Catherine Peterson

CATHERINE PETERSON is the executive director of ArtsBoston, a nonprofit arts service organization with a mission to support and grow the arts and cultural sector of Greater Boston. During her tenure, Peterson has grown ArtsBoston’s annual operating budget from just over $800,000 to more than $2 million. ArtsBoston is a two-time recipient of the Massachusetts Cultural Council Commonwealth award, which is the state’s highest honor for the arts. The Boston Globe celebrated the ArtsBoston Audience Initiative as a “Game Changer” in its special innovation report last June, and The Arts Factor as one of the “20 Best New Big Ideas” in its Best of 2014 issue. Peterson’s marketing and audience development experience include the management of a multi-million dollar Wallace Foundation audience development program at the Worcester Art Museum, artistic administration for the Cleveland Orchestra, and the position of Vice President at Columbia Artists Management, handling the careers of twenty-five internationally known opera singers including Arleen Auger, Mignon Dunn, Robert Lloyd, Arthur Woodley and Timothy Noble. Peterson’s community and national commitments include serving on the Boston Creates cultural plan leadership council for Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, as board president Elect for Chorus America (national service organization for choruses, choral leaders and singers) and as a board member for Friends of Copley Square and MASSCreative. A Berkeley, California native, Catherine graduated summa cum laude from Wellesley College. @artsboston