Northrop welcomes Kristen Brogdon as new Director of Programming
Northrop is thrilled to welcome Kristen Brogdon as the new Director of Programming. She started her new role Mon, Jun 24 and will be responsible for conceiving, curating, developing, and implementing the artistic vision of Northrop’s performing arts and related education programs in collaboration with all of Northrop’s teams.
Brogdon comes to Northrop from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she has directed the Office of the Arts since 2015 and also served as UNCW’s Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Community Engagement, managing community partnerships, scholarly engagement, and four departments that engage with campus and community partners.
Before that Brogdon spent almost eight years at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as Artistic Administrator and General Manager, and nine years at the the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. where she was responsible for programming the facility’s unparalleled ballet and contemporary dance season. She managed the Suzanne Farrell Ballet from its inception in September 2001 and was instrumental in the creation and growth of the Metro D.C. Dance Awards.
“I am honored and thrilled to join the Northrop team as Director of Programming,” Brogdon says. “Northrop has an incredible tradition of presenting performances that respect history and innovation in equal measure. Very few venues in the country are so well-recognized and offer such a substantial season of ballet and dance. And I’m well aware that art and artists have the power to change the world. I can’t wait to start imagining the future with my new colleagues.”
Northrop Director Kari Schloner elaborates: "Kristen's extensive experience in the dance field, along with her background in arts administration and her service in arts leadership positions on a University campus, all came together in perfect synergy. I am confident Kristen will build on the excellent programming for which Northrop is known, and work to advance Northrop's contributions to the University community. She will be an excellent addition to the Northrop leadership team."
Brogdon holds a masters of arts in business with a concentration in arts administration from the University of Wisconsin and a bachelor of arts in economics from Duke University. She looks forward to her time in the Twin Cities with her husband, David, and children, Sophie and Nicholas.