The Amistad Center for Art & Culture is Hartford Connecticuts premier institution dedicated to the collection preservation and interpretation of art and cultural materials by and about people of African descent. Located in the heart of Hartford at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art the Center serves as a vital bridge between the rich cultural heritage of the African Diaspora and the diverse communities of Greater Hartford and beyond.

Founded on the principles of inclusion equity and community the Amistad Center maintains one of the most significant collections of African American art and cultural artifacts in New England. Through its exhibitions public programs community partnerships and educational initiatives the Center illuminates the creativity resilience and contributions of people of African descent to American and global culture.

At this important moment in its history the Amistad Center seeks a visionary community-centered and strategically minded Executive Director to lead the institution into its next chapter of growth deepened community engagement and expanded impact.

The Opportunity

The Executive Director serves as the chief executive of the Amistad Center and is responsible for the institutions overall leadership vision management and sustainability. Reporting directly to the Board of Trustees the Executive Director will steward the Centers mission cultivate and grow its community relationships lead fundraising and revenue development and ensure the institutions long-term financial and programmatic health.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for a bold and collaborative leader who is deeply committed to centering communities of color advancing equity in the cultural sector and leveraging art and culture as a force for social connection healing and transformation.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Organizational Vision

• Provide bold values-driven leadership that advances the Amistad Centers mission deepens its community relevance and positions the institution as a national model for African American arts and culture.
• Partner with the Board of Trustees to articulate and execute a compelling long-term strategic vision translating that vision into actionable goals and measurable outcomes.
• Foster an internal culture of belonging collaboration equity and excellence ensuring that staff and volunteers are engaged developed and supported.
• Champion diversity equity inclusion and accessibility across all organizational functions - from hiring and programming to partnerships and governance.
• Serve as an inspiring and accessible presence for staff Board community members and institutional partners alike.

Community Engagement & Partnership

• Serve as the primary ambassador and public face of the Amistad Center building authentic sustained relationships with the Greater Hartford community local residents civic leaders cultural institutions schools and community organizations.
• Develop and deepen partnerships with historically underserved communities centering their voices stories and leadership in the Centers programs and initiatives.
• Engage actively with Hartfords African American community and the broader African Diaspora community ensuring the Center remains accountable responsive and relevant to the people it serves.
• Build coalitions with peer institutions regional arts organizations universities and advocacy groups to advance shared goals and amplify the Centers impact.
• Lead community listening initiatives to understand evolving needs and ensure programming reflects the priorities and aspirations of the community.

Development & Fundraising

• Serve as the chief fundraiser for the Amistad Center leading and actively participating in all aspects of development including major gifts individual giving institutional philanthropy government grants and earned revenue.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive multi-year fundraising strategy that grows the Centers revenue base diversifies income streams and builds long-term financial resilience.
• Cultivate and steward a portfolio of major donors foundations and institutional funders building deep and lasting relationships that translate into sustained financial support.
• Lead the development and execution of capital campaigns special initiatives and endowment-building efforts in collaboration with the Board.
• Identify and pursue new funding opportunities including corporate sponsorships government contracts and earned revenue through programming events and membership.
• Support and empower Board members to leverage their networks and participate actively in fundraising on behalf of the institution.

Financial Acumen & Organizational Stewardship

• Oversee all financial operations of the Amistad Center ensuring fiscal integrity transparency and sustainability across all functions.
• Develop and manage the annual operating budget in close partnership with the Board Finance Committee and senior staff ensuring alignment between financial planning and strategic priorities.
• Maintain strong financial controls sound accounting practices and adherence to all regulatory and compliance requirements applicable to nonprofit organizations.
• Analyze financial reports forecasts and trends to guide informed data-driven decision-making and provide clear timely financial updates to the Board.
• Lead efforts to build organizational reserves diversify revenue and ensure the Centers long-term financial health and sustainability.
• Evaluate and optimize the operational and administrative infrastructure to maximize efficiency effectiveness and accountability.

Museum & Collections Leadership

• Provide strategic oversight of the Centers collections exhibitions and interpretive programming ensuring the highest standards of scholarship care and accessibility.
• Champion the growth stewardship and increased visibility of the Amistad Centers permanent collection of African American art and cultural materials.
• Guide the development and presentation of exhibitions and public programs that engage diverse audiences and reflect the depth and breadth of the African Diaspora experience.
• Ensure the Center adheres to best practices in museum management collections stewardship and professional ethics as established by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and peer institutions.
• Explore and advance opportunities to expand the Centers physical presence digital reach and programmatic footprint in partnership with the Wadsworth Atheneum and other collaborators.

Board Governance & Partnership

• Build and sustain a strong trust-based partnership with the Board of Trustees providing transparent communication timely reporting and strategic counsel.
• Support the Board in fulfilling its governance responsibilities including providing the information analysis and context needed for informed decision-making.
• Collaborate with Board leadership on recruitment development and engagement of Trustees who reflect the communities the Center serves and bring the expertise needed for institutional growth.
• Prepare comprehensive reports financial analyses and strategic recommendations for Board meetings and committees.

External Affairs & Communications

• Serve as the primary spokesperson and public representative of the Amistad Center articulating its mission and impact to diverse audiences including media government funders and the public.
• Develop and implement communications strategies that elevate the Centers visibility strengthen its brand and deepen public understanding of its mission and collections.
• Cultivate relationships with local state and federal government officials to advocate for policies and resources that support the arts cultural equity and the Centers work.
• Represent the Center in regional national and international conversations about African American art culture and the role of cultural institutions in advancing equity.

Qualifications & Experience

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree required preferably with a focus in art history museum studies African American studies nonprofit management arts administration or a closely related field.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience including significant senior management experience in a museum cultural institution arts organization or comparable mission-driven nonprofit.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising including major gifts cultivation foundation relations and campaign leadership with a track record of meeting or exceeding revenue goals.
• Strong financial management skills including experience overseeing organizational budgets financial reporting and long-range financial planning in a nonprofit environment.
• Deep commitment to equity inclusion and community engagement with demonstrated experience centering communities of color in organizational leadership programming or service delivery.
• Proven ability to build and sustain authentic partnerships with diverse communities particularly African American and communities of the African Diaspora.
• Demonstrated experience with Board governance including the ability to cultivate engage and work effectively with volunteer leadership.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills including the ability to represent an organization publicly with clarity passion and credibility.
• Experience managing and developing staff teams with a track record of building inclusive high-performing organizational cultures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in art history museum studies African American studies nonprofit management arts administration or a closely related field.
• Deep knowledge of African American art history and culture and familiarity with the leading institutions scholars and practitioners in this field.
• Experience with collections management curatorial practice or museum programming ideally at a collecting institution.
• Familiarity with the Greater Hartford region and its communities civic landscape and philanthropic ecosystem.
• Experience leading organizational change strategic planning or institutional repositioning efforts.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments including Board members staff community partners funders and government entities.
• Experience with capital campaigns endowment development or other complex fundraising initiatives.

Personal Attributes & Leadership Qualities

• Visionary and entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to inspire others around a compelling direction for the institutions future.
• Genuine passion for art culture and the power of African American creative expression to shape understanding and advance justice.
• Deep personal commitment to racial equity and the transformative potential of cultural institutions in advancing more just communities.
• Integrity and transparency in all internal and external relationships.
• Collaborative leadership style that values input builds consensus and empowers others while maintaining the ability to make decisive well-reasoned decisions.
• Emotional intelligence and cultural humility with the ability to listen deeply build trust and engage authentically across lines of difference.
• Resilience adaptability and a solutions-oriented mindset in navigating complex organizational and environmental challenges.
• Strong presence and credibility as an external representative and advocate for the institution.

Required Experience:

Director