The compensation range ($150K - $200K) is an estimate and will ultimately be commensurate with experience.
Peace Center
For over three decades, the Peace Center has been at the heart of transforming Greenville, South Carolina, into a thriving community with a bustling downtown centered around arts and entertainment. Over the next year, the Peace Center will complete the transformation of several historic properties, install significant technical enhancements in existing performance spaces, and, by October 2025, realize a fully functioning, 6-acre multi-venue arts and entertainment campus.
With an annual operating budget of $34 million, nearly 85% of revenue is earned from ticket sales and event rentals, and the organization consistently operates with a surplus. The Peace Center presents a robust mix of Broadway, music, dance, film, comedy, and more. With an unwavering commitment to bringing the best of world-class artists to the region, the Peace Center’s new performance and event spaces will offer even more varied experiences and continue to broaden audiences.
The Peace Center’s five performance venues include:
The Peace Concert Hall (2,115 seats) features state of the art acoustics and technology capable of catering to the most complex production requirements for Broadway, large concerts, dance performances, and comedy events, among others.
The Gunter Theatre (399 seats) is an ideal setting for off-Broadway theater, chamber ensembles, films, comedy and large corporate meetings.
The Pavilion offers outdoor seating for 1,200 along the scenic overlook of the Reedy River. This stage hosts the Peace Center’s summer concerts and is often used for festivals and City of Greenville sponsored events.
Currently under construction, the Peace Center is repurposing a historic carriage factory into a two-tiered, flat floor music and event venue. The Coach Music Factory will feature genres of music ranging from rock, jazz, country, and pop to rhythm and blues and electronic dance music. One of the Coach Factory’s unique features will be glass walls behind the stage that open for an indoor/outdoor concert experience with the backdrop of the Reedy River and The Pavilion.
An intimate listening room and lounge, The Mockingbird will feature a wide variety of singer/songwriters, musicians, and performers. Artists will perform in front of a floor-to-ceiling glass wall with the backdrop of downtown Greenville and a window into the performance for passersby walking down Main Street. The second floor will house arts education and community engagement space, as well as apartment-style ensuites for visiting artists and artists-in-residence.
With key projects already under construction, the Peace Center’s “A Music Project” (AMP) vision also includes arts education, community engagement, and private event spaces throughout the campus. A full renovation of Huguenot Mill and the Ramsaur Studio (private events, workshops, and rehearsals) will include a new terrace overlooking the Reedy River. Genevieve’s, the popular pre-performance lounge overlooking the Pavilion, will undergo similar enhancements, and public gardens and walkways will connect to shops, restaurants, and other businesses that are thriving along the river and Main Street.
About Greenville, SC
Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville is a vibrant city with a strong emphasis on community and culture. The downtown area has undergone significant revitalization, becoming a hub for business, dining, and entertainment, and featuring notable landmarks like Falls Park on the Reedy and the Liberty Bridge.
Greeneville County in the 21st century represents a modern example of an economic success story. Over the next decade, the Southeastern United States is expected to experience the highest population growth rate among all U.S. regions. Because Greenville County is expected to experience population growth far exceeding the national average, the Peace Center is anticipating significant growth in demand for culture, entertainment, and performing arts engagement. The Peace Center’s success and economic impact have drawn commercial and residential development along the river and the Main Street area. This, along with public investment in greenways, parks, and public art has established Downtown Greenville as a true live-work-play neighborhood.
Greenville is home to several higher education institutions, including Furman University and Clemson University. The Greenville County Schools system, the largest in South Carolina, is known for its commitment to excellence in education.
As the cultural epicenter of the region, Greenville offers a robust calendar of performances, festivals, and events, complemented by a thriving food scene and a variety of outdoor activities with numerous parks and trails available year-round. The city’s location offers the best of both worlds: the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and convenient access to major metropolitan areas via well-connected transportation routes.
Scope and Responsibilities
The VP of Programming, together with the CEO and Executive Vice President, will energize and activate the performance venues and other public spaces with events that enhance the organization's mission: To unite people and transform lives through inspiring arts. The VP of Programming will book, negotiate, and contract attractions across multiple venues. The primary focus of this position is overseeing the booking of popular concerts, comedy, and contemporary events on a thriving and energetic downtown campus.
Reporting to the Executive Vice President, the VP Programming will ensure the highest quality artistic programs are presented in the 2,115-seat Peace Concert Hall, 1,200-seat outdoor Pavilion, 1,000-seat Coach Factory, 399-seat Gunter Theatre, and 200-seat Mockingbird. This position will curate engagements to fulfill the Peace Center’s artistic mission, focusing on revenue-generating engagements. The ideal candidate will be a self-starter, have a deep love and knowledge of the performing arts and music, love research, and have established relationships within the music and comedy industry. Importantly, the VP must be an expert negotiator, thoroughly understand the financial implications of self-presenting and self-promoting, and have outstanding financial management and forecasting skills.
Specific Responsibilities
Establish, build, and maintain positive relationships with agents, managers, and industry representatives;
Research artists (Rostr, Pollstar, industry trades) and build informed offers, paying close attention to artist fees, ticket scaling, and expenses;
Become familiar with the current regional market for performing arts events, including theatre, music, comedy, speaker, and film events;
Develop a strong relationship with the CEO and senior management of the Peace Center;
Understand the scope of Peace Center presentations and their impact on the community, as well as the financial implications of programs offered;
Balance the commercial challenges inherent in any self-presentation against quality and taste – strive for the best of popular and thought-provoking entertainment while maintaining a positive bottom line in programming;
Aggressively negotiate contractual agreements between Peace Center and artist agents. Redline agreements and riders;
Track show costs and deposits. Forecast ticket sales;
Collaborate with the development and marketing departments to ensure that programs are sponsored when possible and contribute to the highest level of guest service and donor stewardship;
Represent the Peace Center at national booking conferences to ensure that the best and most relevant acts are available to the Peace Center’s regional audiences;
By understanding the current programming profile and history of success, book new programs and series in targeted spaces throughout the campus of the Peace Center;
Operate with the understanding that the Peace Center self-promotes most events – the VP will work directly with artist agents and managers;
The ideal candidate will have some experience negotiating deals with outside third-party national promoters like Outback, Live Nation, AEG, and others;
Execute night of artist and venue settlements;
Participate in long-range strategic planning for the Peace Center as part of the senior management team;
Seek out and engage segments of the community not currently served by Peace Center offerings, build on that opportunity, and expand it;
Other duties as assigned and deemed necessary to the position.
Key Selection Criteria
Significant experience in programming live events, ideally in both nonprofit and for-profit organizations;
Demonstrated understanding of the finances of live presentations, including complex fee arrangements, cost sharing, stage hands, technical expenses, etc.;
Taste, sophistication, a broad range of interest in the arts and entertainment, and knowledge of classical and popular artists and programs;
A demonstrated ability to create series, programs, initiatives, and new combinations of events;
An understanding of the role of artists, arts organizations, agents, managers, promoters, and venues in the supply chain of live arts presentations;
An experienced, proven leader with the ability to project confidence, humility, emotional intelligence, high energy, and empathy. A hands-on, engaging individual who also possesses the ability to see the entire picture of the organization, its mission, its position in the community and in the arts world;
An astute business executive with proven ability to balance the financial risks against the artistic rewards of live presentations – a creative individual with an analytical business mind;
An able negotiator with a reputation for fairness, for seeking long-term relationships rather than short-term profits, who is respected in the field;
An openness to learning about new cultures, traditions, and audiences;
A respect for diversity in programming and audiences;
A respect for and interest in the use of technology in the live arts.
The Peace Center has retained DHR Global to conduct the search for their Vice President of Programming. DHR is a global executive search firm that specializes in recruiting top talent for leadership positions across various industries. DHR provides services including executive search, leadership consulting, and talent advisory to help organizations find and develop the right leaders to drive their success.