Partnership with Creative Evolutions Opens Application Process Through March 9, 2026
New Haven, CT (February 16, 2026) — The International Festival of Arts & Ideas announced today that a national search for its next Executive Director is now officially live. In partnership with executive search firm Creative Evolutions, Arts & Ideas invites visionary leaders from across the country to apply for this pivotal role as the organization enters its 31st year of cultural leadership.
The position offers an annual salary of $150,000, with an anticipated start date of June 2026. Applications are open through March 9, 2026 at: creativeevolutions.com/openpositions
The new Executive Director will lead Arts & Ideas year-round as it continues producing one of the country’s most dynamic festivals, recently nominated Best Art Festival, as part of USA TODAY 10BEST’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
With more than 85% of programs free to the public, Arts & Ideas convenes artists, thinkers, and communities from across the state for performing arts performances, conversations and civic engagement. Each June the Festival launches on the New Haven Green and in neighborhoods throughout the city.
“We are eager to meet you and welcome you into our work and our community. This is a moment for thoughtful, visionary leadership that can help us build on 30 years of impact while shaping what’s possible for the future of arts and culture in New Haven and beyond,” said Annie Lin, Co-Chair of the Festival Board of Directors.
Creative Evolutions, a firm known for values-driven executive placements in the arts and nonprofit sectors, is guiding a search process designed to be transparent, candidate-centered, and rooted in the Festival’s commitment to collaboration, inclusion, and community voice.
The Festival’s Opportunity Statement outlines the mission, organizational culture, and leadership priorities in depth, emphasizing the need for a leader who can unify artistic vision, fiscal stewardship, community relationships, and organizational clarity during a period of renewal.
“We are looking to hire an Executive Director who can provide visionary and strategic leadership and engage with a wide variety of people in powerful and compelling ways. We need someone who is self-realized as a leader and can make decisions efficiently, confidently, and clearly from experience with complex real life situations,” the Opportunity Statement says.
As Arts & Ideas prepares for its 2026 Festival themed HOME & BELONGING, the organization sees this leadership transition as an opportunity to deepen its role as a civic and cultural anchor for New Haven and the broader region.
Leaders interested in shaping the future of one of the nation’s most celebrated arts festivals are encouraged to review the full Opportunity Statement and apply by March 9.
Apply at: creativeevolutions.com/openpositions