Steve Schonberg Joins Midland Center for the Arts as Vice President, Marketing & Sales

Midland Center for the Arts has announced that Steve Schonberg will join the Center’s executive team on June 10th as Vice President, Marketing & Sales. He will succeed Diane Willcox, who previously announced her retirement scheduled for this summer.

Steve, well-established in the Broadway community, has relocated to Midland from New York City where he built a strong reputation working in the arts as well as in consumer and nonprofit marketing.  

“Steve is going to be a great addition to the Center’s team,” said Jon Loos, President and CEO of Midland Center for the Arts. “His knowledge and expertise in both the arts and broad-based consumer marketing will benefit The Center and the Great Lakes Bay Region. Steve will continue Diane’s terrific work in building audiences and promoting arts and culture throughout the region.”

Born and raised in Long Island, Steve grew up as an aspiring actor. He spent much of his childhood performing in choirs and regional theater groups until attending Boston University for marketing and communication. Over the past several decades, Steve has merged his personal passion for the arts with his professional experience as a marketing executive to benefit the growth of arts and culture and to advocate for various charitable causes.

Steve also served as the guest theater expert on WNBC-TV’s “Today in New York” for eight years and his written work has been published extensively across media outlets. He was presented with the “Outstanding Documentary” award by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) for conceptualizing and starring in an MTV News special about marriage equality as part of its acclaimed “True Life” series.

Additionally, together with members of the Hammerstein family, Steve helped spearhead a fundraising campaign to acquire and preserve Oscar Hammerstein II’s home, which is being transformed into a museum and education center. 

Steve and his teams have generated millions of dollars in sales and funds raised for organizations including The Puerto Rico Tourism Company, The American Heart Association, Johnson & Johnson, 3M, PNC Bank and Kraft Foods. Collectively, their work has been honored with many respected industry and social impact awards.

“I am beyond excited to join this multifaceted organization in the heart of the beautiful Great Lakes Bay Region,” Steve said. “My experience in marketing and storytelling, combined with my love for the arts, historic preservation and nonprofit causes, will all converge to support the Center. I look forward to becoming part of the community and to collaborating with organizations throughout the region.”

For more than 50 years, Midland Center for the Arts has been a regional destination for arts, entertainment, cultural exploration and learning. With a budget greater than $9 million, the Center attracts more than 106,000 visitors from around the state of Michigan and beyond. Its programs range from art classes to interactive art, science, and history exhibits, summer camps, student outreach, the Midland Symphony Orchestra, community theater, internationally known performers and touring Broadway musicals.

The Center is nearing completion of a $47 million capital campaign to fund an innovative, interactive museum that merges the multiple disciplines supported at the Center and fosters learning, creativity and connection. Construction begins this summer and is expected to be completed in 2026. The Center will remain open throughout the renovation.

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