Director of Public Programming

Location: New York

Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is one of the world's leading performing arts centers and a cultural cornerstone of New York City. For over 160 years, BAM has championed boundary-pushing artists across theater, dance, music, opera, film, and multidisciplinary performance. As a home for the adventurous and the avant-garde, BAM is committed to amplifying diverse voices and fostering meaningful connections between artists and communities.

BAM seeks a visionary, deeply connected Director of Public Programming to lead the production and curatorial development of public-facing events that complement and extend BAM's mainstage season. This curator will conceive, develop, and execute a robust portfolio of programs — including artist conversations, symposia, community events, interdisciplinary series, and special commissions — that deepen audience engagement and position BAM as a site for civic and intellectual discourse.

The Director will work collaboratively across departments to ensure that public programming reflects BAM's artistic values and serves the full breadth of its audiences.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Curation Develop and oversee an annual calendar of public programming in alignment with BAM's institutional mission, artistic season, and strategic priorities

Commission and produce original programs, including artist talks, panels, reading groups, marketplaces, civic engagements, pop-up performances, and cross-disciplinary collaborations

Cultivate and maintain relationships with artists, scholars, curators, activists, public officials, and cultural leaders locally, nationally, and internationally

Identify emerging voices and underrepresented perspectives for inclusion in BAM's public programming ecosyste

Production & Operations Works with Director of Production to manage public programs, from concept through execution, including budgeting, scheduling, technical requirements, staffing, and post-event evaluation

Collaborate with the technical production team to ensure all events meet BAM's production standards

Oversee vendor and contractor relationships related to public programming

Develop and manage the public programming budget responsibly and with accountability

Collaboration & Partnership Partner closely with the Marketing, Communications, and Education departments to promote programs and integrate them into BAM's broader community engagement strategy

Build and sustain partnerships with universities, cultural institutions, civic organizations, and community groups

Work with the Development team to support fundraising efforts related to public programming, including grant reporting and funder stewardship

Leadership & Management Supervise, mentor, and support a team of programming coordinators and production staff when applicable

Foster an inclusive, collaborative working environment consistent with BAM's values

Contribute to institutional planning conversations as a member of the programming team7–10 years of experience in arts programming, producing, or curation, with a significant portion in a leadership role

Deep knowledge of and passion for the performing arts, with familiarity across disciplines

Demonstrated experience producing live events of varying scale and format

Strong existing relationships within the New York arts community and broader national/international networks

Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously under deadline

Experience managing budgets and working within financial constraints creatively

Outstanding written and verbal communication skills

Commitment to equity, inclusion, and access

Fluency in a language other than English is a plus Compensation:
The salary for this role is $115K. This position is full-time,…