MAY 2026
Chamber Dance Project, dancers & musicians, Seeking Development & Events Director
Chamber Dance Project invites applications and referrals for the part-time position of Development & Events Director. This is a great opportunity for a talented and motivated leader with a demonstrable history of achievement. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
Title: Development & Events Director
Location/start: Washington, DC
Reports to: Artistic Director
Works with: Company/Production Manager, Marketing Director, Administrative and Marketing Assistant
Status: The start date will be as early as June 1. This is a Washington DC-based hybrid position, typically in-office Tuesday through Thursday. Attendance at event openings, industry events, and business engagements is expected.
Compensation: This is a part-time position budgeted for an average of 20 hours each week for 48 weeks per year. Compensation at $45 per hour.
The Organization
As Washington D.C.’s premiere contemporary ballet company, Chamber Dance Project brings together soloist-level professional ballet dancers during their lay-off periods from major professional companies with our string quartet and other D.C.-based guest musicians.
Chamber Dance focuses on new and contemporary works and collaboration between dancers, musicians, designers, and guest artists across a wide spectrum of the arts. Their dancers come from nationally recognized companies such as Atlanta Ballet, Boston Ballet, BalletMet, Charlotte Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and The Washington Ballet. Their string quartet of distinguished DC-based musicians also performs with The National Symphony Orchestra, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Wolf Trap Orchestra, Washington Concert Opera, and chamber ensembles.
Chamber Dance’s interactive programming includes pre-performance artist chats, open rehearsals, onstage workshops, evenings with the artists, film screenings, and educational programming.
Essential Responsibilities
Washington’s premier contemporary ballet company seeks a proactive, creative, personable and highly organized Development & Events Director to lead our fundraising and events initiatives. This 20-hour-per-week role requires outstanding interpersonal relations and a proven track record of fundraising with individual, corporate, government and foundation donors as well as extensive non-profit grant writing and reporting. This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced professional looking for a high-impact role in the arts.
Reporting to the Artistic Director, the Development & Events Director will:
- Fundraising Leadership: Develop, update and execute a comprehensive annual Development Plan, including individual, corporate, government, and foundation donor solicitation.
- Donor Communications Strategy: Overseeing the creation of “case for support” materials and ensuring a consistent voice across all development-related collateral.
- Membership Campaigns: Create and lead membership and other campaigns and the annual April gala and smaller programmatic events between September and June.
- Grant Management: Manage the full grant lifecycle, including research, grant writing, and reporting.
- Event Management: Plan and lead the annual April Gala, as well as smaller programmatic events from September–June.
- Prospecting & Stewardship: Work closely with the Artistic Team and Board to cultivate new Board members, lead our robust membership program, maintaina strong donor prospect list; cultivate new relationships, and enhance stewardship of existing donors to increase retention and giving level. Management of our CRM and oversight on staff working in it.
- Financial Management: Responsibility for creating and managing the annual development budget and projecting future revenue and analyzing fundraising trends to inform the Producing Artistic Director.
- Gift Processing Policies: Overseeing protocols for gift acceptance, processing, and acknowledgment, and ensuring the accuracy of donor records and the segmentation of lists for targeted appeals.
- Performance Metrics: Defining specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), such as donor retention rates and cost-per-dollar-raised, to measure success.
- Board & Staff Collaboration: Work closely with the Artistic Team, Marketing Director, Board Members and staff to educate on effective fundraising, and building a “culture of philanthropy” across the organization.
- Ethical Compliance: Ensuring all fundraising activities adhere to local, state, and federal regulations, as well as the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Code of Ethical Standards.
Qualifications, Skills and Knowledge Required:
The ideal candidate is a strategic leader who combines fundraising knowledge with exceptional relationship-building and leadership skills. They will be confident working with senior stakeholders, comfortable managing complexity, and passionate about driving results.
- Four-year college degree preferably in a related area
- Outstanding, compelling and personable personality in developing relationships with donors, board, community partners staff. Excellent speaking skills
- Three or more years of proven success in nonprofit fundraising, including at least one year in a leadership role
- Exceptional grant writing, reporting and stewardship abilities
- Substantial experience planning major events
- Passion for the performing arts (experience in dance or music preferred)
- Self-starter able to work autonomously in a hybrid environment
Application Process:
Chamber Dance is committed to creating a workplace where people feel respected, valued, and empowered to thrive. They welcome talent from all backgrounds, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or any other characteristic. Candidates requiring any adjustments or support during the recruitment process are invited to say so.
Chamber Dance has partnered with Sweibel Arts to identify the exceptional individual who will fill this role. Visit SweibelArts.com/open-positions/ for more information.
Candidates are invited to submit an expression of interest—typically a cover letter and resume—electronically and in confidence, to jobs@sweibelarts.com.
A review of prospective candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Candidates of interest will be contacted. We regret that we’re unable to follow up with every candidate. No phone calls, please. To learn more about Chamber Dance Project, please visit chamberdance.org.
Title: Administrative Assistant
Location/start: Washington, DC, to begin as soon as possible
Reports to: Artistic Director
Works with: Managing Director, Marketing Director, Development Associate
Status: Part-time, 15 hours per week, $30/hour, 48 weeks/year; additional work hours during
performance weeks in January and June; three 5-hour days in office per week; additional in-person
work at events and performances as required
Chamber Dance Project, Washington’s premier contemporary ballet company, is seeking an
outstanding, responsible, detail-oriented, articulate and personable Administrative Assistant.
Core Responsibilities:
• Patron/Member Relations: generate written acknowledgements, invitations and other
communications; answer member enquiries; update patron records in CRM and generate
program sponsor lists
• Office Organization: maintain filing system and organization for materials and documents;
schedule staff and other meetings; manage mail and packages
• Artist Support: make travel and housing bookings as required
• Board: assist in scheduling Board and Committee meetings; provide periodic updates on
company events
Events: assist in event preparation; send and track invitations; answer box office ticket
enquiries; assist with event running, including box office for ticketed events
Development: assist in preparing fundraising campaigns and events
Marketing: assist with producing bi-weekly newsletter; assist in execution of marketing plan
through placing calendar listings and executing surveys; assist with updating content on
website
Qualifications, Skills and Knowledge Required:
• 4-year college degree
• 2 years of non-profit administrative experience, preferably in the arts
• Marketing experience including content creation for multiple platforms/audiences
• Proven ability to organize, prioritize, and manage diverse tasks while meeting deadlines
• Demonstrated attention to detail, quality, and accuracy of work
• Experience taking initiative, anticipating and solving challenges
• A personable and outgoing approach to working with colleagues, board and donors
Desirable:
• Event/box office management experience with Eventbrite or similar platform
• Previous use of a CRM system to record patron data and interactions
• Previous experience with website editing using WordPress
To apply email a cover letter, resume, and two references with Administrative Assistant
Position in subject line to apply@chamberdance.org as soon as possible.
July 2025
Chamber Dance Project, dancers & musicians, Seeking Artistic Director
Chamber Dance Project, dancers & musicians, was founded in New York by acclaimed choreographer, Diane Coburn Bruning, in the summer of 2000. The Chamber Dance Project (CDP) was reestablished in Washington, DC in 2014. CDP brings together outstanding artists to collaborate on new and contemporary works for 2-3 performance seasons a year, at times when many professional ballet companies are on lay-off. Our mission is “to create extraordinary experiences in contemporary ballet and live music.”
We do this by:
- Commissioning and performing new and contemporary works by outstanding choreographers and composers
- Performing in collaboration with live musicians
- Performing in intimate venues heightening the audience’s experience
- Engaging audiences by providing access to the creative process through open rehearsals and discussions with the artists
- Providing robust programming – master classes, evenings with the artists, and pre-performance artist chats – between and during performance seasons
- Providing access to underserved communities who have limited opportunities to see live dance and music
- Providing meaningful work for professional ballet dancers during their lay-off periods
We are seeking a dynamic and boldly creative leader to drive CDP’s evolution forward. Our preference is for an accomplished choreographer who may create new works to be performed alongside works from our repertoire, as well as from guest choreographers. Candidates who are not choreographers will also be considered.
Competitive candidates will have the ability to:
- Develop, articulate, and implement a bold artistic vision to include goals and strategies for the continued success of the organization
- Oversee all aspects of the organization’s artistic programming, including the planning and execution of performances, artist events, open rehearsals, master classes, and educational programming
- Commission new works and license contemporary restagings; develop relationships with contemporary choreographers and composers
- Hire, cast, and coach high-caliber artists to ensure high-quality performances in an exceptional environment
- Collaborate with our Principal Musician on all music-related work
- Cultivate collaborative, creative relationships in metro Washington, DC
- Cultivate, develop, and grow funding resources to support all endeavors of CDP and its activities
- Administer the organization’s budget and resources, in collaboration with the Managing Director, to ensure that they are effectively used to achieve the organization’s goals
- Work with the Marketing Director to develop campaigns for seasons and programming
- Work with the Managing Director and staff on day-to-day operations
- Partner with the Board of Directors to work towards CDP’s mission
- Grow our presence locally and nationally, representing CDP to the public, media, patrons, and other stakeholders
- Develop further summer performance and touring opportunities regionally and nationally
Desired experience and skills include:
- At least 12 years of professional dance experience in any or all of these areas: performer, choreographer, artistic director
- Extensive knowledge of and experience in classical and contemporary ballet, and contemporary artists
- Experience and a commitment to working with live musicians
- Substantial experience in running rehearsals in the studio and onstage
- Experience in working with a board and staff
- Excellent communication skills, including public speaking
- Advanced education in a related field
The position is located in the Metro DC area. The successful candidate will work full-time, with six weeks of paid vacation and the possibility of time off for outside projects. Salary commensurate with experience. Position begins on or about July 1, 2026.
To apply, kindly send the following to ADsearch@chamberdance.org by September 15, 2025: cover letter, C.V., three references, if choreographer, two samples of choreography, or, if a dancer, video representative of your work in studio or onstage. Final candidates will be asked to spend a paid week working with the company during our Jan 2-10, 2026 rehearsal and performance season.
For more information on Chamber Dance Project, please visit chamberdance.org.