Veteran Bay Area performing arts leader Rob Bailis has been appointed Artistic and Executive Director of the Eli & Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College (SMC) Performing Arts Center effective June 1, 2019. Bailis most recently held posts of Interim Artistic Director and Associate Director of Cal Performances at the University of California, Berkeley, one of North America's largest and most prestigious performing arts presenters. The Broad Stage, located in the heart of Santa Monica, is one of the Los Angeles region's leading performing arts presenters, now in its eleventh season.
In his most recent role, Bailis led the artistic planning team in curating all Cal Performances productions and presentations. Prior to that, as associate director, he was especially involved in the curation of the organization's dance and theater presentations, a position from which he worked closely with many of Cal Performances' most established and longstanding artistic partners, including
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater,
Mark Morris Dance Group, Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra, Tallis Scholars, Théâtre de la Ville, Paris, and Kronos Quartet, while introducing a new generation of international talent to UC Berkeley stages including Kidd Pivot,
Rude Mechs, Trajal Harrell,
Camille A. Brown and Dancers, Manual Cinema, Bassem Youssef,
Handspring Puppet Company, Company Wang Ramirez, among many others.
Bailis succeeds The Broad Stage Director Jane Deknatel, who has overseen a carefully planned transition period at The Broad Stage, which is about to announce its twelfth season. Located at Santa Monica Blvd. and Eleventh Street in Santa Monica and housed at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, The Broad Stage is an independent nonprofit governed by a Board of Directors, comprised of active and generous supporters of the performing arts drawn from Santa Monica College, The Broad Foundation and the Los Angeles arts-support community.
"It is with great pleasure that we welcome Rob Bailis to the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center and The Broad Stage,"
Richard Kendall, Chair of the Board of Directors of The Broad Stage said. "He has the right experience and mix of skills to take The Broad Stage-one of the jewels of the performing venues of our region and Santa Monica College-into its second decade. At Cal Performances, one of the nation's most prominent and leading performing arts venues, he was a large part of the leadership of the North American presentation of world-class artists, musicians, performers, and dance companies from both our country and the world. He brings a wealth of national and international connections to The Broad Stage. He was also instrumental in Cal Performances' support of the creation of new work."
"Rob Bailis is a multi-dimensional leader who brings an exemplary combination of artistic vision, executive leadership, and entrepreneurial experience," said Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Santa Monica College's Superintendent and President. "With over two decades of arts management experience, his career trajectory clearly demonstrates significant time invested as a professional musician and associate director of the acclaimed Cal Performances at UC Berkeley, well known for its dedication to supporting innovative artists and cutting edge programming."
In his role as Artistic and Executive Director, Bailis provides the larger artistic vision and executive leadership to The Broad Stage, with direct decision-making authority and responsibility for planning all programs, functions, and activities of The Broad Stage.
This includes initiating and commissioning new artistic and educational ventures, including those in association with national and international performing arts centers and festivals. His leadership is also directed to supporting the educational mission of the college through the performing arts program.
"I am honored and inspired by the invitation to join The Broad Stage as it boldly envisions its second decade," said Rob Bailis. "From our earliest conversations there has been a synergy around our shared values of investing in creativity, engaging a diverse array of communities, and building the audience of the future."
He continued, "Even at just 10 years old, The Broad Stage is already a major player in the region, well established as a presenter of opera, concert music of all kinds and cultures, and a terrific range of theater and entertainment. I offer what I hope will be a truly complementary skill set with my commitment to dance, contemporary performance, and innovative multi-media formats."
"Santa Monica College itself is a dream come true for me-by fostering self determination, articulating all forms of diversity, supporting economic access, and driving social mobility, SMC fuels the very heart of our democracy and the performing arts have a major role to play in each aspect of this effort."
Bailis went on to say, "The Broad Stage venues are exquisite and it will be my great honor to steward them. Equally exciting is the promise of engaging the city of Santa Monica and the west side of Los Angeles to explore the potentials of The Broad Stage as an entrepreneurial producer forging new partnerships. It will be an exciting challenge to learn to curate for a community that is new to me and I look forward to sharing ideas and visioning the future together."
During his tenure at Cal Performances, Bailis was instrumental in developing collaborations with leading
International Artists and producing organizations dedicated to groundbreaking contemporary work, as well as contributing to the continuation and advancement of Cal Performances' commitment to excellence in classical music.
Bailis was instrumental in the design and implementation of many of its recent initiatives, including Berkeley RADICAL (Research and Development Initiative in Creativity, Arts and Learning-relevancy residency-based programming), which has deepened the organization's commitment to thematic curation and connected artists with the diverse audiences and communities that Cal Performances serves.
From 2003 to 2011, Bailis was the director of ODC Theater, the leading Bay Area incubator for contemporary dance and multi-media performance. There he helped direct the organization's $9 million expansion of its facilities. He elevated the theater's profile from regional to national and international visibility. During this time the San Francisco Chronicle named him "MVP" in dance presentations.
Dr. Kathryn Jeffery added, "Mr. Bailis is a gifted professional musician and is a highly regarded creative leader of artistic programming, a visionary executive of complex multi-stage venues. His substantial arts management experience in a higher education environment combined with a richly textured professional background aligns beautifully with what we were seeking in someone to skillfully guide the Broad Stage to the next level in its evolution. This is an exciting moment in the life of The Broad Stage at the SMC Performing Arts Center. I am deeply enthusiastic and eager to welcome Rob Bailis as our next leader of this vitally important college asset and community resource!"
Richard Kendall continued, "I believe he is the kind of executive that we have been preparing ourselves for over the past four years. During that time a lot of hard and thoughtful work, led by our dynamic and inspiring Executive Director Jane Deknatel, has gone into creating the proper environment to hand over The Broad Stage to our new leader at this moment. We recently completed a five-year strategic plan, the culmination of an extensive year-long study to help chart a course forward that capitalizes on our many successes, defines a clear path for the coming years, and helps ensure that the future of The Broad Stage will be as exciting and bold as its past and present."
