As John V. Brown prepares to close his chapter as Vice Provost for the Arts at Duke on June 30, colleagues, students, and community partners alike are reflecting with gratitude on his visionary leadership—and the joy, passion, and generosity he brought to every part of his work.

Over the past five years, Brown has helped shaped the arts at Duke into a vital, integrated force across disciplines, departments, and communities. His impact is wide-ranging—spanning the creation of student-facing programs, expanded public concerts, and behind-the-scenes work to unify Duke’s arts identity and deepen community ties.

He took the reins in 2020 during a time of profound uncertainty. With his steady presence and belief that the arts are essential to all people and communities, he guided Duke Arts through the COVID-19 pandemic and into a new era. “You kept the arts alive at Duke and you made us appreciate them even more,” said Provost Alec Gallimore at a recent reception honoring Brown’s service.

“You kept the arts alive at Duke and you made us appreciate them even more.”

Provost Alec Gallimore

Brown envisioned and led the rebranding of Duke Arts and the merger with Duke Performances, uniting public-facing and academic programming under one inclusive umbrella through the newly launched Duke Arts Presents. Under his direction, the program became more closely tied to Duke’s academic mission, with performances intentionally shaped by faculty input and curricular relevance.

Brown also made it a priority to bring the arts into community spaces. He expanded and strengthened concert series that connect Duke to the public—including making Music in the Gardens free to the public, launching the free Duke Arts at American Tobacco series in downtown Durham with support from the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, and collaborating with The Streets at Southpoint to schedule talented regional performers for their summer series, Music on Main. His leadership also deepened ties with cultural institutions in the region, including North Carolina Central University, where Brown is a long-time collaborator and former professor, and Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, where he launched a new partnership in April.

In addition to expanding programs, Brown made strategic investments in Duke’s physical arts infrastructure—ensuring that performance spaces could meet the needs of today’s artists, audiences, and students. With support from The Duke Endowment, he oversaw a renovation of Reynolds Industries Theater, transforming it into a more comfortable, functional, and welcoming venue. He also initiated a forthcoming upgrade to Baldwin Auditorium’s audiovisual capabilities, expanding documentation opportunities and improving the audience experience and behind-the-scenes functionality for artists and crews.

“Art is a nutrient for the soul, and John has facilitated nurturing the souls of our community for decades, including cultivating pivotal partnerships between NCCU and Duke,” said Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams. “From personal friend to professional colleague, I’m incredibly grateful for his service as Vice Provost. I look forward to his impact continuing to shape the lives in Durham for years to come.”

“Art is a nutrient for the soul, and John has facilitated nurturing the souls of our community for decades.”

Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams

Brown’s tenure also marked a new wave of student-focused innovation. In close partnership with Duke students and staff, he helped create initiatives that encourage students to explore, lead, and create. These included Duke Arts Studio, Arts+, the Duke Arts Exchange, and the Duke Arts Fellows Program, which launches in Fall 2025 and will bring undergraduate fellows into Durham Public School classrooms to support arts education alongside DPS educators and Duke faculty.

“Professor Brown is one of the best musicians I’ve ever heard play in my life, and it was such a privilege to learn from him,” said Mauro Mastrapasqua ’25. “It is really cool that someone who is both a virtuosic jazz bassist and an experienced band director has served as the vice provost for the arts at Duke. Between playing combo gigs with him and playing with world-famous guest artists at jazz ensemble shows, I have Professor Brown to thank first and foremost for the countless once-in-a-lifetime experiences I had at Duke.”

“Words can’t express how much I love John Brown,” said actor and Duke alumnus Ken Jeong ’90. “Co-hosting the Duke Arts Block Party with John was one of my favorite things I have ever done, and it was all because of John’s passion and joy for what he does. John has opened so many opportunities for me to give back and support Duke Arts. I will always be indebted to him.”

Though stepping away from administration, Brown will return to the faculty in the Department of Music, where he will continue to perform, mentor, and teach. As he moves into this next chapter, Duke Arts—and the broader Duke community—will carry forward his legacy of collaboration, access, and artistic excellence.