Executive Artistic Director

For eighty years, the Artists Association of Nantucket (AAN) has been the island’s indispensable creative institution—the place where a fledgling postwar art colony became a cultural powerhouse, where Tennessee Williams and Thornton Wilder once spoke, where the Whitney and the Metropolitan Museum once lent their finest works, and where today more than 250 member artists exhibit, teach, and create.

Now AAN stands at one of the most exciting inflection points in its history. A major gallery renovation on Federal Street is underway, a capital campaign is building momentum, and the Board is poised to invest in the next era of programming, exhibitions, collection stewardship, and community impact. The organization needs a leader equal to the moment.

The Artists Association of Nantucket seeks a visionary, entrepreneurial, and emotionally intelligent leader to serve as its next Executive Artistic Director (EAD), the chief executive responsible for advancing AAN’s artistic mission, ensuring financial sustainability, and overseeing daily operations. Reporting to a deeply engaged Board of Directors, the EAD will partner with staff, artists, donors, and community constituents to write the next chapter of an organization whose influence extends well beyond its island home.

The ideal candidate will bring a compelling blend of artistic sensibility and organizational acumen—a leader equally comfortable championing emerging artists and managing a complex budget, equally at ease cultivating major donors and curating gallery exhibitions. Above all, the next EAD will be someone who understands that the arts are not a luxury but a vital force that defines community, sparks economic vitality, and preserves cultural heritage for future generations.

The annual all-in compensation range for this position is $175,000-$200,000. Except for roles with a set rate of pay, the wage/salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The stated hiring rate/range represents the Artists Association of Nantucket’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the rate/range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

AAN is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.