KANSAS CITY, MO.- Charlotte Street, Kansas City’s preeminent nonprofit supporting contemporary artists, announced two transformative developments in its leadership structure: the official launch of a national search for a new Co-Executive Director (Programs) and the promotion of longtime team member Amanda Middaugh to Co-Executive Director (Operations).
These changes follow the Charlotte Street Board of Directors’ recent vote to adopt a co-leadership model, designed to balance artistic innovation with operational excellence while building long-term sustainability and deeper artist-centered engagement.
“A co-leadership structure reflects our values of collaboration, equity, and care,” said Elvis Achelpohl, Board President. “This model allows Charlotte Street to lead boldly on multiple fronts: supporting artists, growing partnerships, and expanding our impact as a cultural incubator for Kansas City and beyond.”
Amanda Middaugh, who has served as a strategic and operational anchor at Charlotte Street for over five years, will step into the newly created Co-Executive Director (Operations) role. In this position, she will oversee administration, development, and finance among other responsibilities. Middaugh’s promotion is both a testament to her outstanding leadership and a critical step toward ensuring organizational continuity and mission alignment.
Charlotte Street is now launching a national search for a Co-Executive Director (Programs) to partner with Middaugh in leading the organization into its next chapter. This individual will guide the artistic direction and programming strategy of the organization, overseeing residencies, exhibitions, awards, and community engagement initiatives. The ideal candidate is a bold, strategic thinker with a deep commitment to equity and experimentation in contemporary art.
“We are looking for a visionary leader with a passion for artists and community building,” said Lane Czaplinski, Interim Executive Director. “With Amanda’s expertise and steady leadership on the operational side, this new Co-Executive Director will be well-supported in pushing artistic boundaries and expanding Charlotte Street’s national influence.”
Charlotte Street has a 28-year legacy of centering artists and catalyzing change through community-embedded, forward-thinking arts programming. In 2021, it opened its first permanent campus in Midtown Kansas City—home to galleries, studios, a performance space, media lab, and garden—making it one of the region’s most significant investments in contemporary artists and cultural infrastructure.
Applications for the Co-Executive Director (Programs) position are now being accepted. The full position profile and instructions for applying can be found at www.charlottestreet.org. Priority will be given to applications received by June 13, 2025.
The Co-Executive Director (Programs) Position
Charlotte Street seeks a strategic, collaborative, and visionary leader to serve as its next Co-Executive Director (Programs). This is a pivotal moment in the organization’s evolution as it transitions to a co-leadership model designed to balance artistic innovation with operational excellence. The incoming Co-Executive Director (Programs) will play a central role in guiding the artistic direction of the organization, supporting and amplifying the work of contemporary artists, and advancing Charlotte Street’s mission in partnership with the Co-Executive Director (Operations). Together, they will steward a dynamic team and engage deeply with Kansas City’s local and regional creative communities to ensure Charlotte Street remains a national leader in artist-centered care and contemporary practice.
MISSION
Charlotte Street centers Kansas City’s most forward-thinking visual artists, writers, and performers—acting as the primary incubator, provocateur, and connector for the region’s contemporary arts community, and its leading advocate on the national stage.
VALUES
Risk-taking, Openness, Collaboration, Excellence
ON EQUITY:
Charlotte Street values an equitable, diverse, and inclusive art community, which we interpret as all artists having fair access to the tools and resources they need to realize their artistic endeavors. We acknowledge structural inequities that have excluded individuals and communities from opportunity based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, class, age, and geography, and strive to counter those inequities in our work and in representation on our board, staff, and constituent groups.
The individual selected for this role will address the following priorities:
• Lead the development, execution, and evolution of Charlotte Street’s artistic and public programs.
• Oversee residencies, exhibitions, artist awards, and community engagement initiatives, while cultivating a bold curatorial vision that reflects the organization’s values of risk-taking, collaboration, openness, and excellence.
• Mentor and support a talented program staff, manage key partnerships, and represent the organization in local, regional, and national conversations on contemporary art and artist development.
• Partner with the Co-Executive Director in fundraising and donor stewardship.
• As a member of the co-leadership team, share responsibility for organizational strategy, fundraising, board relations, and the overall health and culture of Charlotte Street.
OPPORTUNITIES + CHALLENGES
Strategic Planning: Charlotte Street’s 2020-2024 Strategic Plan identified four key initiatives aimed at cultivating a dynamic home for artists in various career stages and disciplines to thrive. These initiatives included: 1) Refining and aligning PROGRAMS to reflect Charlotte Street’s core values; 2) creating platforms and environments for ARTIST-CENTRIC COMMUNITY BUILDING in which artists connect with one another, build supportive audiences, and gain access to resources and networks; 3) STORYTELLING & ENGAGEMENT along with institutional transparency to establish strong relationships and build understanding of Charlotte Street’s mission, vision, values, and process with local artists and communities; and, 4) Evolve and adapt INFRASTRUCTURE and structures to ensure financial strength, operational agility, and organizational SUSTAINABILITY. In addition to evaluation of the previous Strategic Plan, the Co-Executive Director will facilitate the development of the next organizational Strategic Plan through staff, board, and community engagement.
CAPACITY BUILDING
From 2015 to 2023, Charlotte Street has experienced a significant period of growth alongside its investment in a permanent campus. The number of artists served increased from approximately 80 to over 800, with an increase of over $130,000 in direct funds to artists. The number of programs serving both artists and Kansas City audiences has increased from less than 20 annual events to over 100. In response, the staff has grown from 4 employees to 9, including specific skill sets to support programming, marketing, and community engagement. All of this strategic capacity building has been informed directly by engagement and listening with the local artist community, while the organization simultaneously works to bolster its operational structure and fiscal stability. Charlotte Street’s annual operating budget has grown from just under $600,000 in 2015 to over $1.2 million in 2024.
Charlotte Street is currently seeking to grow both its operational and programming capacity along with increasing dollar amounts for commissions, awards, and program stipends for artists, curators, and performance producers. Longer-term goals include developing new compensation structures that build economic equity for artists in the region.
ARTS CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT
Two and half years after opening its new home in Midtown Kansas City, the organization is starting to see evidence of the impact having a permanent physical presence can have in nurturing a rich and diverse ecosystem of artists and audiences, and what might most contribute to continued growth.
Charlotte Street’s community-grounded strategy seeks to create recurring platforms for arts-based community engagement, contributing to strong sense of belonging on its campus while demystifying and developing interest in contemporary art in young and historically underserved audiences. These programs are establishing Charlotte Street as a third space of neighborhood-positive artistic activity for all levels of art experience and interest, while centering and resourcing Kansas City’s best contemporary artists and performers.
In addition to this hyperlocal focus, Charlotte Street is poised to become a nationally and internationally recognized generative hub for ambitious, experimental art.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
The ideal candidate is an experienced leader with a strong background in contemporary art, public programming, and community engagement. They are deeply committed to equity and accessibility in the arts, and bring a collaborative, thoughtful, and adaptive approach to leadership. They are energized by working closely with artists, curators, and cultural workers, and bring a nuanced understanding of interdisciplinary practice, experimental work, and artist-run culture. The successful candidate will have demonstrated success in managing teams, developing programming, fundraising, and building partnerships that center the voices and needs of artists.
Preferred qualifications include:
• Five or more years of senior leadership or curatorial/programming experience within a contemporary arts, nonprofit, or cultural context.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and delivering innovative programs and artistic initiatives.
• Strong track record of team management, mentorship, and fostering inclusive organizational culture.
• Fundraising experience, including proposal writing and donor cultivation.
• Deep knowledge of contemporary art, interdisciplinary practices, and grassroots/artist-led cultural movements.
• Commitment to antiracism, equity, and social justice in the arts.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and partnership-building skills.
COMPENSATION + BENEFITS
This is a full-time, salaried position based in Kansas City, Missouri. Annual compensation is $120K with a comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance, paid vacation and sick leave, professional development support, and a flexible, collaborative work culture rooted in artist-first values.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Charlotte Street is seeking to fill this position in the Fall of 2025. Interested candidates should submit a resume and a two-page cover letter detailing their qualifications, leadership experience, and vision for artist-centered programming. Applications should be sent to info@charlottestreet.org. Priority will be given to submissions received by June 13, 2025. Candidates who are most competitive will be invited to an initial virtual interview. All candidates will be notified of their status as it is decided.
