ARTSblog

Name: Chad

Web Site: http://www.arenastage.org

Bio: Chad M. Bauman is the director of communications for Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, where he supervises the marketing, media relations, publications, sales and front of house departments. He was recruited to join the company in 2007 in order to develop strategies to guide the company through a 2.5 year transition period while a new $135 million, three theater complex was built. During that time, he worked on three Broadway transfers, led a rebranding campaign, and project managed Arena's transition to Tessitura. While in temporary transitional locations, Arena Stage significantly increased its subscriber base, and set the records for the highest grossing day and the highest grossing production in its 60 year history. Beyond his role as the director of communications, Chad recently served as the lead producer for the Grand Opening Celebration for Arena's Mead Center for American Theater. As the "largest performing arts complex to open since the Kennedy Center (The Washington Post)," on Saturday, October 23, the Mead Center hosted 36 performances in eight different locations featuring more than 200 artists. The President and First Lady served as honorary co-chairs, and performers included Tony Award-winner Alice Ripley, Tony Award-nominees Kate Baldwin, Anna Deavere Smith, and Olivier Award winner Katori Hall. The event was covered by The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, PBS, BBC, and several other outlets. Previously, he was the director of marketing and communications at Americans for the Arts, where he was responsible for all earned revenue goals, branding, strategic communications, and promoting the organization's more than 480 different programs. Chad is a prolific speaker who has presented sessions for Americans for the Arts, the National Arts Marketing Conference, Theatre Communications Group, National Performing Arts Convenion, the Arts & Business Council, Delaware Division of the Arts, Virginia Arts Commission, St. Louis Regional Arts Commission, the Mellon Foundation, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Arts Midwest, and several others. He has been featured in Stage Directions Magazine, American Theatre Magazine, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. In 2011, Washington Life Magazine named Chad one of the most influential leaders under 40 in our nation's capital. In his spare time, he writes and maintains an arts marketing blog at www.arts-marketing.blogspot.com.