain safe and comfortable facilities.

 

• Develop and implement a building maintenance and repair plan with the Director of Facilities and the Board Facilities Committee that support optimal operations while respecting the historic nature of the campus.

 

• Provide a welcoming performance environment with appropriate amenities that maximize the audience experience.

 

• Ensure appropriate policies and systems are in place to facilitate all aspects of rentals and day-to-day operations.

 

• Embrace other venue and program oversight responsibilities as needed.

 

Organizational and Fiscal Management

• Provide overall fiscal management within the approved budget to ensure maximum resource utilization and maintain a positive financial position.

 

• Establish a system linking strategic and operational planning with the budget process.

 

• Hire, mentor, and support qualified senior staff and maintain a cohesive team environment.

 

• Supervise administrative staff, mobilize volunteers, and oversee the effective use of financial and technological resources needed to achieve the organization’s goals and objectives.

 

• Comply with all applicable intergovernmental and other laws governing nonprofit organizations.

 

• Establish an administrative environment and decision-making process that promotes a positive working atmosphere and collegial staff relations.

 

• Embrace other organizational and fiscal management responsibilities as needed.

 

Traits and Characteristics

The Executive Director will be a collaborative leader and passionate advocate for performing arts and community engagement. This individual will be an excellent communicator who is able to engage with diverse people and build strategic partnerships. An innovative thinker and receptive to new ideas and approaches, the Executive Director will be aware of emerging trends in the performing arts, as well as the critical nature of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Versatile, flexible, and adaptable to changing circumstances, they will prioritize activities to achieve organizational success. A sincere leader and genuine listener, this individual will be committed to building authentic internal and external relationships. The Executive Director will value teamwork and be resourceful in efficiently mobilizing the organization’s human, financial, technological, and other resources.

Other key competencies include:

 

• Leadership – The ability to inspire others with a clear sense of purpose and direction, creating an environment that allows others to be successful while making decisions that advance the organization’s mission.

 

• Customer Focused – The flexibility to anticipate and exceed patron and stakeholder needs or expectations.

 

• Diplomacy and Negotiation – The resiliency to listen to multiple points of view, tactfully handling sensitive or difficult issues and facilitating beneficial outcomes that are mutually satisfactory.

 

• Teamwork – The dexterity to work towards consensus and participatory decision making, recognizing and appreciating team members’ individual perspectives and effectively guiding the team to resolve issues that may limit their effectiveness.

 

• Personal and Professional Accountability – The capacity to self-evaluate by utilizing and analyzing feedback and data and taking responsibility for actions and results.

 

• Time and Priority Management – The ingenuity to prioritize and complete tasks while meeting deadlines, creating an environment that is results-oriented and conducive to effectiveness.

 

Qualifications

At least five to seven years of progressive senior management experience in the creative industries, a performing arts organization, theatrical venue, or other cultural institution is required. A demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion and familiarity with current trends and ideas within the performing arts field are essential. Qualified candidates will have a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in business, arts administration, nonprofit management, or a related field. Demonstrated experience increasing revenues in a multi-disciplinary programming environment is needed. Excellent speaking, writing, and public presentation skills are essential.

 

Compensation and Benefits

CCA provides a competitive and equitable compensation package, with a salary estimated in the range of $125,000 and $150,000, and benefits that include paid vacation, sick leave, personal days, and holidays; health (100 percent employer paid premium for employee), short- and long-term disability, and AD&D insurances; and a Simple IRA plan (currently 3 percent of annual salary). CCA also offers flexible spending and dependent care accounts. CCA is committed to a comprehensive employee benefit program that helps employees stay healthy, feel secure, and maintain a work/life balance.

 

Applications and Inquiries

To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/employment. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact:

 

Dr. Bruce D. Thibodeau, President

Arts Consulting Group

292 Newbury Street, Suite 315

Boston, MA 02115-2801

Tel        (888) 234.4236 Ext. 201

Email    CCA@ArtsConsulting.com

 

The Capitol Center for the Arts is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout the organization and all aspects of its work, recognizing this commitment as essential to realizing its mission. CCA’s commitment to EDI&A fosters a culture where team members can truly belong, contribute, and grow. CCA believes in each individual’s value and encourages applications from people of any age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, veteran status, and any other characteristic or identity.