Who I am

A man in a suit and glasses speaking at a podium with a UNC Global sign, in front of a wooden panel background.

Photo Courtesy UNC-Chapel Hill

I’ve always believed that the arts are a form of public service. My work has been about building systems where artists can imagine freely, institutions serve justly, and communities feel seen.

— Emil J. Kang

Through strategic advising, leadership coaching, and institutional transformation, I partner with clients who seek to build future-ready cultural ecosystems that are equitable, ambitious, and sustainable.

I’m a cultural strategist and institutional advisor working at the intersection of the arts, philanthropy, education, and public life. For over three decades, I’ve helped leaders and organizations align vision with structure, values with strategy, and ambition with clarity.

Most recently, I served as Program Director for Arts and Culture at The Mellon Foundation — the largest arts funder in the U.S. — where I led a $125M grant portfolio, launched initiatives like Creatives Rebuild New York, and worked to center equity across the field.

Before that, I spent over a decade at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I founded Arts Everywhere and led Carolina Performing Arts. Earlier in my career, I served as President & Executive Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and held leadership roles with several major orchestras.

In 2012, I was appointed by President Barack Obama to the National Council on the Arts, where I continue to serve. I also sit on boards and committees of Silkroad, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Council of Korean Americans, among others.

At every stage, I’ve been drawn to the spaces between: between vision and action, institution and artist, strategy and soul. I work best when the map is unclear and the stakes are high — helping people find traction, alignment, and calm in the midst of bold transitions.

Key Credentials:

  • National Council on the Arts (Presidential Appointee)

  • Program Director, Mellon Foundation (2019–2024)

  • Executive and Artistic Director, Carolina Performing Arts (2005–2019)

  • President, Detroit Symphony Orchestra (2000–2003)

  • Agnes Gund Visiting Professor of the Practice, Brown University

  • Currently serves on the Boards and Committees for Silkroad, Council of Korean Americans, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the National Council on the Arts

Group of 12 diverse professionally dressed people standing in a formal room with ornate decor, including a chandelier, paintings, and decorated walls.

President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, and members of the National Council on the Arts including Emil Kang, during a ceremony at the White House, 2023. (Photo credit: White House)