Director

Stanford Live, a premier arts presenter in the San Francisco Bay Area and a highly visible component of Stanford University’s commitment to the arts, seeks a dynamic, collaborative, and visionary leader to serve as its next Executive Director (or ED). This role presents an opportunity for an arts leader to advance innovation, equity, and transformation in the performing arts sector at a critical time. The ED will take the lead in strategically shaping the long-range vision and impact of the performing arts on both existing and new audiences and communities, on campus, regionally, and nationally.

Stanford Live presents a wide range of performances from around the world, fostering a vibrant and inclusive learning community, and providing distinctive experiences through the performing arts. It is simultaneously a public square, a sanctuary, and a lab, drawing on the breadth and depth of Stanford University to connect performance to the significant issues, ideas, and discoveries of our time.  Stanford Live is part of the university’s Office of the Vice President for the Arts, which aims to increase the visibility and collective impact of the arts at Stanford.

This position, recently endowed as the McMurtry Family Director and reporting to the Vice President for the Arts, will continue to advance and develop the Stanford Live programming and brand, ensuring that its venues and programs reach their full potential as a vital destination for artists, the campus and the broader arts community. As an arts leader for the Peninsula and Bay Area, Stanford Live’s Executive Director will attract and inspire a diverse and ever-expanding audience and community through an innovative, financially resilient, inclusive, performing arts program. The ED will strive to make Stanford Live a bridge between Stanford and the community, offering rich, multifaceted programming that connects people to one another and to the challenges and opportunities of today, as well as opportunities for the public to connect with new artists and art forms and in both formal and informal settings. They will also work internally to meaningfully connect Stanford Live’s programming to students and academic units on campus to forge new partnerships and possibilities. Most importantly, they will lead with a keen understanding of the state of the performing arts in both campuses and communities across the country and steer the organization into the future.

All inquiries and nominations, which will remain confidential, should be directed electronically below.

Applications consisting of a cover letter and resume should be submitted via the Stanford Careers website here. 

Sarah James and Ben Tobin are leading this search with Angelo Alexander

Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.