Director of Live Programs

About The Broad

The Broad was created to bring contemporary art to the broadest possible public. Launched in 2015 on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad, the museum offers free general admission and a strong calendar of special exhibitions and live events inside a landmark building designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. It welcomes about 900,000 visitors each year and houses the Broad collection, one of the world’s leading postwar and contemporary art collections, which continues to expand as new works are acquired. The institution also serves as the global lending hub for The Broad Art Foundation, which has been lending works to museums worldwide since 1984. A major expansion is planned to open before the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics, creating even greater public access.

Role Overview

The Broad is looking for a seasoned and driven Director of Live Programs to shape, design, and deliver accessible, intellectually rigorous live programming that changes how audiences experience contemporary art. The role will create new and imaginative ways for visitors to engage with the Broad collection and exhibitions.

Reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer, with a dotted-line relationship to the Founding Director, this leader will drive programming that feels current, surprising, and wide-ranging. The work should challenge conventional distinctions between popular and experimental forms while staying responsive to the institution’s mission and audience.

The Director of Live Programs will build programming in active conversation with exhibitions and the collection through performance, music, comedy, dance, film, literature, community-centered projects, socially engaged work, and other live formats. The position is central to strengthening The Broad’s reputation as a place of experimentation, dialogue, and shared cultural experience, especially as the museum prepares for a transformational expansion.

The role also requires delivering production at a very high standard while balancing ambition, operational realities, and revenue goals. The successful candidate will collaborate with internal teams, outside producers, consultants, contractors, and vendors to make complex events happen effectively and resourcefully.

Key Responsibilities

• Set and protect the long-term vision for live programming as The Broad moves toward its 2028 expansion, ensuring alignment with exhibitions, the collection, current cultural conversations, and the interests of a diverse audience.
• Maintain a strong curatorial perspective that keeps the programming original, timely, and distinctive within the field.
• Strike the right balance between broad accessibility and experimental content, creating welcoming routes into contemporary art for people who may not normally visit museums.
• Stay active in the cultural scene by attending performances, exhibitions, and events; building relationships with artists, curators, and producers in Los Angeles and beyond; and following developments across performance, music, live media, comedy, and related areas.
• Embed accessibility from the earliest planning stages, especially for disabled artists and audiences, and treat accessibility as part of the creative concept rather than only a logistical requirement.
• Bring in guest curators and outside viewpoints to broaden the range of perspectives shaping the program while keeping the work authentic and connected to the collection.
• Oversee every live program from concept through execution, ensuring artistic intent and production quality are both achieved within budget and other constraints.
• Lead the creative and production approach for public-facing events, including exhibition openings and expansion-related events, and define the experience each event should create.
• Serve as the creative and artistic lead for institutional events, shaping the performance or experiential elements that make them memorable.
• Supervise at least one direct report and support their growth through guidance, mentorship, and clear direction.
• Create and manage an annual programming budget covering talent, production, and related expenses, with room to adapt as priorities shift.
• Control budgets carefully and inventively, finding solutions that preserve artistic ambition while meeting ticket revenue goals.
• Work closely with Curatorial, Marketing, Communications, and Visitor Experience teams so programming fits the broader institutional calendar, priorities, and audience strategy.
• Handle additional responsibilities as needed.

Experience and Qualifications

The ideal candidate brings a clear curatorial voice, deep knowledge of interdisciplinary live performance, and a proven record of producing ambitious programming. Strong collaborators who actively seek fresh ways to reach wide and diverse audiences will be especially well suited to this role.

• At least 8 years of progressive experience creating and producing live programming in a museum, performing arts, festival, or similar cultural setting, with work that has combined artistic ambition with audience growth through partnerships and curation.
• A well-developed curatorial view on how live performance intersects with visual art and how live programming influences culture and audience development.
• Substantial knowledge of, and active engagement with, the performance, music, comedy, and live arts ecosystem in Los Angeles and nationally, including a habit of attending events and tracking emerging work firsthand.
• Comfort working across adjacent fields such as dance, film, literature, and social practice, and the ability to connect those disciplines with visual art.
• Strong curatorial judgment with the ability to protect the integrity of the collection and artistic quality while still attracting broad and diverse audiences.
• Experience collaborating with guest curators, artists, and other partners with different viewpoints and practices.
• A history of delivering on ambitious mission and revenue targets.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex production budgets with precision, flexibility, and ingenuity.
• Proven success executing ambitious programming within budget and operational constraints while keeping production standards high.
• Experience supervising staff and partnering across teams in a fast-paced institutional environment.
• Experience leading complicated live productions or public programs with many stakeholders, shifting timelines, and competing priorities.
• Strong visual arts literacy and deep contemporary art knowledge, with the ability to engage with curatorial colleagues as a peer.
• The ability to refine and adapt curatorial direction in partnership with internal stakeholders while maintaining artistic intent and alignment with the institution’s mission.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the credibility to work effectively with artists, institutional partners, and cross-functional colleagues.
• A demonstrated commitment to welcoming audiences who are new to contemporary art, consistent with The Broad’s mission to serve the widest possible audience.
• Willingness to support a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible environment for staff, contractors, vendors, and visitors.
• Integrity and honesty in day-to-day work.

Physical Requirements

This position requires the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull items up to 25 pounds. The role also involves frequent sitting, bending, stooping, crouching, lifting, carrying, walking, and standing.

The Broad provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and welcomes discussion of access needs related to the role.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $170,000 to $190,000 per year, based on education, experience, skills, abilities, internal equity, and market alignment.

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Employer-paid short-term disability, long-term disability, and basic life insurance.
• 401(k) plan with up to 4% matching and immediate vesting.
• An additional 5% retirement contribution for eligible employees.
• Accrued vacation, sick time, volunteer days, and one floating holiday.
• Free parking, a free LA Metro pass, or a bike/walk stipend.
• Discounts at The Shop at The Broad and at local eateries.

Additional Requirements

All hires must verify identity and work eligibility in the United States and complete the required employment eligibility verification form at the time of hire. Employment depends on satisfactory background and reference checks.

Application Instructions

Applicants should submit a resume and letter of interest. Only candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted, and phone inquiries are not accepted.

Equal Opportunity

The Broad is an equal opportunity employer committed to reflecting the diversity of Los Angeles among both staff and visitors. Hiring decisions are made in line with applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, including traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and protective hairstyles, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, medical condition, genetic information, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, prior discrimination complaints, or any other protected status. The organization is committed to building a diverse workforce that can innovate, inspire, and engage the widest possible audience. Reasonable accommodation will be provided for qualified candidates with disabilities in accordance with the ADA and ADAAA.

Additional Notes

The statements in this description reflect the typical elements, criteria, and general work performed in the role. They are not intended to be a complete list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required.