Oak View Group's Theater Alliance Presents Impact Award to the Boch Center's Josiah Spaulding, Jr.

Oak View Group’s Theater Alliance presented the prestigious Impact Award to legendary theater operator Josiah (“Joe”) Spaulding, Jr., who recently retired after a nearly 40-year career as President/CEO of Boch Center in Boston, MA, at the second annual Theater Alliance Gala presented by DeKuyper on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The Daily Show’s Michael Kosta hosted this prestigious event, which was an unforgettable evening of music, entertainment, and philanthropy, where pop rock group HANSON, Brooklyn’s TimaLikesMusic and the Garden of Dreams Choir performed.

Through Spaulding’s determination, strategic partnerships, and passion for the arts, he successfully transformed the Boch Center, home of Boston’s historic Wang and Shubert Theatres, into one of the most prominent and respected non-profit performing arts centers in the country.

“Joe’s impact has gone far beyond the stage,” said Joe Giordano, Vice President of Oak View Group’s Theater Alliance. “It is an honor for the Oak View Group Theater Alliance to pay tribute and honor Joe at our Gala as he was instrumental in the formation of the Theater Alliance. He has been a tireless advocate for arts education and community engagement. Through the Boch Center’s programs, hundreds of thousands of youths, teens, and families from underserved and vulnerable communities have been impacted: Many through free youth development and free ticket access programs.”

“Collaboration and partnership have always been the cornerstone of my success in our business and to be recognized tonight by the Oak View Group Theater Alliance and my peers for the first prestigious Impact Award will be a true highlight of my career,” said Spaulding. “The Theatre Alliance that Joe (Giordano) and Noel (Mirhadi) have established can only lead all of us involved to greater success as an industry. To celebrate this achievement at a gala at Radio City Music Hall is just magical!! I couldn’t be prouder!”

One of the crowning achievements of Spaulding’s career is the 2019 establishment of the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame, a unique initiative that celebrates the rich history of folk, Americana, and roots music through exhibits, concerts, educational programs, and more.

The Theater Alliance Gala is a cornerstone event for the OVG Theater Alliance Fund and represents a commitment to sustaining the cultural vibrancy of communities across North America. Attendees can look forward to an evening filled with live performances, a silent auction, and networking opportunities with industry leaders and philanthropists.

All proceeds from the Gala support the OVG Theater Alliance Fund, a 501(C)3, created in collaboration with Music’s Promise, to enable theaters to continue their invaluable work and ensure the arts continue to thrive.

The OVG Theater Alliance is a nationwide collective of marquee theaters and performing arts venues in top-tier markets across North America where its members benefit from collective buying power, routing of non-traditional content, sponsorship opportunities, industry best practices, and resources.

Josiah A. Spaulding, Jr. has been an arts and cultural leader for decades, dedicated to working with local and state government on arts funding, policy, and legislative issues. A nonprofit entrepreneur with years of experience, he negotiated a public-private partnership between the Center and Citigroup (2006), championed a unique co-booking partnership with Madison Square Garden Entertainment (2008), and most recently, he negotiated a landmark naming sponsorship between the Center and the Boch Family (2016).

He has received honorary doctorate degrees from Curry College and Salem State College. He was Chair of the Boston Theatre District Association (1989-91) and the Massachusetts Cultural Council (1991-95) and is a graduate of Bowdoin College. Josiah Spaulding is currently an Honorary Trustee of Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Partners Continuing Care and a Trustee of Mass General Brigham.

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