Celebrity Series of Boston’s President & Executive Director to Retire At Close of 2025-26 Season
By David SalazarCelebrity Series of Boston has announced the retirement of President and Executive Director Gary Dunning.
Dunning, who has held the position since 2011, will end his tenure at the close of the 2025-26 season.
Among the achievements that the company cites throughout his 15 years at the helm are the introduction of new programming, including the Debut Series and the Stave Sessions. He also “transformed the Celebrity Series into a dynamic, forward-thinking institution, broadening its artistic scope, deepening its community impact, and securing its place as a cultural cornerstone in Boston and its neighborhoods.”
Another one of his major projects was the expansion of “Arts for All,” the company’s signature community outreach initiative that works with Boston-based artists and reaches tens of thousands of people through free performances, public art projects, and other outreach in Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, Jamaica Plain, Back Bay, the South End, and beyond. He also led the company through a $23 million capital campaign that ultimately allowed it to overcome the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It has been my honor to steward this incredible institution and contribute to Boston’s arts ecosystem,” said Dunning per an official press release. “The artists, audiences, staff, Board, donors, and community partners I’ve worked with have inspired me every day. I am so proud of what we’ve achieved together, and I look forward to seeing Celebrity Series continue to grow and innovate.”
The search for Dunning’s successor will commence in the coming months.
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