I’m an arts executive who thrives at the intersection of big ideas and practical solutions.
My mission is simple: help cultural organizations reach their full potential as forces for creativity and connection. Having led a $110M+ artistic operation at the Kennedy Center with 2,000+ annual events, I’ve spent my career proving that cultural institutions can be both creatively ambitious and operationally excellent. What really drives me is building bridges—between artists and audiences, vision and execution, tradition and innovation—creating spaces where transformative experiences can happen.
Audiences don’t just want to watch theater; they want to step inside it. Few people understand that better than casting director Kate Lumpkin.
Kate has become a go-to voice in immersive performance, shaping productions that dissolve the line between stage and audience. Her latest project? Masquerade NYC: an immersive Phantom of the Opera now running Off Broadway.
For Kate, immersive work isn’t a trend; it’s a response to what audiences are hungry for: connection, participation, and community. Her vision flips the question from “How do we fill the seats?” to “How do we open the doors wider?”
Arts and culture don’t thrive in isolation. They thrive when artists, institutions, and policymakers work in concert. Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, is making that bridge his life’s work, showing how government and the arts can partner to create healthier, stronger, more sustainable communities.
From his early days as a performer and choreographer to his current role shaping statewide cultural policy, Michael has witnessed both the joys and the shortcomings of the arts sector. In this episode, he argues that the sector’s future depends on how boldly we organize, build cross-sector partnerships, and demand our place at the table.
For arts leaders everywhere, Michael’s message is clear: advocacy is not optional—it’s the key to a sustainable future.
Few leaders expect their first months on the job to coincide with a fight for the future of the arts in America. For Erin Harkey, that became the reality when she stepped in as CEO of Americans for the Arts earlier this year—just as the federal government proposed eliminating national arts funding.
In this episode, Erin reflects on her career journey, from shaping cultural policy in Chicago to stepping into one of the most prominent arts leadership roles in the country. She shares why public funding is uniquely powerful, how communities can mobilize in times of uncertainty, and why joy itself can be a form of resistance. Along the way, she offers practical advice for arts administrators, artists, and advocates alike: from making your voice heard with elected officials to finding ways to sustain yourself in the work.
