Consulting
Joining institutions as a strategist and thought-partner to address a wide-range of organizational challenges
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Harvard University's Office for the Arts
New England Conservatory
Merit School of Music
Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras
Boston BEAM
Third Coast Percussion
Handel + Haydn Society
Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras
Coalition-Building
Creating a level playing field for BIPOC classical musicians in the United States.
• 59 organizational members
• 42 individual members
• 457 musicians served
Supporting music education programs with staff development, research, student leadership programs, and advocacy.
• 140 member programs
• 6,000 teaching artists
• 25,000 students
Keynote Speaking
Offering insightful presentations on cultural equity and leadership.
TED 2010 and 2017
ArtsFund
Chorus America
MacPhail Center for Music
University of Michigan
Spanish Association of Symphony Orchestras
Woodruff Arts Center
Swarthmore College
National Museum of American-Jewish History
Philanthropy Network of Greater Philadelphia
National Association of Schools of Music
The Piano Conference
LEADERSHIP
A leading voice in cultural equity
ABOUT
STANFORD
Stanford Thompson is an internationally recognized arts leader advancing musical excellence and equity in classical music. His expertise includes organizational management, strategic implementation, and stakeholder relationship development.
Stanford Thompson (he/him) founded and led music education organization Play On Philly, served as the founding board chair of El Sistema USA, and founded and currently serves as executive director of Equity Arc. In those roles, he has led complex strategic planning and organizational design projects for local and national initiatives that provide equitable arts access for communities and artists.
As a Principal with Goldsmith Strategies, he has guided the strategic development of dozens of organizations across the United States. He has also collaborated with WolfBrown on strategic planning, program evaluation, and establishing new ventures with the support of national institutional funders.
Stanford serves on the faculty of the Global Leaders Institute and regularly speaks at major arts and business conferences and institutions. He has been a TED Fellow, presenting on music as a powerful tool for positive personal and societal change. Stanford holds degrees from The Curtis Institute of Music and New England Conservatory.
Stanford has led complex strategic planning and organizational design projects for local and national initiatives
