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Byron Gustafson | 2010 International Citation of Merit Recipient |
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Byron Gustafson, recipient of the 2010 International Citation of Merit at the New York 2010 ISPA Congress, FAST FORWARD: Imagining the Future. View other ISPA Award winners.
Nominating Statement | “Integrity, honesty and commitment – those are the watchwords for a career that has spanned more than 30 years. Byron’s respect and caring for the artists he worked with is both acknowledged and respected by the entire field.”
Byron Gustafson was born in 1954 and raised in Minnesota (except for one year in Syracuse) and has a music degree in piano performance from North Park University in Chicago with Professor Elizabeth Buccheri. After graduating in 1976, he worked for two seasons as the assistant to the Chairman of the Auditorium Theatre Council, a non-profit presenting organization that at that time operated the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago (a National Historic Landmark built in 1889 by the architects Adler and Sullivan and their intern was Frank Lloyd Wright; it was the first building in Chicago that used light bulbs and featured them in the design; it was the original home of the Chicago Symphony and the Lyric Opera before they built their own halls). The programming ranged from a major dance series to recitals to working with various community organizations and promoters. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Joffrey Ballet performed there annually. It was an essential and unique development in his career as he learned how a nonprofit performing arts center operates and was involved with the planning and producing of the performances.
In 1978 he moved to NYC and began his career in performing arts management at ICM Artists, Ltd (formed in 1976). He initially worked for Lee Lamont (currently Chairman Emeritus) and advanced through various positions in the booking department, artist management and ensemble and group management.
He was significantly involved in forming and investing in Opus 3 Artists LLC in 2006, when ICM Artists was purchased from ICM, and had the position of Managing Partner. He retired in November 2009 because of a health condition and was appointed Managing Partner Emeritus.
He has been with his partner, Gustave Fleury, for 25 years. They live in New York and enjoy a country house in Garrison, NY.
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