Brandon Gryde Joins National Endowment for the Arts as Director of Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works and Artist Communities

Washington, DC—The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to announce Brandon Gryde has joined the agency’s staff as the new director of presenting and multidisciplinary works and artist communities. He started in this position on March 30, 2020.

Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, said, “Brandon’s career working with national arts service organizations has given him a deep understanding of the work of the Arts Endowment and the needs of the arts community. We look forward to having him lead our work in presenting and multidisciplinary works, as well as artist communities.”

“This is a challenging time for organizations, artists, and the communities and audiences they serve,” said Brandon Gryde. “I am honored to serve the Arts Endowment in my new role, and I look forward to continuing to support the great diversity of organizations and artists represented within the fields of presenting and multidisciplinary works and artist communities.”

Gryde previously served as director of government affairs for both Dance/USA and OPERA America for more than nine years, representing the dance and opera fields on a wide range of policy issues. Additionally, he served as OPERA America’s first equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) officer, where he provided training and learning opportunities for membership and staff, guided the development of OPERA America’s EDI Values Statement, and founded the ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, Native American) Opera Network.

Gryde also served as communications director at Youth Service America, an international organization that engaged young people in service and service-learning initiatives. Additionally, he was publications director for Jump Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he managed the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts grant program in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and launched AND Magazine, a quarterly arts-and-healthy-lifestyles teen magazine written by local students.

Gryde has served on the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) Advisory Committee and Independent Sector’s Public Policy Advisory Committee. He was a speaker and panelist for Dance/USA and OPERA America conferences, AEP’s annual convening, the Dance/NYC Symposium, the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture’s Advocacy Leadership Institute, and many others. Gryde has a BA in ethnomusicology (jazz studies emphasis) and American literature and culture from UCLA and an MA in American studies from Penn State.

Gryde replaces Michael Orlove, who became director of state, regional & local partnerships, and international activities at the National Endowment for the Arts in 2019.