This month, Duke University’s Venue and Production Management (VPM) team began reporting to Deborah F. Rutter, vice provost for the arts. The transition brings together Duke’s arts leadership and the teams responsible for many of the spaces, systems, and services that support performances, exhibitions, lectures, conferences, and other events across campus.
VPM oversees several performance, event, and academic spaces on campus, as well as the Duke University Box Office. Their work includes venue scheduling and management, production services, front-of-house operations, ticketing for campus arts events and beyond, and stewardship of key arts facilities. Through these services, the team supports a wide range of partners, from student organizations and academic departments to presenters and community groups.
The reporting change reflects Duke’s continued investment in the arts and recognizes the important role that venues, production, and audience services play in the cultural life of the university.
“Arts organizations thrive when artistic vision and operational excellence work hand in hand,” Rutter said. “Venue and Production Management is essential to making the arts accessible and impactful at Duke, and their work advances a range of educational priorities. I look forward to working closely with the team to strengthen the systems that support creative work and student, faculty, and audience experiences across the university.”
In this updated structure, Duke Arts and VPM will continue to operate as distinct units with complementary roles. Duke Arts focuses on advancing the university’s arts strategy, operating community and student-facing arts programs including Duke Arts Presents and Duke Arts Create, and fostering new opportunities for creative engagement across campus. VPM provides the venues, production expertise, ticketing services, and audience-facing operations that help make the work of Duke Arts and many other campus and community partners possible.
The transition creates new opportunities for collaboration and long-term planning across Duke’s arts ecosystem. Members of the Duke community are encouraged to share questions, feedback, and ideas as this new chapter begins. Feedback will help inform ongoing conversations about how Duke can best support the artists, audiences, students, faculty, staff, and community members who rely on these spaces and services.
For questions or feedback related to VPM, please complete this form.
To inquire about space managed by VPM, learn more here.