Executive Director

About The New Art Center

Founded in 1977, the New Art Center (New Art) is a nonprofit community art center located in Newton, Massachusetts, just west of Boston. For nearly 50 years, New Art has provided inclusive, high-quality visual arts education, exhibitions, and community engagement opportunities for children, teens, and adults at all levels of experience.

Each year, New Art offers 400+ classes and programs led by accomplished regional artists and educators, serving approximately 3,000 total enrollments across on-site, off-site, and outreach programs. Scholarships and tuition assistance ensure that financial barriers do not limit participation.

New Art's mission is grounded in the belief that making, viewing, and thinking about art are essential human practices that foster learning, problem-solving, connection, and meaningful lives. The organization is committed to integrating art into everyday life and to creating welcoming spaces where creativity and curiosity thrive.

New Art's vision centers on building a vibrant, inclusive creative community—one that prioritizes artistic excellence, equity, access, and belonging. Through its classes and workshops, public programs, scholarships, and community partnerships, New Art seeks to ensure that art is accessible to all, and supportive of artists at every stage of their creative journey.

As New Art approaches its 50th anniversary in 2027, the organization is focused on deepening community impact, strengthening artistic and educational quality, advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and supporting creativity, wellness, and joy through the arts.

The New Art Center seeks an Executive Director who is the visionary leader responsible for the overall strategic, artistic, financial, operational, and community impact of the New Art Center. This role will ensure New Art's financial sustainability, deepen community engagement, drive strategic planning, lead fundraising and revenue generation, and inspire a high-performing team. The Executive Director will lead with a strong artistic and educational vision, and be committed to supporting artists at every stage of their creative journey.

Reporting to the Board of Governors, the Executive Director will serve as the principal representative of the organization, stewarding donor relationships and partnerships with public, private, and civic stakeholders.

• Provide visionary leadership to shape and sustain a compelling artistic and cultural vision that reflects the values and mission of the New Art Center.
• Partner with the Board to develop and execute multi-year strategic plans that ensure financial sustainability, propel artistic innovation, audience development, and community impact.
• Inspire creative programming that balances artistic excellence with relevance to the local community.

• Oversee the assets and financial affairs of the organization to ensure New Art's financial sustainability, including developing long- and short-range financial plans, monitoring the budget and ensuring expenditures are in line with available resources, executing proper financial controls, and providing routine reports to the board and staff.
• Lead comprehensive strategy for earned revenue streams, including classes, public programs and rentals. Oversee programs team in the development and implementation of compelling education programs that promote a reputation of excellence, stimulate student loyalty, and attract new students at all levels in their artistic journey.
• Oversee budgeting and financial planning to ensure long-term fiscal health and sustainability.

• Embrace the Executive Director's role as a leader in fundraising to strengthen endeavors utilizing local, regional and national resources. Collaborate with development staff and board committees to cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and execute annual development activities.
• Lead comprehensive fundraising strategies including major gifts, grants, sponsor ships, individual giving, and special events. Cultivate and steward relationships with donors, funders, corporations, foundations, and public sector partners.

• Lead the creation of an engaged, diverse, and inclusive staff and faculty that represents the New Art communities. Cultivate a strong and transparent working relationship with the staff and faculty to ensure open communication and alignment with New Art's mission.
• Create and promote a positive, inclusive, and equitable work environment that attracts, retains, supports, and motivates a diverse staff. The Executive Director will collaborate with staff to strengthen internal communication and collaboration throughout the organization and ensure annual performance evaluations are completed.

• Support the creation of an engaged, diverse, and inclusive Board of Governors that represents New Art's…