{"id":3053,"date":"2026-07-09T11:04:07","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T11:04:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053"},"modified":"2026-07-09T11:04:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T11:04:07","slug":"charlotte-arts-group-leader-says-goodbye-after-30-years-headed-to-a-new-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053","title":{"rendered":"Charlotte arts group leader says goodbye after 30 years, headed to a new job"},"content":{"rendered":"

After 30 years shaping the 56-year-old Charlotte Ballet<\/a> into a regional powerhouse, Executive Director Doug Singleton announced Thursday he will step down from his role this fall.<\/p>\n

Read more These are the 10 hottest restaurants in Asheville right now to try<\/a><\/p>\n

He is set to start a new job Oct. 1 as executive director of The Washington Ballet<\/a>, which frequently used space at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. That ballet company has been relocating performances to other D.C. venues, including The National Theatre,<\/a> amid Kennedy Center political controversies<\/a> involving the Trump administration.<\/p>\n

Singleton, who joined the Charlotte nonprofit in 1996 and became executive director in 2005, leaves behind a legacy of institutional stability<\/a> and significant growth.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of Doug\u2019s leadership, Charlotte Ballet has evolved into one of the region\u2019s leading cultural institutions,\u201d said Alex Funderburg, chairman of the Charlotte Ballet Board of Trustees said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Singleton, 57, said he has flirted with The Washington Ballet over the last 10 years, but the timing was never right. Now that his and wife Viki\u2019s three children are grown, Singleton welcomed the outreach from the ballet\u2019s search firm around February. He told the Observer he is \u201cexcited to stretch my wings a little bit with a larger company.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I reflect on more than three decades at Charlotte Ballet, I\u2019m filled with such an overwhelming amount of gratitude,\u201d he said. \u201cGratitude for our team here, past and present, gratitude for every dancer who has dazzled on our stage and gratitude to all of Charlotte for embracing the power of dance and its ability to transform lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ballet\u2019s Board of Trustees has appointed Kim Lanphear<\/a> as the interim executive director. Lanphear led the local nonprofit Apparo for 13 years. She will work alongside Singleton until his last day on Sept. 30.<\/p>\n

Singleton joined the Charlotte Ballet, then known as the North Carolina Dance Theatre, as its director of operations. He reflected on the early \u201cgrit and determination\u201d of those startup days alongside former artistic leaders Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux<\/a> and Patricia McBride<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Singleton recalled those early days in a 2017 Dance USA interview<\/a>: \u201cWe were a small organization. When I got there we were barely a $1 million organization. I was doing other contract work as well, keeping myself busy and hustling for the next paycheck.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under Singleton\u2019s leadership, the Charlotte Ballet<\/a> has seen philanthropic support grow by 222% and ticket sales climb 354%. The Charlotte Ballet now has $19.7 million in assets with total revenue of over $9.7 million, according to the nonprofit\u2019s 2024 tax filing.<\/p>\n

Doug Singleton<\/p>\n

A major driver of the financial success is the ballet\u2019s signature production of \u201cThe Nutcracker.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Singleton said in his early years, the show brought in roughly $250,000 in ticket sales with an audience of about 9,000. Today, it’s an economic driver generating about $2 million and attracting more than 22,000 people a year.<\/p>\n

The company also expanded its national profile, including performances in 2010 and 2013 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and residencies at the Chautauqua Institution, plus returns to the Jacob\u2019s Pillow Dance Festival in Massachusetts and The Joyce Theater in Manhattan.<\/p>\n

He also helped launch the \u201cDancing with the Stars of Charlotte Gala,\u201d<\/a> which has raised a total of more than $15 million for Charlotte Ballet and other local charities over 13 years, and spearheaded the Reach Scholarship Program<\/a>, needs-based initiative.<\/p>\n

Singleton\u2019s leadership was tested during the 2008 financial crisis and Great Recession, and again during the COVID pandemic.<\/p>\n

He described the early days of the pandemic as a \u201ccrisis beyond imagination,\u201d noting the difficulty of maintaining artistic intimacy during social distancing and the initial economic concerns of the institution surviving closures.<\/p>\n

Read more How the Hornets\u2019 NBA summer league run could benefit the team\u2019s long-term growth<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI would definitely say that was a really tough spot,\u201d Singleton said.<\/p>\n

The shutdowns challenged instruction at Charlotte Ballet Academy, which offers professional career training and recreational classes for children and adults.<\/p>\n

Six years later, Singleton said, \u201cwe\u2019re still growing the academy back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Singleton\u2019s most visible legacy is the Patricia McBride & Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux Center for Dance<\/a> on North Tryon Street. The facility opened in 2010. It houses administrative and studio rehearsal spaces, the academy and a 200-seat theater. Singleton credits Jane and Hugh McColl for helping secure the site.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt tells everyone that the arts are important to Charlotte, and so is the ballet,\u201d Singleton said.<\/p>\n

Uptown Charlotte\u2019s \u201ccultural mile\u201d on North Tryon Street is anchored by key assets like the Charlotte Ballet, as well as the Bechtler, Gantt and Mint museums. It also includes the Knight Theater, Blumenthal, Carolina Theater and Discovery Place. Collectively, these venues drive significant traffic to uptown, Singleton said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is an intentional strategy to ensure that the center city is the thriving heartbeat of the Charlotte community,\u201d Singleton said. \u201cIt gives me a lot of hope that it\u2019s going to continue to thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Singleton is in the middle of what he called a quiet campaign for a 35,500-square-foot addition to its facillity at 701 N. Tryon St<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The $60-million project will add studio space and artist housing. Singleton calls affordable housing a crucial component for local workforce development.<\/p>\n

So far, $25 million has been secured, and Bank of America donated the property. Singleton views the effort as a long-term goal requiring city, county and corporate partnerships.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe person who starts the project doesn\u2019t always finish the project,\u201d Singleton said. \u201cIt\u2019s important to make sure that the artists of Charlotte are considered in every conversation, and housing is part of that big conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Singleton also has been a part of North Carolina\u2019s cultural and civic communities, serving on numerous boards and advisory committees including Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance in Asheville, Choir School at St. Peter\u2019s in Charlotte, ArtsNC, the Knight Foundation and the Wildacres Leadership Initiative.<\/p>\n

As he moves to Washington, D.C., Singleton said he is drawn to the vision of The Washington Ballet\u2019s artistic director, Edwaard Liang. He views his new role as a chance to provide a good foundation for the company as it launches into its 50th anniversary season.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a transformative moment for the organization,\u201d Singleton said.<\/p>\n

The board also formed a committee with Armstrong McGuire<\/a>, a nonprofit consulting firm based in Research Triangle Park, to conduct a nationwide search for Singleton\u2019s replacement.<\/p>\n

Charlotte Ballet\u2019s Artistic Director Alejandro Cerrudo<\/a> said in a statement that despite the upcoming leadership change, he\u2019s confident in the strength of the organization and what lies ahead. \u201cDoug\u2019s leadership has positioned Charlotte Ballet for a bright future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Want to see more stories like this? Sign up here<\/a> for our free, award-winning \u201cInside Charlotte Arts\u201d newsletter: charlotteobserver.com\/newsletters. And you can join our Facebook group, \u201cInside Charlotte Arts,\u201d by going here<\/a>: facebook.com\/groups\/insidecharlottearts.<\/p>\n

Read more Eager eyes will turn to Charlotte after the World Cup for MLS All-Star Game<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Charlotte Ballet executive director Doug Singleton will step down after 30 years to join The Washington Ballet. Charlotte board appoints Kim Lanphear interim.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nCharlotte arts group leader says goodbye after 30 years, headed to a new job - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Charlotte arts group leader says goodbye after 30 years, headed to a new job - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Charlotte Ballet executive director Doug Singleton will step down after 30 years to join The Washington Ballet. Charlotte board appoints Kim Lanphear interim.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"\u0421harlotte Relocation Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-09T11:04:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/?p=3053#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/?p=3053\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8dbe691609d05fbc6dbaa5c440b54a93\"},\"headline\":\"Charlotte arts group leader says goodbye after 30 years, headed to a new job\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-09T11:04:07+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/?p=3053\"},\"wordCount\":1167,\"commentCount\":0,\"articleSection\":[\"Read today's Edition\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/?p=3053#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/?p=3053\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/?p=3053\",\"name\":\"Charlotte arts group leader says goodbye after 30 years, headed to a new job - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-09T11:04:07+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8dbe691609d05fbc6dbaa5c440b54a93\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/?p=3053#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/?p=3053\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/?p=3053#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Charlotte arts group leader says goodbye after 30 years, headed to a new job\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"\u0421harlotte Relocation Guide\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8dbe691609d05fbc6dbaa5c440b54a93\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/charlotterelocationguide.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Charlotte arts group leader says goodbye after 30 years, headed to a new job - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Charlotte arts group leader says goodbye after 30 years, headed to a new job - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide","og_description":"Charlotte Ballet executive director Doug Singleton will step down after 30 years to join The Washington Ballet. Charlotte board appoints Kim Lanphear interim.","og_url":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053","og_site_name":"\u0421harlotte Relocation Guide","article_published_time":"2026-07-09T11:04:07+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8dbe691609d05fbc6dbaa5c440b54a93"},"headline":"Charlotte arts group leader says goodbye after 30 years, headed to a new job","datePublished":"2026-07-09T11:04:07+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053"},"wordCount":1167,"commentCount":0,"articleSection":["Read today's Edition"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053","url":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053","name":"Charlotte arts group leader says goodbye after 30 years, headed to a new job - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-07-09T11:04:07+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8dbe691609d05fbc6dbaa5c440b54a93"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3053#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Charlotte arts group leader says goodbye after 30 years, headed to a new job"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/","name":"\u0421harlotte Relocation Guide","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8dbe691609d05fbc6dbaa5c440b54a93","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com"],"url":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3053\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}