Curtain Rises with New Kravis Center CEO

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts Board of Directors has announced that Diane Quinn will lead the performing arts center as CEO, starting on January 31, 2022, according to Board Chairman, Jeffrey Stoops.

"Diane has a thoughtful and broad vision for the Kravis Center, with particular attention to how to best build upon our strong foundation and continue to expand our audience," said Stoops. "She is a people person, who is very interested in the ways in which the arts can connect to audiences and improve the local community. The Board of Directors is proud of and deeply committed to the success and future of the Kravis Center. As stewards of the Center's mission, we are thrilled to have Diane at the helm of this outstanding organization as its CEO."

Quinn has more than 20 years of progressive arts experience on a global scale, arriving to the Kravis Center via Montreal, Quebec, where she was the Chief Creative Officer for Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. She started at Cirque du Soleil in 2004 as the Public Services Director and rose through the ranks to be a key member of the executive leadership team. Quinn was responsible for the management of over 1,200 employees globally and developed the initial strategy and protocol implementation for safety and wellness through the pandemic.

She also started three separate theater companies and served as Executive Director of the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T) at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass from 2015 to 2017. There she developed a five-year strategic plan and stabilized their financial model. She helped to initiate a multi-million-dollar soft capital campaign, working to identify some of the largest gifts in the organization's history.

"I am honored to be joining the prestigious Kravis Center for the Performing Arts as CEO," said Quinn. "Few organizations have had the type of impact on an audience, a city, a state or nationally, as the Kravis Center. Its exceptional theatrical programming, along with internationally renowned orchestras and its arts education programs, have left an indelible mark on the Palm Beach community. The Kravis Center is looking to carefully build for the future, and I see this role as an opportunity of a lifetime. I have a deep knowledge of theater in an academic setting, working closely with students and faculty, as well as in the commercial live entertainment sector. I look forward to drawing on my history of providing leadership to organizations of substantial and complex scope in this exciting new role."

In addition to her tenure at Cirque du Soleil and A.R.T., Quinn also held leadership roles with the Women in Film and Television organization and the Soulpepper Theatre Company, both not-for-profit organizations located in Toronto.

"What drives me is people," continued Quinn. "Connecting with staff, artists and the community has always been key to my success. Whether developing strategic plans, building teams or crafting COVID-19 protocols, my ability to succeed has always come from a collaborative and personable approach to solving the problem at hand."

Quinn received her honors Bachelor of Arts Specialist degree majoring in Arts Management and Drama from the University of Toronto.  She also attended the Master's certificate program in Creativity and Innovation from HEC Montreal and the University of Barcelona in Spain.

The Kravis Center remains committed to the health and safety of its artists, staff, audience, volunteers and guests. Like many other performing arts centers throughout the country, the Kravis Center has implemented new health and safety protocols to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of its visitors. To learn more about our current health and safety protocols visit kravis.org/healthsafety.

The Kravis Center is a not-for-profit performing arts center located at 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach, FL. The Center's mission is to enhance the quality of life in Palm Beach County by presenting a diverse schedule of national and international artists and companies of the highest quality; by offering comprehensive arts education programs – serving nearly 3 million students since its inception; by providing a Palm Beach County home for local and regional arts organizations to showcase their work; and by providing an economic catalyst and community leadership in West Palm Beach, supporting efforts to increase travel and tourism to Palm Beach County.

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SOURCE Kravis Center for the Performing Arts