Eryn Bates Kemp Named Next Executive Director of Harriman-Jewell Series

The Harriman-Jewell Series, Kansas City’s leading performing arts presenter, has named Eryn Bates Kemp as its next Executive Director.

Kansas City, Missouri -- The Harriman-Jewell Series, Kansas City’s leading performing arts presenter, has named Eryn Bates Kemp as its next Executive Director. With her commitment to the artistic vitality of the Kansas City community and a lifelong passion for the performing arts, she joins current director Clark Morris in looking to the future of the arts in Kansas City and the next step in the Harriman-Jewell Series’ (the Series) organizational history. Mr. Morris, who has been with the Series for 34 years, and served as Executive Director for the past 24 years, will remain with the organization, serving as Artistic Director alongside Ms. Bates Kemp. They will share co-leadership roles as the Series moves forward into its 60th anniversary season.

With more than ten years of experience in arts administration in the Kansas City community and beyond, Ms. Bates Kemp is a skilled administrator and fundraiser, leading the Series’ operations through the pandemic while garnering organizational growth and sustainability. As Executive Director, Bates Kemp will serve as the key officer of the organization’s financial, fundraising, and administrative operations, while Mr. Morris will oversee artistic programming and performance. Together, they will continue to seek opportunities to engage local audiences through once-in-a-lifetime performance experiences, solid community partnerships, and artistic excellence.

Bates Kemp has a successful track record in the world of performing arts. She has held positions with the Kansas City Repertory Theatre as well as Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples, FL, where she served as General Manager, and has worked with the Harriman-Jewell Series as Director of Development and Associate Executive Director for the past ten years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music as part of the Oxbridge Honors Program of William Jewell College, studied under Dr. Francis Warner at The University of Oxford (Oxford, UK), received an MBA from University of Missouri-Kansas City, and holds credentials as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).

Bates Kemp’s love for the performing arts is genuine and deeply rooted. She is a multi-instrument musician, proficient as a pianist, organist, vocalist, music director, and composer. “Kansas City is on the world stage now more than ever before,” said Eryn Bates Kemp. “It’s an honor to work with a supportive community that values the unique performance opportunities the Series can provide, not to mention introduce the world’s greatest artists to our thriving arts community,” she said. “I’m eager to lead the Series into our next stage of growth and influence and think creatively about ways we can deepen our community connectivity and impact.”

“We are fortunate to have Eryn’s talent and intellect to lead the Series. It was an honor to work alongside our founder Richard Harriman for more than 20 years, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to co-lead the Series with Eryn. Her work with the Series and in the Kansas City community is top notch!” said Morris, Artistic Director.

The Series begins its 60th Anniversary Season in the fall of 2024, making Ms. Bates Kemp the third individual (and first woman) to hold the role of Executive Director in its history. As the leading performing arts presenter in Kansas City, the Harriman-Jewell Series brings the world’s most extraordinary talent in classical, jazz, Broadway, and dance to Kansas City’s doorstep, presenting a diverse array of the performing arts in downtown venues for the past 60 years.

MORE ABOUT THE HARRIMAN-JEWELL SERIES:

The 2024-2025 season marks the Harriman-Jewell Series’ 60th anniversary season. Founded by Richard Harriman and Dean Dunham, Jr. on the campus of William Jewell College in 1965, the Series has grown into one of the country’s leading and most respected performing arts presenters today. Just eight years after its inception, the Series presented famed opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti in his international recital debut. To date, the Series has presented 1,024 performances, along with dozens of American and International recital debuts, bringing world-renowned artists direct to the concert halls of Kansas City. The Series continues to offer varied and unique experiences each season by bringing only the best in performing arts to Kansas City audiences with a firm commitment to the four tenets; quality, variety, diversity, discovery. The Series also remains committed to bring performing arts experiences and free education events to the community through their unique Discovery Concert programs which have been attended by over 55,000 community members free of charge since 2004.

Eryn Bates Kemp, Executive Director

Photo credit: Andrew Schwartz / Veritography

Clark Morris, Artistic Director & Eryn Bates Kemp, Executive Director

Photo credit: Andrew Schwartz / Veritography