Executive Director

About the role

The Executive Director of the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum (Myrtle Beach Art Museum) will have a significant opportunity to lead one of Myrtle Beach’s most distinctive cultural assets into a new era of artistic excellence, regional visibility, and community impact. This role will represent a major career opportunity for a visionary arts leader seeking to shape the future of a growing art museum, elevate its role in the cultural life of the region, and make a lasting impact on Myrtle Beach’s arts scene.

Responsibilities

• Fundraising and Financial Oversight
• Strengthen Myrtle Beach Art Museum’s financial position through effective fundraising strategies, donor cultivation, grant writing, contributed income growth, and responsible fiscal stewardship.
• Develop and monitor annual budgets in partnership with Board leadership and outside accounting support, ensuring clear reporting, accountability, and the efficient use of resources.
• Advance short- and long-term fundraising plans that reflect the realities of a tourist-based economy while expanding support from individuals, corporations, foundations, government sources, and special events.
• Lead or support fundraising events, funding applications, donor stewardship, and other financial oversight responsibilities that advance Myrtle Beach Art Museum’s goals and long-term needs.
• Strategic Leadership
• Lead the development and implementation of Myrtle Beach Art Museum’s strategic vision in partnership with the Board of Trustees, ensuring alignment with Myrtle Beach Art Museum’s mission, values, artistic excellence, and community role.
• Advance Myrtle Beach Art Museum’s exhibitions, collections, facilities, education programs, community partnerships, and visitor experience in ways that strengthen its identity as a regional art museum.
• Guide institutional growth, financial strategy, and public visibility while supporting high-quality national, international, regional, and local exhibitions.
• Provide creativity, vision, collaboration, and sound stewardship to increase visitation, deepen engagement, and position Myrtle Beach Art Museum for long-term relevance and impact.
• Personnel and Facilities Management
• Provide effective leadership for staff and volunteers, fostering a workplace culture grounded in excellence, communication, collaboration, accountability, and community service.
• Oversee staffing, policies, procedures, compliance, internal communication, and organizational systems that support the effective operation of Myrtle Beach Art Museum.
• Manage Myrtle Beach Art Museum’s historic building, facilities, and physical plant needs while planning responsibly for future space and operational requirements.
• Support staff capacity, delegation, recognition, and professional development while ensuring appropriate coordination among staff, Board leadership, partners, and civic stakeholders.
• Community and Stakeholder Engagement
• Serve as the Myrtle Beach Art Museum’s primary ambassador to donors, members, artists, visitors, civic leaders, cultural partners, and the broader Myrtle Beach community.
• Strengthen Myrtle Beach Art Museum’s role as a regional cultural resource by building relationships with local residents, tourists, artists, schools, libraries, veterans’ programs, community organizations, and civic stakeholders.
• Promote accessibility, public awareness, and community connection while defining Myrtle Beach Art Museum’s evolving role in the arts and culture of the region.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, Art History, Museum Studies, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in a senior-level executive position in a nonprofit arts organization, with a proven track record of successful fundraising and strategic leadership.
• Experience managing a museum’s budget, facilities, and operations.
• Proven ability to develop and implement strategic plans, manage teams, and foster a collaborative environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including board members, donors, artists, and community partners.
• Excellent communication and public speaking skills, with the ability to articulate the museum’s mission and vision effectively.
• Knowledge of the local and regional arts community, including knowledge of key players, trends, and challenges.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, with a strong sense of integrity, ethics, and commitment to the mission of the museum.