Description

The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards

High Point, North Carolina

Executive Director

Opportunity to Lead the Next Chapter of a Growing Cultural Institution in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad

The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards (TAG) seeks an accomplished, engaging and hands-on arts leader to guide the organization into its next chapter of artistic growth, community engagement and institutional sustainability.

With the upcoming retirement of longtime Executive Director Jeff Horney, TAG is well positioned for this transition. Under Horney’s leadership, TAG significantly expanded its community presence and, in 2023, moved into an exceptional new 11,000-square-foot home at Congdon Yards. With the organization and facility firmly established, the next Executive Director will have the opportunity to focus on what comes next: strengthening the quality and distinction of TAG’s exhibitions and educational programs, deepening relationships with artists and audiences, expanding philanthropic support, and further establishing TAG as an important cultural resource for High Point and the Piedmont Triad.

TAG seeks a leader who combines strong visual-arts and programming experience with the executive skills necessary to lead a small, ambitious nonprofit organization. The successful candidate will bring artistic judgment, curiosity and knowledge of exhibition and educational practices; the ability to inspire and support staff; comfort working closely with an engaged Board; and the interpersonal skills to become an active and visible member of the High Point community.

The Executive Director will also lead TAG’s continued evolution from “friendraising to fundraising,” building relationships with individual donors, foundations, sponsors and community partners. TAG’s dedicated staff of eight—four full-time and four part-time—and engaged 31-member Board provide a strong foundation for the organization’s next stage of artistic and institutional development.

TAG occupies approximately 11,000 square feet of gallery and classroom space at Congdon Yards and has an annual operating budget of approximately $700,000. Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of annual gala proceeds, individual giving, grants, sponsorships and earned revenue from classes and programs. TAG is in a sound financial position supported by healthy reserves.

Having completed its recent move into a new facility, TAG is positioned for its next Executive Director to focus primarily on programs, people, audiences, fundraising and community.

The Opportunity

This is an exciting time to lead TAG. The next Executive Director will benefit from a supportive and engaged Board, the retiring Executive Director’s established network of supporters, an energized and committed staff, a strong financial position and an outstanding new facility. The Executive Director provides both strategic and day-to-day leadership for TAG. Working closely with staff and the Board, the Executive Director will shape the organization’s artistic and programmatic direction while ensuring sound management, financial stability and strong community relationships.

The next Executive Director will inherit an organization with a respected history, an excellent new facility, committed staff, an engaged Board and a strong network of community supporters. TAG is not seeking simply to replicate the leadership that brought the organization to this point. Rather, it seeks a leader whose artistic, programmatic and relationship-building strengths will build on that legacy and guide the organization’s next phase.

Important leadership qualities include strong visual-arts and programming experience; sound fiscal and organizational management; excellent interpersonal and communication skills; an ability to support and develop staff; fundraising aptitude; and the desire to become deeply engaged in the cultural and civic life of High Point.

About TAG and Congdon Yards

TAG’s annual program includes six to eight gallery rotations, artist talks and other presentations, art classes, and school partnerships.

Founded in 1975 at the High Point Theatre, TAG became an independent 501(c)(3) organization in 1992. In 2023, TAG moved its programming to Congdon Yards, a major redevelopment initiative created through the leadership of High Point business leaders and the Congdon Family Foundation.

Congdon Yards has transformed a historic mill into a vibrant center for business, entrepreneurship, creativity and community—a place to work, imagine, meet, experience and grow. TAG is an important component of that vision and contributes to the broader effort to strengthen High Point’s cultural identity and creative life.

The next Executive Director will have the opportunity to build on this momentum by strengthening TAG’s artistic profile, expanding audiences and partnerships, developing deeper relationships with artists and supporters, and increasing the organization’s visibility throughout High Point and the Piedmont Triad.

To learn more about TAG and Congdon Yards, visit The Art Gallery and Congdon Yards websites.

Qualifications

TAG recognizes that strong candidates may come from a variety of professional paths and encourages applications from experienced arts leaders as well as candidates ready to assume their first Executive Director role.

Preferred Qualifications Include:

•       Progressively responsible leadership experience in a visual arts, cultural, educational or closely related nonprofit setting.
•       Demonstrated professional experience in visual-arts programming, exhibitions, arts education, artist relations or a closely related area.
•       Strong understanding of the role visual-arts organizations can play in building community and engaging diverse audiences.
•       Demonstrated success in nonprofit fundraising, including experience with donor cultivation and stewardship, annual giving, sponsorships, grants  and/or major gifts.
•       Experience developing earned-revenue opportunities is also valued.
•       Ability to implement strategic plans and manage complex projects.
•       Strong financial-management and budgeting skills.
•       Proven ability to lead, support and develop staff.
•       Experience working successfully with boards, volunteers and community stakeholders.
•       Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
•       Ability to engage and inspire a wide range of constituencies.
•       A collaborative, hands-on leadership style appropriate to a small nonprofit organization.
•       A Bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration, Art History, Studio Art, Museum Studies, Nonprofit Management, Business Administration or a related field is preferred; equivalent professional experience will be considered.

Compensation & Benefits

The position offers a salary of $90,000–$120,000, depending on experience and qualifications, along with a monthly healthcare stipend, a 3% retirement-plan match, paid holidays, paid time off and relocation assistance if needed.

The successful candidate must maintain a strong, visible presence in High Point and become actively engaged in the civic and cultural life of the community. Candidates from throughout the Piedmont Triad and beyond are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the United States and successfully complete required background checks.

Application Process

Application Deadline: Open until position filled

Please submit a cover letter, résumé, three references to:

Dan Keegan

Museum Leadership Placement

Dankeegan@mueumleaders.com 

References will not be contacted without notification. The application and evaluation process will remain open until the position is filled.

The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, parental status, military service or other non-merit factors.

About High Point

High Point is a city in the midst of an exciting transformation. Long recognized as the Home Furnishings Capital of the World and host of the internationally renowned High Point Market, the city has broadened its identity into one of North Carolina’s dynamic centers for entrepreneurship, higher education, design and creative placemaking.

In recent years, High Point has experienced significant public and private investment, population growth and renewed development activity, reflecting a community with considerable momentum and confidence in its future. Its longstanding strengths in design, manufacturing and entrepreneurship are increasingly complemented by investments in downtown development, education, hospitality, arts and culture.

Nowhere is this evolution more evident than in downtown High Point, where historic industrial buildings have been reimagined as vibrant mixed-use destinations. Congdon Yards, new hospitality and dining options, residential development, creative workspaces and entrepreneurial initiatives have contributed to an increasingly active year-round downtown.

High Point University continues to be a major catalyst for the city’s growth and national profile, while the larger Piedmont Triad provides access to the cultural, educational and metropolitan resources of Greensboro and Winston-Salem within a short drive.

For an arts leader, High Point presents a particularly compelling opportunity: a community with deep philanthropic traditions, strong business and civic leadership, increasing cultural investment and the rare opportunity to help shape the artistic identity of a city whose transformation is still unfolding.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

Artistic and Programmatic Leadership

•       Provides leadership and vision for TAG’s exhibition, arts education and public-programming strategy.
•       Works collaboratively with professional staff to develop distinctive, high-quality exhibitions and programs that engage artists, audiences and the broader community.
•       Builds relationships with artists, galleries, museums, universities and other cultural partners locally, regionally and nationally.
•       Encourages thoughtful experimentation and new programming while maintaining a clear understanding of TAG’s mission, audiences and resources.
•       Ensures the delivery of high-quality programs and events that align with TAG’s mission and meet the evolving needs of the community.
•       Evaluates programs for artistic quality, audience engagement, community impact and financial sustainability.

Strategic and Organizational Leadership

•       Implements TAG’s strategic plan and advances its mission and long- and short-term goals.
•       Provides clear organizational direction while maintaining a collaborative and hands-on leadership style.
•       Manages the day-to-day operations of TAG and oversees programs, earned-revenue activities and organizational systems.
•       Develops and manages the annual budget and provides accurate and timely financial information to the Board.
•       Oversees facility maintenance and improvements.
•       Identifies opportunities for partnerships, audience development and sustainable organizational growth.

Fundraising and Development

•       Serves as TAG’s lead fundraiser and works with the Board to strengthen a culture of philanthropy.
•       Develops and executes fundraising strategies that include individual giving, donor cultivation and stewardship, sponsorships, grants, special events and other contributed-revenue opportunities.
•       Builds and maintains relationships with existing donors while cultivating new supporters.
•       Works closely with Board members to expand their role in donor development and relationship building.
•       Identifies appropriate earned-revenue opportunities that support TAG’s mission and financial sustainability.

Community Engagement and Advocacy

•       Serves as TAG’s primary spokesperson and advocate.
•       Builds strong relationships with community members, artists, supporters, civic leaders, educational partners and other stakeholders.
•       Promotes TAG’s mission through public engagement, media relations and community partnerships.
•       Maintains a strong and visible presence in High Point.
•       Becomes actively engaged in the civic and cultural life of the community and helps position TAG as a leading arts resource for High Point and the region.

Staff Leadership and Development

•       Inspires, supports, mentors and evaluates staff.
•       Encourages professional development, collaboration and shared accountability.
•       Conducts annual reviews and provides regular feedback and coaching.
•       Recruits, trains and supervises staff and volunteers as appropriate.
•       Creates an organizational culture that values creativity, professionalism, communication and teamwork.

Board Relations and Governance

•       Works closely with the Board of Directors and maintains open, active and transparent communication.
•       Provides the Board with accurate and timely information necessary to fulfill its governance and fiduciary responsibilities.
•       Utilizes Board expertise and relationships to advance TAG’s mission and strategic priorities.
•       Works with Board leadership to strengthen engagement, committee effectiveness and long-term governance.
•       Partners with the Board in fundraising, community outreach and strategic planning.