Chief Executive Officer; AF

Arts Fund, soon to celebrate 50 years of service to the Puget Sound region, has actively strengthened the community by (1) raising funds that support the region’s nonprofit arts sector through grants and other organizational assistance; (2) advocating for the needs of the sector; and, (3) serving as an active member of Seattle’s civic and grantmaking community. Its vision is a community with a dynamic and world-class arts and cultural sector where the arts are accessible to all and valued as critical to a healthy community and society.

To that end, Arts Fund serves a growing network of cultural partners, large and small, established and emerging, in performing, visual, literary, and multidisciplinary arts. Last year these groups produced over 10,000 exhibitsand performances, provided 1.7million free or discounted tickets, and enabled more than 830,000 students to access arts programming. The organization also serves as a major convener,advocate and leading ambassador to the community on behalf of the arts.

It has initiated numerous, high-profile, research studies on the economic impact of the arts in the region, and pioneered the first study of the social impact of the arts in the region. As part of its mission, Arts Fund also acts as a fiscal agent for sector-wide initiatives.

Arts Fund has identified a clear set of values as guiding principles that help advance its mission:

• It seeks to ignite a passion for the Arts based on the belief that arts and culture inspire, empower and transform communities
• It promotes equitable and inclusive communities because the Arts should be accessible to all and reflect, represent, and engage the entire community
• It innovates through collaboration and leadership because Arts Fund’s impact and relevance, and that of the arts sector, are deepened through continuous learning, creative leadership, and strategic partnerships

Under strong and effective leadership over the past eight years, Arts Fund has grown a talented, ten-member professional team that in 2018 raised an operational and grants budget of $3.8 million. Arts Fund is guided by a 32-member Board of Trustees comprised of business, civic, education and community leaders and a 12- member Executive Committee. Its unique place in the community, mission, governance structure, experienced staff, and strategic opportunities provide an incoming leader with options, support, and the strategic latitude to further define and clarify Arts Fund’s scope, purpose and impact.

Arts Fund seeks a new Chief Executive Officer who is passionate about the importance of the arts in civic life, provides thoughtful strategic and operational leadership, and who brings significant, hands-on fundraising capabilities, and management experience to the position. With an opportunity to participate in the strategic planning efforts which are underway, the incoming CEO will be a proactive innovator who will lead the organization as it shapes Arts Fund’s approach and business model going forward.

The preferred candidate will have appropriate experience and skills to lead, manage, and advance Arts Fund’s fundraising, advocacy, initiatives, grantmaking, and civic and community engagement in order to further its positive influence on the sector and its growth.

The new Chief Executive Officer will play a variety of roles. Initially, it will be essential to complete the internal work of the strategic planning process while developing collaborative and productive relationships with the board and staff. Assuming a broader leadership role on behalf of the cultural sector and advocating for the importance of this work to government, corporate, philanthropic, and other cultural arts organizations must be a high priority.

A fiercely effective Arts Fund CEO, who can steward a wide range of relationships to enhance the profile of the arts community; increase public commitment to the arts; and creatively and effectively identify, explore and cultivate additional funding sources for the arts will further Arts Fund's legacy of leadership within the sector.

Specifically, the responsibilities of the Chief Executive Officer will include:

• Balancing…