TOC Arts Partners

About Us

TOC Arts Partners (formerly Tom O’Connor Consulting Group) is a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The team at TOC Arts Partners brings a rigorous practice of field-leading executive search methods along with a depth of experience in the not-for-profit arts field as direct practitioners.

Founded in 2015 to offer executive search and strategy to the arts and culture field, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside more than 150 arts and culture client partners in 25 states and across 11 unique genres, from stages to screens, museums to municipalities. These include both our strategy and executive search clients—including over 100 searches for executive and senior leaders.

We believe in the role of cultural organizations as leaders in community connection and the expansion of empathy and understanding. As a firm, TOC Arts Partners prioritizes listening to the needs of our client organizations’ communities and crafting processes that meet them, all while maintaining a clear focus on candidate care.

We believe that the arts have a transformative effect on individuals and communities in both the short and long term, and that meaningful impact isn’t possible without healthy and equitable systems in place. Those systems require the right strategy, resources, and people. We focus on all three—to help realize an arts industry that gives organizations the support to grow and engage diverse audiences and

TOC Arts Partners

Solutions And Expertise

Solutions
  • Advisory Services
  • Assessment
  • Board Services
  • Executive Search
  • Interim
  • Leadership Consulting
  • Mgmt. Consulting
  • Org. Chart Mapping
  • Succession Planning
  • Temporary Staffing
Industries
  • Cultural Arts
  • Foundations
  • Media & Entertainment
Functions
  • All Functions
  • CEO/President
  • Communications/PR
  • Development
  • Finance/Accounting
  • General Management
  • GM/Operations
  • Human Resources
  • Marketing & Sales

TOC Arts Partners

News Briefings

TOC Arts Partners Assists Union Arts Center with the Recruitment of First Artistic Director

Following an extensive national search, New York City-based TOC Arts Partners has assisted Union Arts Center in Seattle, WA, with the recruitment of Yuvika Tolani as the first permanent artistic director. The search was led by vice president of executive search, Cynthia Fuhrman. “As a former resident of Seattle myself, I have enjoyed many performances

TOC Arts Partners

Press Releases

Jacob Burns Film Center Announces Blair Hartley as Director of Development

TOC Arts Partners is pleased to announce that Jacob Burns Film Center (Mary Jo Ziesel, Executive Director), in Pleasantville, New York has appointed Blair Hartley as Director of Development following our extensive national search led by Senior Strategist, Brenna Thomas. Per the organization’s press release, Hartley brings with him more than 20 years of leadership

Broadway in Hollywood and Hollywood Pantages Announces Eric Bornemann as Director of Marketing and Communications

TOC Arts Partners is pleased to announce that Broadway in Hollywood & Hollywood Pantages (Jeff Loeb, President), in Los Angeles, California has appointed Eric Bornemann as Director of Marketing and Communications following our extensive national search led by Senior Strategist, Brenna Thomas. Eric Bornemann is an accomplished marketing and communications executive with more than two

Union Arts Center Announces Yuvika Tolani as the First Permanent Artistic Director

TOC Arts Partners is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors of Union Arts Center in Seattle, Washington has appointed Yuvika Tolani as the first permanent Artistic Director following our extensive national search led by Vice President of Executive Search, Cynthia Fuhrman.  Her tenure begins on Monday, May 4, 2026. Union Arts Center is

Ogunquit Playhouse Announces Michael Dix Thomas as Director of Education and Community Engagement

TOC Arts Partners is pleased to announce that Ogunquit Playhouse (Bradford T. Kenney, Executive Artistic Director; Deborah Warren, Managing Director), in Ogunquit, Maine has appointed Michael Dix Thomas as Director of Education and Community Engagement following our extensive national search led by our Vice President of Organizational Strategy, Dr. Edie Demas. Michael Dix Thomas will lead the strategic

TOC Arts Partners

Multimedia

Podcasts

Tune in to Changing Arts with Tom O’Connor to hear from arts professionals driving real change at every level of the industry. Explore the Podcast Here