Artistic Director

Artistic Director
Position Profile

For more than ninety years, The Apollo has stood as a living symbol of Black excellence, artistic innovation, and cultural leadership. From legendary performances that reshaped American culture to new works that challenge, inspire, and unite, The Apollo has never been simply a theater; it has been a proving ground for brilliance, a gathering place for a Harlem and international community, and a home for Black artists.

As The Apollo completes The Apollo Rising 2.0 campaign, the organization prepares for a transformation. Upon reopening in early 2027 (after an extended 21-month renovation and reconstruction period), The Apollo will operate a full campus for the first time in its history, encompassing six distinct venues, including multiple performance spaces, new streaming capabilities, an expanded publicly accessible lobby, and a café.

Once the historic theater reopens, The Apollo anticipates welcoming upwards of 25,000 visitors each week, whether attending events in the Historic Theater (capacity: 1,500), participating in programs within the two new black-box theaters at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria — Theater 1 (199-seat) and the Jonelle Procope Theater (99-seat) — or engaging with its public spaces. Further, The Apollo will stand as the artistic home this era demands—a place where historically marginalized voices don’t just survive, but flourish;

where artists create work that bridges divisions; where the next generation discovers what’s possible when given a stage.

To meet this moment, The Apollo will hire a new Artistic Director. This leader will lead the curatorial process that fuels The Apollo’s year-round artistic programming. Reporting directly to the President & Chief Executive Officer and managing a team charged with curating a wide range of events, new work development and artist residencies, and The Apollo’s Learning and Engagement programs, this executive will shape the planning for all of The Apollo’s venues, communicate those plans and programs to all stakeholders, and oversee the planning and producing process.

As a leader, this individual will have a firm commitment to partnership. They will be a welcoming host and partner to artists, a responsive and strategic collaborator to the board and leadership, and a thoughtful colleague to staff around the organization. Further, they will embrace stewarding The Apollo’s legacy and envisioning what The Apollo will continue to be, in terms of artistic exploration and presentation.

As part of this moment of transformation, the Artistic Director will work closely with the President & CEO and the Chief Growth Officer to align artistic programming with The Apollo’s broader institutional strategy. Together, this leadership model ensures that artistic vision, institutional strategy, and audience growth operate in alignment. The Apollo is also working with TOC Arts Partners to hire a new General Manager, Campus and Event Operations, who will be a key collaborator on Production, and which represents another important step in the organization’s evolution.

These leaders will work closely with President & CEO Michelle Ebanks and complete the senior leadership team, elevating programming initiatives, establishing sound management practices, and contributing to the forward momentum currently underway for this iconic organization.

Since 1934, The Apollo has celebrated, created, and presented work that centers Black artists and voices from across the African Diaspora. In December 2024, The Apollo Theater became the first organization honored by the Kennedy Center Awards, underscoring its enduring impact on American culture and the performing arts. Today, The Apollo is…