EMILY O’NEIL
West Newton
Summary
Accomplished executive with over two decades of experience leading arts organizations, advancing cultural policy, and delivering measurable community and economic impact through innovative programming, advocacy, and partnership-building.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Executive Director
New Art Center
Newton
04.2019 - Current
- Oversee the operations of New Art through thoughtful leadership, management and strategic planning
- Reports to the Board of the New Art Center and provides executive leadership to all operations, marketing, program & development staff
- Oversees the personnel and planning for all New Art business departments, programs, and activities
- Plans and identifies the priorities for fundraising to maintain and enhance the earned and philanthropic revenue for the organization
- In consultation with the Board, senior staff and other stakeholders, lead long-range vision planning
- Key Accomplishments:
- Led the City’s largest community arts organization, partnering closely with municipal stakeholders to increase access, visibility, and economic impact of the arts.
- Guided the organization through COVID-19 with strong growth in programming, budget sustainability, and inclusion.
- Developed a cadre of scholarship, exhibition initiatives, capital renovations, and cultural access programs serving underrepresented populations.
Executive Director
Fort Point Arts Community
Boston
04.2014 - 03.2019
- Defined and executed a bold vision to integrate arts into Boston’s economic development.
- Increased public art, earned revenue, and individual giving while earning national recognition for flagship projects like SOS (Safety Orange Swimmers).
- Reported to President and Executive Committee of the Board of Directors and actively collaborated with Board Members
- Managed Public Art Programs including calls for permanent and temporary public art, managed juries and notifications to artists. Oversaw installation and permitting of public art with property owners and the City of Boston
- Directed annual Open Studios including communications, public art, volunteer management and permitting
- Key Accomplishments:
- Increased art-lending program revenue by 88% from $15K to $125K between FY13-FY18
- Added public art opportunities and grew interest in public art including most successful project to date: 2016 Floating Art Project SOS (Safety Orange Swimmers)
- Recognized in the Top 25 public art projects nationally in 2017 by the Public Art Network
- Named to the Top 15 public art projects in Boston of 2016 by The Artery/WBUR
- Featured on the front page of The Boston Globe, above the fold on October 13, 2016
- Initiated new fiscal management practices and enhanced internal oversight of financial accounts
Special Events & Corporate Partnerships Officer
American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.)
Cambridge
03.2011 - 12.2013
- Responsible for staff and volunteer management, event budgets of $150K, vendor negotiation, event production
- Planned and implemented corporate partnership program
- Strategically built relationships and secured donations
- Gala Event Consultant, Donor Information Coordinator, 2010-2012
- Key Accomplishment:
- Planned and implemented more than 40 A.R.T. Development Department events per season, including fundraising, donor cultivation and stewardship, and Board development
Director of Development
Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion (I.B.A.)
Boston
01.1998 - 01.1999
- Implemented and managed all fundraising programs and special events efforts required to meet the $1.5 million annual budget
- Key Accomplishment:
- Secured funding from government, foundation, and corporate sources as well as from special events, individual and in-kind donors
Director
Smith Andersen Editions
Palo Alto
01.1996 - 01.1998
- Managed contemporary art gallery’s print making studio
- Key Accomplishments:
- Developed and managed Artists in Residence program
- Developed and implemented marketing techniques for sales of prints produced by gallery artists
- Increased revenue by 50% facilitating new artist relationships and creating a secondary market business
Gallery Director
Barbara Krakow Gallery
Boston
01.1994 - 01.1996
- Managed the contemporary art gallery’s daily operations and directed gallery’s inclusion in five special event art fairs per year. Curated/co-curated exhibitions, designed installations, wrote press releases and lectured to public
- Registrar, 1992 – 1993
Education
M.A. - Urban Policy
Tufts University
Medford, MA01.2003
A.B. - Art History
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, ME01.1992
Skills
- Visionary Leadership & Policy/Program Development
- Strategic Planning & Cultural Ecosystem Building
- Community Engagement & DEI Advancement
- Economic Development Through Arts
- Government & Nonprofit Partnerships
- Fundraising & Public/Private Investment
Websites
Certification
Strategic Perspectives in Npnprofit Management
Harvard Business SchoolHarvard Business School
Issued Aug 2024Issued Aug 2024Credential ID 24GJ-1ZWX-E8L2
Community Service
- Newton Community Pride, Council Member, Newton, MA, 2020-11, Present, Newton Community Pride is a 501c3 non-profit organization building community for all to enjoy through arts and culture programming, supporting beautification projects and promoting volunteerism.
- Newton Cultural Council, Co-Chair, Newton, MA, 2022-07, 2024-06, Appointed by Mayor Ruth Fuller of Newton, MA to a three-year term to award Local Cultural Council Funds to selected grant applicants through a juried process
Affiliations
Charles River Regional Chamber, co-chair, Arts & Culture Commitee, April 2024 - present
Co-fpunded the Arts & Culture Commitee with the goal of helping chamber members discover the power of arts and culture in the community and its vital role in the local and regional economy. The committee advocates for artists and arts organizations in our municipalities, business ecosystem, and broader cultural context.
Newton Community Pride, Board Member, 2020 - Present
Newton Community Pride is a 501c3 non-profit organization building community for all to enjoy through artsand culture programming, supporting beautification projects and promoting volunteerism
Newton Cultural Council, Co-Chair, 2022 - 2024, Council Member April 2018 - June 2022
THE CHARLES & JOAN GROSS FAMILYFOUNDATION, NY, NY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TREASURER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2004 -Present
• Manage all aspects of small family foundation focused on advancing the creation of dance and music
Key Accomplishments:
• Developed protocol for the Gross Family Prize, a $30K biennial prize awarded to achoreographer and composer for the best original dance with original music
• Oversee biannual grant giving of approx. $35K: develop relationships with potential grantees, select grantees and manage evaluation process
• Advised board of directors on strategic planning
• Developed action plans for foundation’s funding priorities
• Facilitated foundation’s creation though meetings with potential grantees and board members
Custom
- Executive Director, Treasurer of the Board of Directors
- The Charles & Joan Gross Family Foundation
- Manage all aspects of small family foundation focused on advancing the creation of dance and music
- Key Accomplishments:
- Developed protocol for the Gross Family Prize, a $30K biennial prize awarded to a choreographer and composer for the best original dance with original music
- Oversee biannual grant giving of approx. $35K: develop relationships with potential grantees, select grantees and manage evaluation process
- Advised board of directors on strategic planning
- Developed action plans for foundation’s funding priorities
- Facilitated foundation’s creation though meetings with potential grantees and board members
Timeline
Executive Director
New Art Center
04.2019 - Current
Executive Director
Fort Point Arts Community
04.2014 - 03.2019
Special Events & Corporate Partnerships Officer
American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.)
03.2011 - 12.2013
Director of Development
Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion (I.B.A.)
01.1998 - 01.1999
Director
Smith Andersen Editions
01.1996 - 01.1998
Gallery Director
Barbara Krakow Gallery
01.1994 - 01.1996
M.A. - Urban Policy
Tufts University
A.B. - Art History
Bowdoin College
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