Celebrating the illustrious career of CU Presents Executive Director Joan McLean Braun
Boulder native and CU Boulder alumna Joan McLean Braun (BM 鈥�81 and MBA 鈥�93) has achieved an extraordinary 30-year career at her alma mater, much to the delight and deep appreciation of campus and community audiences alike.听
鈥淎s executive director of CU Presents since 2001, Joan took the helm when CU Presents was still CU Concerts at the College of Music,鈥� recalls Dean John Davis. 鈥淔rom the beginning鈥攂ack when I directed the college鈥檚 jazz studies program in the early 2000s鈥擩oan took the time to really listen and understand the goals, needs and performance activities of the program which opened the gates for me to achieve what I envisioned.
鈥淪he extended the same can-do, open-minded approach to all academic areas in the College of Music, quickly recognizing that she needed to closely partner with our departments and studios to develop the infrastructure of a sustainable performing arts entity that also supports our academic mission.鈥�
Since then, Braun鈥攚ho further serves as the college鈥檚 assistant dean for concerts and communications鈥攈as led the expansion of CU Presents to become what it is today: The home of all performing arts on the CU Boulder campus with hundreds of concerts, recitals, plays and other events each year, including the popular Holiday Festival and uniquely innovative Faculty Tuesdays series, as well as the much-lauded Artists Series and Tak谩cs Quartet series, the nationally acclaimed baby直播app Shakespeare Festival and more.
鈥淛oan has done a wonderful job of building and sustaining CU Presents over its long history,鈥� says CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano. 鈥淗er dedicated work connecting the community with all that the College of Music offers has elevated the college鈥檚 reputation and strengthened the university鈥檚 relationships with the community.
鈥淛oan鈥檚 efforts have been deeply appreciated and have laid the foundation for future success for CU performers, scholars and artists.鈥�
Indeed, under Braun鈥檚 artistic vision鈥攁nd thanks to the collaborative relationships she鈥檚 established on campus and with other baby直播app arts presenters and artists鈥� agents worldwide鈥攐ur audiences have experienced the College of Music鈥檚 many outstanding ensembles and opera/musical theatre productions, as well as CU Boulder Theatre & Dance performances and groundbreaking acts by award-winning, world-renowned icons.
鈥淭he Artist Series has been and remains an extremely prestigious and important series,鈥� says Toby Tumarkin, executive vice president and global head of artists and attractions with IMG Artists. 鈥淯nder the leadership of Joan Braun, CU Presents has continued to bring new stars from around the globe while maintaining its traditional audiences, subtly and successfully adapting to a changing arts landscape.听
鈥淐onsistently an anchor for artists and touring projects in the region and a crucial lynchpin to help to bring shows to the West Coast, Joan Braun鈥檚 work at CU Presents is a powerful example of important and thoughtful arts presenting.鈥澨�
But Braun鈥攚ho will retire at the end of the 2023-鈥�24 season鈥攊s quick to deflect such well-earned respect and admiration. 鈥淚 have the good fortune of a brilliant team,鈥� she says, also crediting a strong, synergistic collaboration with College of Music Dean Emeritus Daniel Sher over more than two decades. 鈥淭he way I see it, my role is to empower my senior team, and to ensure they understand what I鈥檝e learned and how I do things鈥攅specially artist management and meeting the needs of our community. That鈥檚 how we can best support the next director of CU Presents.鈥�
Among her dedicated staff are longtime colleague Laima Haley who directs CU Presents鈥� marketing and public relations; CU Presents鈥� Operations Director Andrew Metzroth who oversees Tessitura ticketing operations; Senior House Manager Rojana Savoye; and Macky Auditorium Director Rudy Betancourt. 鈥淏oulder鈥檚 cultural scene would not have achieved its world-class reputation without Joan鈥檚 vision for what is possible, steadfast leadership and resilience in the face of challenges,鈥� says Betancourt. 鈥淪he has been a trusted mentor and a dear friend not only to me but to many at CU Presents, the College of Music and鈥攃loser to my heart鈥擬acky Auditorium.听
"Her service to the university and the surrounding area has become an unmatched legacy.鈥�
And it鈥檚 precisely Braun鈥檚 remarkable legacy that inspires our to the Artist Series endowment in her honor, with the goal of reaching $1 million this season.
鈥淚鈥檓 so gratified knowing that the endowment ensures and protects the Artist Series and the overall health of CU Presents鈥攍ong after I鈥檓 retired and into the future,鈥� says Braun. 鈥淚n the arts, we鈥檙e quite vulnerable to events beyond our control鈥攍ike the recent pandemic or the floods in 2013 when, understandably, a lot fewer people were able to come to our performances.
鈥淔or myriad reasons, when earned revenues fall short, the endowment provides crucial funding鈥攈opefully in perpetuity.鈥�
鈥淢anaging a performing arts venue is an affair of the heart and mind. On one hand are the myriad logistics: Contracts, communications, transportation, finances. On the other: Human connection, the gift of beauty and meaning. At best, these all play together in a poetic rhythm, organic and natural, to create a unity that seems like it was inevitable. But it only happens when someone has the vision to see the whole in all of its parts. For the Artist Series and CU Presents, that person is Joan who for 30 years has brought us together for encounters with beauty and meaning through music and dance. She is truly a Boulder treasure.鈥�
鈥擠aryl James, Artist Series Advisory Board member + former chair
