Brooklyn Academy of Music Names Tamara McCaw as President

The Brooklyn Academy of Music on Friday announced the appointment of Tamara McCaw as the institution’s new president.

Since June 2025, McCaw has served as the Interim Chief Executive Officer, and in this new role, she will work closely with the board and BAM’s senior leadership team to guide the organization’s strategic vision and institutional priorities.

McCaw returns to BAM after serving more than eight years as the director of Government and Community Affairs from 2008 to 2016. Following that, she worked for eight years as The Shed’s inaugural chief civic program officer, helping to develop the institution’s widely lauded “Open Call” initiative, which continues to invite early-career, New York City-based artists to create a temporary onsite commission. In 2023, McCaw founded Public Assembly, a creative strategy and producing practice working at the intersection of culture and social impact.

“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to lead BAM into its next chapter,” McCaw said in a statement.“This institution has played an essential role in Brooklyn’s cultural life for more than 160 years, and I am committed to serving its artists and neighbors alike. In the years since the pandemic, BAM has not only restored but expanded its programming and welcomed audiences back at levels that meet and exceed those of the pre-COVID era—a testament to the dedication of our staff and the enduring vitality of our community. At a time when cultural institutions face significant challenges, we will continue to center artists, foster belonging, and serve our community with imagination and purpose.”

A seasoned leader who has grown institutions, directed complex initiatives, and cultivated transformative funding, McCaw combines strategic acumen with a deeply collaborative ethos. Her extensive experience in the arts and longstanding connection to BAM uniquely position her to help define the organization’s evolution at a pivotal moment for cultural institutions nationwide.

“Following a highly competitive international search, the board is delighted to welcome Tamara McCaw back to BAM as president,” said BAM Board Chair Diane L. Max. “Over the course of her distinguished career, she has consistently proven her inspiring leadership, expanded audiences, built meaningful partnerships across diverse constituencies, and guided institutions through ambitious and transformative periods of growth. We are fortunate to have her expertise at the helm."