The past year has been a time for regrouping on the Los Angeles arts scene. Most of the city’s major musical institutions, from LA Opera to the LA Phil, have been out a top executive at some point this season.
Now, that period of change is coming to a close. A hub for contemporary artists and performers in L.A., the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater, better known as REDCAT, is the latest organization to announce a new leader. João Ribas, a curator and writer from the world of the visual arts, assumes the role of executive director on June 1.
Ribas’s appointment follows an almost yearlong search for REDCAT’s next director, only the second in the theater’s history. Mark Murphy, who stepped down as executive director at the end of the 2018–2019 season, had been with the organization since its founding in 2003.
Ribas’s background meshes with REDCAT’s diverse, multidisciplinary approach. Born in Portugal, raised in the United States, he’s worked as a critic, curator, and teacher in both countries. His international credentials, at a time when art of all kinds is reorienting to Los Angeles, keeps REDCAT in an influential position. From visual artists to composer and musicians, REDCAT can continue to work on the cutting edge.
Edgar Miramontes, who’s taken on the work of executive director since Murphy’s departure, will stay on with REDCAT in an expanded position, deputy executive director and curator.
