MCC Theater Appoints Eric Nelson as Director of Advancement & Audience Strategy
Tom O’Connor Consulting Group (TOCG) is pleased to announce that Eric Nelson (he/him) has been appointed Director of Advancement & Audience Strategy by MCC Theater (Bernie Telsey and Will Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) in New York City following our extensive national search led by Brenna Thomas, Search Consultant.
For the last 8 years Eric was Vice President of Global Partnerships at the consulting firm TRG Arts where he partnered with performing and visual arts companies, and related sector service organizations, to grow ticket and donation participation, revenue, and impact. In this role, he was responsible for new business development, providing thought leadership to Executive Directors and patron revenue leaders, and conducting and sharing engagement insights research, featuring actionable strategies. Reflecting back on his tenure at TRG, Eric is grateful to have learned from and with arts administrators from all over the globe.
Before joining TRG Arts, Eric was Director of Marketing & Communications for New York City’s Kaufman Music Center, home to Merkin Concert Hall, Special Music School, and New York's largest community arts center - Lucy Moses School. At Kaufman he activated a new branding initiative and broke ticket sales records. He was also Vice President of Client Services, New Business, and Marketing for DCM, specializing in ticket sales and fundraising strategies for non-profit organizations. Eric started his career in the arts leading marketing efforts for the Paul Taylor Dance Company. A frequent speaker at industry conferences, Eric is known for helping teams translate data into practical tactics to close gaps, realize goals, and grow revenue. When not working, Eric can be found paddle boarding, supporting LGBTQIA+ initiatives, and being 1/3 of the pop culture podcast “Singular.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Eric Nelson to MCC in this newly created role of Director of Advancement & Audience Strategy,” said Blake West, MCC Executive Director. “This position unifies our development and marketing operations with a shared vision that centers audience relationships across every point of engagement. Eric’s passion, experience, and collaborative spirit make him the ideal partner in shaping this work. We’re excited to dig in together as we deepen MCC’s impact and cultivate the next generation of theatergoers beyond MCC.”
“I am thrilled and energized to be joining MCC Theater,” said Nelson. “During my exploration with them, the themes of care, support, and conversation came up over and over. Tickets buyers, donors, artists, and arts administrators need that more than ever. It is exciting to be joining an organization that so deeply lives its values.”
“At a time when many cultural organizations, and specifically theatrical producing organizations need to evaluate how they connect the work of engaging new audiences and building a pipeline of donors, we found it particularly meaningful to partner with MCC leadership on articulating their needs and strategy around this new role,” said TOCG President Tom O’Connor. “As a seasoned expert on revenue strategy and someone who inherently brings colleagues together around new ideas, Eric Nelson will be an amazing contributor at MCC, and a strong leader to both their marketing and development team members. We can't wait to see how they forge ahead.”
About MCC Theater
MCC Theater is one of New York’s leading non-profit Off-Broadway companies, driven by a mission to provoke conversations that have never happened and otherwise never would. Founded in 1986 by Bob LuPone (1946-2022) and Bernie Telsey, and later joined by co-Artistic Director Will Cantler, MCC fulfills its mission through the production of world, American, and New York premiere plays and musicals that challenge artists and audiences to confront contemporary personal and social issues. Celebrated MCC Theater productions include Soho Rep's Wolf Play, Kate Nash’s Only Gold; Jocelyn Bioh’s School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play; Robert Askins’ Hand to God (Broadway transfer; five 2015 Tony Award® nominations including Best Play); Neil LaBute’s reasons to be pretty (Broadway transfer, three 2009 Tony Award® nominations, including Best Play); Bryony Lavery’s Frozen (Broadway transfer; four 2004 Tony Award® nominations including Best Play, Tony Award® for Best Featured Actor); Jason Robert Brown and Jonathan Marc Sherman’s The Connector; and many more. MCC’s robust playwright development initiatives foster the next generation of theater artists, and the education initiatives have a deep impact on thousands of students through the innovative MCC Youth Company, school partnerships, and student matinee programs.
About Tom O’Connor Consulting Group
Tom O’Connor Consulting Group (TOCG) is a NYC-based consultancy that supports arts institutions and leaders with two integrated services: organizational strategy and executive search. Consulting specialties include marketing, strategy, assessment, and organizational development. Founded in 2015, TOCG is a fully remote company with team members spanning the country and the globe.
Select clients have included Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Carnegie Hall, City of Eugene (Oregon), Williamstown Theater Festival, National Black Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, East West Players, Cornerstone Theatre Company, Ballet Hispánico, The Metropolitan Opera, New York Theatre Workshop, The Moth, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and more.
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