NewFest Announces David Hatkoff as New Executive Director

The Board of NewFest - the New York City nonprofit organization that gives voice and visibility to the full spectrum of the LGBTQ experience by championing films, supporting storytellers and engaging audiences -- is announcing that David Hatkoff is joining the organization as its new Executive Director beginning August 19.

Hatkoff was selected from a large and diverse group of candidates following an extensive search to replace outgoing Executive Director Robert Kushner, who announced his departure earlier this year. As NewFest's next Executive Director, Hatkoff will oversee its programs, staff, fundraising efforts and fiscal management.

NewFest Board Co-Chairs Bill Berman and Sandy Markman stated, "For over 30 years, NewFest has provided LGBTQ New Yorkers and their allies the opportunity to rediscover their community by celebrating films and stories that inspire dialogue. Today NewFest has grown into a film and media arts organization that additionally provides the next generation of LGBTQ voices with the tools and resources they need to tell their unique stories. We immediately knew David Hatkoff was the right person to move NewFest forward into its next chapter. David has spent nearly 15 years amplifying and elevating the mission and programming efforts of non-profit art organizations. He has a passion for queer culture and a strong desire to create spaces for queer storytelling. We can't wait to see where David takes NewFest."

Hatkoff has spent his career working in the nonprofit arts, serving for the past 11 years in a senior leadership role at NYC's Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre. He was part of the core team responsible for the organization's growth from a $3M annual budget to a $13M annual budget, and led the marketing campaigns for such shows as Angels in America, Old Hats, The Piano Lesson, The Antipodes and Octet. Hatkoff was an integral part of Signature's transition to its permanent home, the 75,000 square foot, Frank Gehry-designed Pershing Square Signature Center, which is a public-private partnership with the Related Cos and the City of New York.

Prior to Signature Theatre, Hatkoff worked at Lincoln Center Theater, helping market shows such as South Pacific and The Coast of Utopia. He is a passionate supporter of queer issues, and studied in the MA program at New York University's Gallatin School, with a focus in LGTBQ Studies.

"Stories are vital - they lead to compassion and connection, and can teach us about our own humanity," said Hatkoff. "The LGBTQ community has so many stories to tell, and I am honored to lead NewFest's efforts to support these stories and these storytellers, and to create spaces for audiences to interact and engage around queer content. I can't wait to get to work alongside our brilliant Director of Programming Nick McCarthy and an incredibly passionate Board and staff."

NewFest is the largest convener of LGBTQ audiences in New York City. In the past five years under the leadership of Robert Kushner, NewFest has re-emerged from being a one-screen summer festival in 2014 with 44 films to a year-round non-profit organization featuring numerous successful programs and series, including a six-screen film festival each October. Last year's festival featured over 140 films from 32 countries, including Boy Erased and Rafiki, and attendance of year-round programming has grown to nearly 16,000.

In addition to the annual Festival, NewFest produces annual and monthly programs that make LGBTQ film accessible throughout the year, such as the monthly series NewFest at The Center Presents; the three-day Pride month event OutCinema, in partnership with NYC Pride and SVA Theatre; the retrospective series Coming Out Again at Quad Cinema; a summer outdoor screening program in partnership with Rooftop Films; and numerous preview/pre-release screenings.

The 31st Annual New York LGBTQ Film Festival will take place October 23 to 29, 2019. To become a NewFest member, or to purchase festival packages, visit newfest.org.

For more information, visit www.NewFest.org.