President and Chief Executive Officer

The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance (the Harris, Harris Theater, or Theater) seeks a visionary, entrepreneurial, and strategic leader with a passion for performing arts to serve as its next Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This is an unparalleled opportunity to lead one of the nation’s most distinctive performing arts institutions with the mission to be Chicago’s home for music and dance, connecting diverse audiences with outstanding artists from across the city, the nation, and the world.

Located in Millennium Park in the heart of downtown Chicago, the Harris was established to address a longstanding need within the city’s cultural ecosystem: a premier performance venue designed for mid-sized music and dance organizations that had outgrown smaller spaces but were not well served by Chicago’s largest stages. Since opening in 2003, the Harris has become a vital artistic anchor, expanding access to high-quality performance while strengthening the city’s performing arts sector.

The Harris Theater operates through a distinctive dual model that combines service to Chicago’s arts community with its own presenting program. At its core is the Resident Company Program, through which more than 32 small to mid-sized nonprofit music, dance, and multidisciplinary arts organizations use the Harris as their performance home. Support for these resident companies is core to the Harris’ mission. Alongside this role, the Theater offers Harris Theater Presents (HTP), an independent presenting series that brings nationally and internationally recognized artists and companies to Chicago. The Harris Theater serves as both a shared cultural infrastructure supporting the local arts ecosystem and a curator and presenter of exceptional performances, making it one of Chicago’s most important hubs for music and dance.

The next CEO will articulate a compelling vision for the future, cultivate the resources needed to advance it, and lead the organization through its next chapter of artistic, financial, and organizational growth.

Isaacson, Miller, a global executive search firm, has been retained to support the Harris Theater in this search. Confidential inquiries, nominations, and applications may be directed to Isaacson, Miller below. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process.

Ben Tobin and Jeff Kessner are leading this search with Arianna Williams and Jenny Rubin.

The Harris Theater is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin, or disability status, or any protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, and local laws.