Director, Civic Actor Studio

Department

AI Court Artistic

Winner of the 2022 Regional Theatre Tony Award, Court Theatre reimagines classic theatre to illuminate our current times. In residence at the University of Chicago and on Chicago’s historic South Side, we engage our audiences with intimate and provocative experiences that inspire deeper exploration of the enduring questions that confront humanity and connect us as people.

Court Theatre seeks an experienced and collaborative Director of Civic Actor Studio to lead and advance its civic arts leadership programming. This grant‑funded position is responsible for fundraising, cohort recruitment and selection, and the design and facilitation of two Civic Actor Studio retreats annually. In addition, the Director will serve as Project Manager for the Cook County Justice Advisory Council’s Community of Care, a nationally recognized initiative supporting leaders and staff engaged in violence prevention work that has received a National Association of Counties (NACo) Award for innovation and impact.

Reporting to the Artistic Director, this role integrates theater practice, civic leadership, and community care to strengthen democratic and community‑building outcomes. This is a part‑time, benefits‑eligible, grant‑funded position, renewable contingent on continued funding.

• Designs, leads, and evaluates two Civic Actor Studio retreats per year utilizing theater‑based and participatory practices.
• Ensures program alignment with Court Theatre’s artistic mission, civic values, and community engagement goals.
• Serves as Project Manager for the Community of Care initiative, an award‑winning program supporting violence prevention leaders and staff across Cook County.
• Coordinates program planning, timelines, and deliverables in collaboration with Cook County Justice Advisory Council staff and partners.
• Facilitates arts‑based, relational, and trauma‑informed practices that support leadership sustainability, peer connection, and collective care.
• Tracks program outcomes and prepares narrative and data reports required by Cook County and for other funders and internal stakeholders.
• Leads fundraising and grant stewardship efforts for Civic Actor Studio and related civic arts initiatives.
• Collaborates with Court Theatre leadership and development staff on donor cultivation, grant writing, and reporting.
• Recruits, selects, and supports diverse cohorts of civic leaders, including artists, nonprofit professionals, journalists, educators, organizers, and violence prevention practitioners.
• Builds and maintains relationships with civic, cultural, and community partners.
• Serves as the primary liaison between Civic Actor Studio, Community of Care partners, and Court Theatre leadership.
• Contributes to strategic planning and long‑term visioning for civic arts initiatives at Court Theatre.
• Coordinates communications with Court Theatre’s marketing team.
• Develops and communicates program priorities and performance standards and assesses operations using these criteria. Plans and conducts quality assurance reviews and recommends changes as appropriate.
• Manages program budgets and recommends or makes budgetary recommendations.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5‑7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

• Bachelor’s degree in theater, arts administration, nonprofit leadership, civic engagement, public policy, or a related field.

• Background in program leadership, project management, facilitation, or arts‑based community work.
• Familiar with immersive or participatory theater practices.
• Working with violence prevention, community safety, or public‑sector partners.

• Demonstrated success securing funding for arts or civic programs.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multi‑stakeholder projects and work collaboratively across diverse communities.
• Strong written, verbal, and facilitation skills.
• Commitment to people‑centered,…