Artistic Director / Program Manager

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, APPEL FARM ARTS & MUSIC CENTER, ELMER, NJ.

Created the Appel Farm Arts & Music Festival, an outdoor festival that for over twenty years featured internationally renowned performers and attracted audiences of up to 10,000 attendees per year from multiple states. Annual festival budget was over $250K.

Booked performers including Jackson Browne, The Avett Brothers, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Rufus Wainwright, Aimee Mann, Fountains of Wayne, Dawes, Randy Newman, Joan Armatrading, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and many others.

Developed strong relationships with national agents, managers and music industry contacts to secure talent for Appel Farm events.

Worked with fund raising staff to secure sponsors including Bank of America, Comcast, Target Stores, and PNC Bank.

Worked with creative artists to develop original brand for Festival and to rebrand the event to reach new audiences.

Responsible for programming, promotion and operations of presenting seasons in venues ranging from 240 to 2,500 seat capacities.

Established working relationships and contractual agreements with partner organizations for programming in off-site venues.

Booked performers including Toby Keith, Moiseyev Ballet, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Linda Eder, Paula Poundstone, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Acrobats of Cirque-Tacular, American Family Theater, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, Midori and more.

Created successful educational outreach partnerships in public elementary and middle schools in four counties.
Activities ranged from assembly programs to short residencies in music, theatre and visual arts, serving over 7,000 students per school year.

Secured regular media coverage of events and feature stories in local and regional newspapers including the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, Star Ledger, Press of Atlantic City, Courier Post and many more.

Developed promotional partnerships with regional radio stations including WXPN, WXTU and others.

Collaborated with marketing staff on the development of a marketing plan and the design and production of marketing materials, web content and social media.

Prepared program and season budgets, tracked expenses and completed show settlement with performers.

Co-wrote grants for programs, collected data and support materials and prepared final reports to funding sources with development office staff.

This resulted in Appel Farm receiving the sixth highest appropriation from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts in successive years.

Recruited, scheduled, supervised and evaluated administrative, house and production staff, arts administration interns and a volunteer corps of over 400 participants.

Attended board meetings and coordinated committee meetings. Participated in long range organizational strategic planning.

Maintained a standard of excellence in programming through adherence to a culture of assessment. This involved regular surveys of audiences, artists, volunteers and other stakeholders. Initiated improvements based on critical feedback.

Networked with trade organizations, music licensing organizations and local unions.

English