Located in the greater Denver area, the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities is one of the nation’s largest multidisciplinary arts institutions. Since its founding on July 4, 1976, the Center has grown into a hub of culture and creativity for the Rocky Mountain region, presenting award-winning theater, concerts, exhibitions, and educational programs for audiences of all ages. Its stages, galleries, classrooms, and outdoor amphitheater have hosted acclaimed productions and nationally recognized artists, all while cultivating homegrown talent and engaging deeply with the community.
The Arvada Center operates as an independent nonprofit organization, maintaining a public-private partnership with the City of Arvada, which continues to own and care for the campus. This hybrid governance model has provided both stability and agility, allowing the Center to honor its civic legacy while charting a bold, independent course. Today, the Center reaches more than 300,000 patrons annually, presents hundreds of performances and exhibitions, and is recognized as a vital contributor to Denver’s thriving arts and culture ecosystem.
The Opportunity
The Arvada Center seeks its next President and Chief Executive Officer to lead the organization into its 50th anniversary season and beyond.
This is a moment of opportunity for a seasoned, visionary leader to inherit a financially sound, nationally respected institution with an engaged Board, a talented staff, and a newly adopted five-year Strategic Plan (2025–2030). The incoming leader will be charged with executing this plan while cultivating new partnerships, expanding philanthropic support, and championing the arts and humanities at the local, regional, and national levels.
The President and CEO will oversee a robust senior team and a staff of more than 250 full-time and part-time professionals, as well as 380 volunteers, guiding programming across theater, visual arts, concerts, and education. Key objectives for the first 12–18 months include building trust-based relationships with staff, donors, and civic partners; strengthening revenue and fundraising pipelines; launching early planning for a potential capital campaign; and leading organizational assessments that position the Center for long-term growth.
With a budget of $14.5 million, major funding streams from the City of Arvada and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, and a growing base of supporters, the Center is poised for transformational growth under new leadership.
The salary range for this position is $275,000–$310,000.
