Shanta Thake is the Chief Artistic Officer of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, charged with expanding Lincoln Center's cultural reach within New York City. Thake launched the organization’s Summer for the City Festival in 2022, which brings live programming across Lincoln Center’s campus to 10 stages. Under her leadership, Lincoln Center has significantly increased the organization's free and Choose-What-You-Pay ticketing for all their programming. Thake's influence has led to regular collaborations with Lincoln Center’s resident organizations, including the first ever cross-campus celebration of a single artist, Terence Blanchard.[3]
Before taking the Lincoln Center position in September 2021, she was Associate Artistic Director/ Director of Artistic Programs at The Public Theater. In this capacity, Thake oversaw the growth and development of Public Works, Mobile Unit, Under the Radar, Joe's Pub, The Shakespeare Initiative and Public Forum. Previously, she spent 10 years as the Director of Joe's Pub at The Public, The Public Theater's cabaret space named after Theater founder Joseph Papp. Under Thake's direction, Joe's Pub produced events at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park and in collaboration with Make Music New York, Under The Radar and DanceNOW, among other organizations.
