Artistic programming is the research, selection and construction of a theatrical season. Determined by philosophy, aesthetic, audience, budget limitations and funding commitments, crafting a season requires complex and delicate consideration. The artistic director distills these elements into a practical criteria for finding plays consistent with the ideals of the theater company. To increase the scope of possible material, the artistic director stays abreast of local, national and international art and theater. This requires reading industry periodicals, involvement in artistic communities and attending theater conferences. When seeking new plays, artistic directors work closely with the theater's literary manager, who reads all submitted plays and writes coverage, or a short, critical synopsis, on any promising submissions. If the theater company does not have a literary manager, the artistic director reads play submissions. Securing the rights to a play includes contacting playwrights and agents and negotiating performance limits and contracts.
Artistic directors are responsible for interviewing and hiring all technical and artistic personnel, such as directors, playwrights, designers, musicians, stage managers, composers and choreographers. In a smaller theater company, if the artistic director is also the resident play director, he is also in charge of auditioning and casting actors. Artistic directors are usually not involved with hiring non-artistic personnel. However, the artistic director provides leadership to all staff members by consistently adhering to the theater's artistic principles. The artistic director ensures that guest artists adhere to the theater company's mission and that all associated work relates to the theater company's vision. An artistic director follows the work guest artists are developing through design meetings, observing rehearsals and attending new play readings.
As of 2011, theater audiences in the U.S. are dwindling. Developing new audiences while retaining an existing base is critical to a theater company's survival. Part of an artistic director's job is to assist with marketing and ambassadorship to develop audiences. The artistic director works with the marketing coordinator to best explain how the production's themes both fit with and challenge the theater's established brand. For each production, the artistic director provides the marketing coordinator with enticing background and original materials to use in press releases and advertising campaigns. Materials include biographies of participating artists, past reviews, rehearsal photographs and video trailers. The artistic director is also the theater's ambassador. In the interest of audience development, he builds positive relationships and community visibility by implementing educational or charitable theater programs.
The artistic director is actively involved in the theater's fund-raising activities. As the spokesperson for the theater, he cultivates relationships with current and potential grant-giving organizations and individuals. He helps create the promotional language about the theater, its seasons and individual productions for use in fund-raising materials. He may personally solicit donations of goods, services and funds from individuals, foundations and corporations.