Position Summary
Wareham Hall is seeking a Director of Programming to build and lead booking strategy for a newly reimagined independent live music venue and multidisciplinary performance space in Manhattan, Kansas.
This is not a legacy calendar to maintain. It is a venue to build.
The Director of Programming will be responsible for shaping a financially disciplined, artist-first, tour-savvy calendar that positions Wareham Hall as a strategic routing stop between major markets while establishing it as a long‑term cultural anchor for the region.
We are looking for a live‑music professional who understands how tours move, how deals are structured, how risk is managed, and how artists grow over time. The right candidate is as comfortable negotiating guarantees and backend splits as they are identifying emerging talent and cultivating long‑term relationships with agents and managers.
Wareham Hall is ~20 months from opening. The Director of Programming will play a central role in launch strategy, calendar build‑out, and establishing the venue’s identity from day one.
Core Responsibilities
Lead all booking strategy across music, film, comedy, and select multidisciplinary events.
Structure artist offers including guarantees, percentage splits, co‑promotes, and risk‑sharing arrangements appropriate to a 650‑cap (800‑cap G.A.) independent venue.
Evaluate tour routing logic and proactively position Wareham Hall within regional and national touring flows.
Build long‑term relationships with agents, managers, promoters, and artists.
Develop scalable fee tiers and pricing strategies across program lines.
Identify opportunities to grow artists from early‑career plays into repeat headline engagements.
Maintain a disciplined show pipeline 6–18 months out.
Financial Discipline & Show Economics
Develop and manage show budgets, including guarantees, production expenses, marketing allocations, and settlement models.
Balance mission and margin, ensuring programming is artistically strong and economically sustainable.
Analyze attendance trends, ticket yields, and secondary‑market performance data to inform booking decisions.
Collaborate with operations to ensure production realities match deal structure.
Support grant‑funded or donor‑supported programming where appropriate without distorting overall financial strategy.
Venue Positioning & Market Strategy
Establish Wareham Hall as a respected stop on national and regional touring circuits.
Identify market gaps and competitive advantages within the regional ecosystem.
Coordinate strategically with peer institutions (McCain Performance Series, Manhattan Arts Center, Kansas State University) to minimize unnecessary conflict while maintaining a differentiated booking identity.
Identify co‑presentation or shared routing opportunities when strategically advantageous.
Monitor radius clauses, routing competition, and seasonal demand patterns across the Midwest.
Launch & Pre‑opening Strategy
Build a phased calendar ramp‑up aligned with venue readiness and staffing growth.
Lead inaugural season strategy that establishes Wareham Hall’s identity clearly and confidently.
Identify soft‑opening and launch events that generate momentum without overextending resources.
Work closely with marketing to articulate the venue’s voice and booking philosophy from the outset.
Community & Artist Relationships
Cultivate relationships with local and regional artists where aligned with venue standards.
Support educational or community engagement efforts when strategically appropriate.
Maintain an artist‑first culture that respects touring realities, production needs, and professional standards.
Serve as an ambassador for Wareham Hall within the independent venue network.
Qualifications & Experience Required
5–10+ years of professional experience in talent buying, venue programming, or live‑event booking.
Demonstrated experience structuring artist offers and negotiating live‑event contracts.
Fluency in settlements, production riders, advancing shows, and show‑day economics.
Strong understanding of the independent touring ecosystem, particularly in secondary or tertiary markets.
Experience working in venues in the 300–1,000 capacity range preferred.
Proven ability to build a calendar from the ground up, not simply inherit one.
Excellent relationship‑building and negotiation skills.
Ability to balance artistic ambition with financial rigor.
Preferred
Experience launching a new venue or major program initiative.
Knowledge of Midwest touring dynamics and routing between major markets.
Experience working in a mission‑driven or nonprofit environment.
Existing relationships with agents and managers relevant to Wareham Hall’s scale.
Personal Attributes
Commercially literate and artist‑centered.
Strategic thinker who understands long‑term growth curves.
Comfortable making decisions under uncertainty.
Collaborative but decisive.
Low ego, high accountability.
Energized by building something enduring rather than stepping into a finished system.
Compensation & Benefits
Competitive salary ($65,000 – $85,000) commensurate with experience.
Benefits package including health reimbursement, paid time off, and holidays.
Flexible work environment with expectations adjusted based on programming calendar and venue needs.
Opportunity to shape the identity and legacy of a once‑in‑a‑generation cultural project.
Why This Role Matters Wareham Hall is establishing a long‑term platform for artists, audiences, and regional creative growth.
The Director of Programming will define how this room shows up in the national touring ecosystem and how it earns trust with artists, agents, and audiences for decades to come. This role is foundational. The calendar you build in year one will shape the venue’s trajectory for the next twenty.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
This is not a legacy calendar to maintain. It is a venue to build.
The Director of Programming will be responsible for shaping a financially disciplined, artist-first, tour-savvy calendar that positions Wareham Hall as a strategic routing stop between major markets while establishing it as a long‑term cultural anchor for the region.
We are looking for a live‑music professional who understands how tours move, how deals are structured, how risk is managed, and how artists grow over time. The right candidate is as comfortable negotiating guarantees and backend splits as they are identifying emerging talent and cultivating long‑term relationships with agents and managers.
Wareham Hall is ~20 months from opening. The Director of Programming will play a central role in launch strategy, calendar build‑out, and establishing the venue’s identity from day one.
Core Responsibilities
Lead all booking strategy across music, film, comedy, and select multidisciplinary events.
Structure artist offers including guarantees, percentage splits, co‑promotes, and risk‑sharing arrangements appropriate to a 650‑cap (800‑cap G.A.) independent venue.
Evaluate tour routing logic and proactively position Wareham Hall within regional and national touring flows.
Build long‑term relationships with agents, managers, promoters, and artists.
Develop scalable fee tiers and pricing strategies across program lines.
Identify opportunities to grow artists from early‑career plays into repeat headline engagements.
Maintain a disciplined show pipeline 6–18 months out.
Financial Discipline & Show Economics
Develop and manage show budgets, including guarantees, production expenses, marketing allocations, and settlement models.
Balance mission and margin, ensuring programming is artistically strong and economically sustainable.
Analyze attendance trends, ticket yields, and secondary‑market performance data to inform booking decisions.
Collaborate with operations to ensure production realities match deal structure.
Support grant‑funded or donor‑supported programming where appropriate without distorting overall financial strategy.
Venue Positioning & Market Strategy
Establish Wareham Hall as a respected stop on national and regional touring circuits.
Identify market gaps and competitive advantages within the regional ecosystem.
Coordinate strategically with peer institutions (McCain Performance Series, Manhattan Arts Center, Kansas State University) to minimize unnecessary conflict while maintaining a differentiated booking identity.
Identify co‑presentation or shared routing opportunities when strategically advantageous.
Monitor radius clauses, routing competition, and seasonal demand patterns across the Midwest.
Launch & Pre‑opening Strategy
Build a phased calendar ramp‑up aligned with venue readiness and staffing growth.
Lead inaugural season strategy that establishes Wareham Hall’s identity clearly and confidently.
Identify soft‑opening and launch events that generate momentum without overextending resources.
Work closely with marketing to articulate the venue’s voice and booking philosophy from the outset.
Community & Artist Relationships
Cultivate relationships with local and regional artists where aligned with venue standards.
Support educational or community engagement efforts when strategically appropriate.
Maintain an artist‑first culture that respects touring realities, production needs, and professional standards.
Serve as an ambassador for Wareham Hall within the independent venue network.
Qualifications & Experience Required
5–10+ years of professional experience in talent buying, venue programming, or live‑event booking.
Demonstrated experience structuring artist offers and negotiating live‑event contracts.
Fluency in settlements, production riders, advancing shows, and show‑day economics.
Strong understanding of the independent touring ecosystem, particularly in secondary or tertiary markets.
Experience working in venues in the 300–1,000 capacity range preferred.
Proven ability to build a calendar from the ground up, not simply inherit one.
Excellent relationship‑building and negotiation skills.
Ability to balance artistic ambition with financial rigor.
Preferred
Experience launching a new venue or major program initiative.
Knowledge of Midwest touring dynamics and routing between major markets.
Experience working in a mission‑driven or nonprofit environment.
Existing relationships with agents and managers relevant to Wareham Hall’s scale.
Personal Attributes
Commercially literate and artist‑centered.
Strategic thinker who understands long‑term growth curves.
Comfortable making decisions under uncertainty.
Collaborative but decisive.
Low ego, high accountability.
Energized by building something enduring rather than stepping into a finished system.
Compensation & Benefits
Competitive salary ($65,000 – $85,000) commensurate with experience.
Benefits package including health reimbursement, paid time off, and holidays.
Flexible work environment with expectations adjusted based on programming calendar and venue needs.
Opportunity to shape the identity and legacy of a once‑in‑a‑generation cultural project.
Why This Role Matters Wareham Hall is establishing a long‑term platform for artists, audiences, and regional creative growth.
The Director of Programming will define how this room shows up in the national touring ecosystem and how it earns trust with artists, agents, and audiences for decades to come. This role is foundational. The calendar you build in year one will shape the venue’s trajectory for the next twenty.
#J-18808-Ljbffr