Clint Ramos Joins Lincoln Center as Artist-in-Residence

Creative director, designer, and producer Clint Ramos has joined Lincoln Center as Artist-in-Residence. Among innumerable career highlights, Ramos has designed hundreds of theater, opera, and dance productions around the globe; is the creative mind behind the transformation of Lincoln Center’s outdoor campus each year for Summer for the City; is a two-time recipient of the Ani ng Dangal Presidential Medal for dramatic arts from the President of his native Philippines; and a TONY Award winner.

Established in 2022, LCPA’s Artist-in-Residence program is one of a number of initiatives to support artists throughout their careers, beyond the presentation of their work. A first of its kind residency at LCPA, Artists-in-Residence receive foundational support and space – both literal and figurative – to curate distinct series and projects and push the boundaries of their own practices.

Serving two-year terms, LCPA Artists-in-Residence are integrated into the organization in a number of ways and offered the same benefits as administrative staff, including employer subsidized health insurance – a rarity for many individual working artists.

“An important part of our role here at Lincoln Center is bringing artists of all kinds into our everyday and supporting what they need to create some of the great artworks of today and tomorrow,” said Shanta Thake, Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. “Clint is a true visionary. Whether its work with our friends at The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Center, on Broadway, or in films, Clint’s creative work defies convention and definition. We are proud to invest in his work, catalyze new collaborations, and welcome him more fully home here at Lincoln Center.”

“As one of our leading designers, whether it be creating the scenery for Anthony Davis’s seminal opera X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, or designing the costumes for our new production of Tristan und Isolde next season, it’s always artistically rewarding to have Clint working at the Met," said Peter Gelb, Maria Manetti Shrem General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera.

“Ramos’ residency is a perfect continuation of the Library for the Performing Arts’ mission to provide a free and accessible space for education and professional development opportunities. Ramos’ work specifically with young designers and artists getting their start in the performing arts industry perfectly captures this ethos. We couldn’t be more thrilled about how Ramos and Springboard for Design will utilize our newly opened Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab and we’re delighted to collaborate with Lincoln Center,” said Roberta Pereira, Barbara G. and Lawrence A. Fleischman Executive Director of the Library for the Performing Arts.

“Clint is a transformative arts leader—his creativity is wild, gorgeous, and expansive, and he creates joy in community wherever he goes. Clint and I have enjoyed over 20 years of rich artistic collaboration, and his presence at Lincoln Center will be a gift to this city,” said Lear deBessonet, Artistic Director of Encores! at City Center, New York and incoming Artistic Director of Lincoln Center Theater.

“I am honored and thrilled to be named an artist-in-residence at Lincoln Center, a place I have long considered one of my creative homes. This opportunity allows me to further my work in uniting our global community of multidisciplinary artists, fostering collaboration, and creating transformative projects. I am deeply grateful for the support and the space to cultivate ideas that bring us closer together through art,” said Clint Ramos, Artist-in-Residence, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

During his residency, Ramos will focus on a number of initiatives, including:
 
Leading curation of the 2026 edition of American Songbook, LCPA’s long-running series celebrating American popular music across time, genres, and lived experiences;

Developing a new public art and theater piece premiering fall 2025 that brings together visual artists and global communities;

Costume design for The Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde in 2026, featuring Lise Davidsen and directed by Yuval Sharon;

Acting as Visual Director for Summer for the City, transforming the outdoor spaces of Lincoln Center’s campus for the massive festival as he has since 2022;

Collaborating with the Library for the Performing Arts by bringing the Springboard for Design program, a groundbreaking initiative that mentors high school students from underrepresented communities to explore the many facets of American theater design, to the Library’s new Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab;

and hosting Create-athon events, welcoming young people and families for hands-on artistic explorations, beginning with the Building a Boat Create-athon on Sunday, April 6. 

In addition to Artists-in-Residence, LCPA also supports artists through The Collider Fellowship, an eight-month residency where six artists working at the vanguard of their fields explore how technology can enhance and deepen in-person performing arts experiences, as well as The William R. Kenan, Jr. Fellowship, which offers six emerging artists committed to arts education a year-long residency with mentorship and training opportunities, as well as space for the collaborative creation of new performance works.

Photo credit: Ernest Gatpandan

To post a comment, you must register and login.