Creative Alliance is thrilled to welcome Josh Kohn, our newly appointed Performance Director. Josh has been working in the arts for more than a decade, specializing in curating powerful live performance experiences and meaningful community dialogue. Kohn replaces Megan Hamilton, who is cofounder of Creative Alliance and has been the Performance Director for over 20 years.
Previously serving as Program Officer, Jazz and Traditional Arts at Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Kohn has managed a diverse portfolio of programs, including the French-American Jazz Exchange, the Folk Arts Outreach Project, and the Jazz Touring Network. Through these programs, he has convened regional West African griots to discuss issues facing their community in the African Diaspora, reinvigorated a network of regional presenters to organize tours for a vast spectrum of jazz artists, fostered a collaboration between D.C. lindy hop and Harlem swing dancers, and facilitated a grant program to strengthen the connection between French and American jazz musicians.
In 2012, Kohn launched a partnership with American Routes, a weekly public radio program out of Tulane University, and organized tours to China for an array of musicians. The partnership has so far produced tours for New Orleans jazz players, Montana cowboy singers, Cajun musicians, and sacred steel gospel artists. Previously, Kohn worked for the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) where he oversaw the artistic programming of 16 large-scale, multi-cultural festivals that brought everything from D.C. go-go to Inuit throat singing to five cities across the United States. He also co-managed the NCTA’s traditional arts touring program and produced radio pieces mining the NCTA Archive of Sound Recording. Kohn’s field recordings have been featured on releases by Arhoolie Records, and he has contributed to the arts travel guide “Music of the Crooked Road: Mountain Music of Virginia.”
Kohn is a former Fellow with the Devos Institute of Arts Management at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and most recently, he has helped conceive and launch the outdoor contemporary dance performance event “TICKS.”
Creative Alliance Managing Director Gina Caruso says, “We are sad to say goodbye to Megan, who is a cultural icon here in Baltimore. As cofounder and Performance Director, she has given this wonderful organization so much of her energy and creativity for more than two decades; however, Megan was part of the hiring committee, and Josh was her first choice from the very beginning. Until Megan leaves in November, Josh will work closely with her. We’re relieved that we found such a highly qualified, knowledgeable, charismatic candidate with all the 21st century skills he’ll need to keep up with the heavy, demanding pace we have here at Creative Alliance. He also has a great sense of humor, plus a collaborative spirit, which means he’ll fit in well here!”
Cofounder and Performance Director Megan Hamilton gives Kohn the following endorsement: “I am WHOLLY confident I am leaving Creative Alliance with the absolute BEST possible performance director. Josh’s relationships with artists and agents across this country and his intense commitment to getting to know Baltimore will offer rich opportunities for Baltimore performers and help grow CA performances to a whole new level. I can’t WAIT to see what he does and am excited to introduce him around!”
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