The Harper House Music Foundation (HHMF) seeks an accomplished, visionary, and entrepreneurial leader to serve as the Executive Director of the Criterion Theatre in Bar Harbor, Maine. This role offers a singular opportunity to steward a beloved, historic performing arts venue while shaping a broader initiative to support music education and community development across the state of Maine. With the robust support of HHMF, the Criterion is poised to thrive as both a cultural anchor for Mount Desert Island (MDI) and a statewide resource for artistic engagement, teacher training, and music-centered community outreach.
The Criterion Theatre is entering a new era in which it will revive, restore, and reinvent itself as a vibrant cultural hub, a flourishing community space, an exciting venue for touring artists, and a cornerstone of coastal Maine’s past, present, and future. Against this exciting backdrop, the Executive Director will work to ensure a long, prosperous life for this coastal cultural beacon, serving artists and engaging audiences from Maine and beyond for years to come.
The next Executive Director will bring strategic insight, a passion for the arts, and a proven track record in fundraising and organizational leadership. Candidates with strong connections to Maine—whether personal or professional—are especially encouraged to apply.
The Criterion of the Future and Opportunities for the next Executive Director
HHMF will support the Executive Director in protecting and maintaining the existing features that have made the building a cherished community asset and gathering place since 1932, while simultaneously expanding and enriching the scope and breadth of the theater's offerings. Through a diverse range of live music, theatrical productions, film, partnerships, and community engagement activities—supported by a major overhaul of the theater’s operations and infrastructure—the Criterion Theatre will facilitate access and exposure to currently scarce high-quality arts experiences in Bar Harbor.
For the past several years, the Criterion has offered year-round music, theater, and film programming, yet it remains chronically underutilized. HHMF will support the Executive Director in fully activating the venue to realize its potential by increasing the overall volume of events, leveraging HHMF’s access to A-list talent to book crowd-drawing acts, and expanding community partnerships. Anticipated outcomes include delivering greater impact to the year-round Bar Harbor community, significantly increasing attendance, and elevating the venue to have a national profile.
The 2025 reopening season will feature a robust lineup, including returning performers
David Sedaris and Steve Earle, and other popular acts such as Chris Thile, Lucius and Colin Quinn. This exciting opening season sets the stage for an expanded vision across each of the Criterion’s program areas in music, film, theater, and community engagement.
A core focus of the Criterion’s next phase is launching a Community Engagement & Partnerships initiative. This includes building stronger ties with local schools, organizations, and businesses to support their educational, professional, and creative goals. In addition to offering standard rentals, the theater will provide affordable space to community partners—such as collaborating with College of the Atlantic’s Summer Institute Speaker Series and hosting public meetings. Internship and volunteer programs will also expand, creating meaningful opportunities for students across the island. These efforts will reinforce the Criterion’s role as a vital community resource and a hub for local growth, learning, and connection.
Key Responsibilities of the Executive Director
During this watershed moment for the organization, the Criterion needs an experienced, innovative leader to envision and enact its new, ambitious vision. The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker with extensive experience in fundraising, financial planning and management, marketing and audience engagement, and organizational and personnel management. Reporting to the HHMF Board, the Executive Director will be tasked with guiding the theater and its audiences through this transformational phase. We will prioritize candidates who have successfully navigated similar revitalization projects.
In addition to leading the Criterion, the ED will help shape HHMF’s broader initiative in Maine to foster music education and support arts nonprofits. This includes developing partnerships with schools and community organizations, pursuing grant funding, and identifying statewide opportunities for investment and impact.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The strongest candidates will exhibit many of the following qualities and experiences:
- A proven leader with experience in arts and entertainment management, nonprofit leadership, or related fields.
- Demonstrated success in fundraising, with the ability to engage high-net-worth individuals and institutional donors.
- A passion for music and the performing arts; experience in music education or community-based arts programming is highly desirable.
- Deep familiarity with Maine or a strong desire to build lasting ties in the state.
- Visionary yet pragmatic, able to operate both strategically and tactically to build and revitalize an historically significant and beloved organization.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach to team building, board relations, and community partnerships.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a track record of execution, adaptability, and innovation in mission-driven settings.
Compensation and Location
This is a full-time, on-site role based in Bar Harbor, Maine. The anticipated salary range is $130,000 to $150,000, commensurate with experience. While housing is not currently included, creative solutions such as mortgage assistance or other forms of support may be considered. Relocation support is available.