Viva Vivo

On a spring morning in Boston, as the city hums with marathon energy, Gary Dunning sits in his quiet home office, momentarily removed from the downtown bustle that has defined much of his professional life in Boston. After a decade and a half of leading one of the city’s most influential cultural institutions, he is preparing to step away. Thanks to his long-term vision and thoughtful planning, the organization he leaves behind is adroitly positioned to serve the evolving tastes of Boston audiences.

Under Dunning’s direction, The Celebrity Series of Boston has a new name: Vivo Performing Arts. The rebranding, introduced right after the new year, signals a philosophical shift. Dunning says the change reflects an evolution that had been bubbling under much of his tenure: moving from a traditional presenter of world-renowned artists to a multifaceted cultural engine embedded deeply in the life of the city.

Founded in 1938, the Celebrity Series built its reputation on an ambitious but straightforward premise: Bring the world’s greatest artists to Boston. In its earliest years, that meant performances by legendary classical musicians and other artists whom audiences might otherwise have had to travel to New York, London, or beyond to see.

And that core mission remains intact today. “Our business is live performance,” Dunning says. “And presenting exceptional artists who inspire and enrich us—individually and collectively.

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But over nearly nine decades since Celebrity Series began, the cultural landscape has shifted. So has Boston itself. And during Dunning’s tenure, the organization began to expand its definition of what it means to serve a community through the arts.

At the heart of that expansion is a dual identity: on one hand, a presenter of international touring artists performing in major venues; on the other, a curator of deeply local, accessible experiences.

Each year, Vivo presents roughly 65 to 75 performances across 50 or more engagements. Most are single-night events—a logistical reality of working with touring artists. But alongside those high-profile performances is a growing portfolio of community-centered programming: about 25 free neighborhood concerts annually, plus dozens of workshops, school visits, and artist residencies.

“We’re a multi-genre, multi-venue organization,” Dunning explains. “And increasingly, we’re also a multi-community one.”

Beyond the Concert Hall

One of Dunning’s most significant contributions has been the expansion of what the organization calls its “Neighborhood Arts” program. Originally conceived as a way to bring performances to all Boston neighborhoods, the initiative quickly evolved. Not every neighborhood had suitable venues. And a single annual performance, the team realized, was not enough to build meaningful engagement.

Instead, Vivo focused on depth over breadth…returning to the same communities multiple times each year, building relationships, and offering a range of artistic experiences. “It’s about creating a critical mass,” Dunning says. “Three or four events in a place over time—that’s when people begin to connect, to recognize, to trust.”

These performances often take place outside traditional cultural institutions: in community centers, churches, libraries, and public spaces. Many are free. All are designed to lower barriers to entry while maintaining the same standard of artistic excellence. That philosophy, equal value for all forms of presentation, has become central to Vivo’s identity.

In recent seasons, the organization has even integrated neighborhood events into its main season brochure, listing them alongside ticketed performances. “That’s a statement,” Dunning says. “We view them as equal.”

And that core mission remains intact today. “Our business is live performance,” Dunning says. “And presenting exceptional artists who inspire and enrich us—individually and collectively.”

Programming as Philosophy

For all the innovation around format and access, the fundamentals of programming remain consistent: quality, variety, and balance. But Dunning introduced one key shift early in his tenure—an intentional focus on the full arc of an artist’s career.

When he arrived in 2011, about 85% of the roster consisted of established, mid-to-late-career performers—artists who were already widely recognized. Dunning saw an opportunity to broaden that scope.

“I wanted to present the full career range,” he says. “From emerging artists to veterans.”

That meant taking calculated risks: booking younger artists in smaller venues, building audiences over time, and trusting that quality would translate into long-term engagement.

The results have been notable. Artists like Daniil Trifonov, who made his Boston debut in an intimate setting, has gone on to perform in the city’s largest halls. Audiences, in turn, have developed a deeper sense of curiosity—and discernment. “I’m less concerned with whether someone likes a particular artist,” Dunning says. “I’m more interested in whether they can tell me why.”

That emphasis on audience development, on cultivating not just attendance but engagement, has been a defining feature of his leadership.

The Name That No Longer Fit

Over the years, as the group’s work became deeper and more expansive, the question lingered: Should the Celebrity Series change its name? Dunning recalls being asked about it during his initial job interview. His answer was cautious but clear: A name change should only happen from a position of strength. “You don’t change your name as a Hail Mary,” he says. “It doesn’t solve problems on its own.”

For much of his tenure, the name remained. It was familiar. It carried history. And for longtime patrons, it still resonated. But over time—especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—that began
to change.

Dunning says audience research revealed two growing issues. First, the word “series” was increasingly misunderstood. Many people assumed the organization was a programming arm of another institution, a series within a venue, rather than an independent entity.

Second, the word “celebrity” had taken on new cultural meanings. For some, it suggested elitism. For others, it implied a focus on fame over artistry. In both cases, it created a disconnect with the organization’s actual work. “It was becoming problematic,” Dunning says. “The name and what we were doing were drifting apart.”

At the same time, Vivo’s programming had expanded significantly, into neighborhoods, public spaces, and in new formats that bore little resemblance to what audiences might associate with a “celebrity series.” The conclusion became unavoidable: The name needed to catch up with the organization.

Building “Vivo”

The process of finding a new name took about 18 months and involved extensive research, stakeholder engagement, and creative exploration. More than 300 potential names were generated. They ranged from descriptive to abstract, each evaluated for clarity, distinctiveness, and availability. Ultimately, the organization opted for an abstract name: Vivo Performing Arts.

“Vivo” derives from the Latin vivere, to live. While the etymology may not be immediately apparent to all audiences, it reflects a core belief: that the arts are not separate from life, but integral to it. “It’s in the DNA of the word, even if people don’t consciously know it,” Dunning says. The addition of “Performing Arts” provided necessary clarity and addressed one of the key issues with the previous name.

As the new identity took shape through design, messaging, and public communication, the organization began the gradual work of transition. Dunning is realistic about the challenges. “It doesn’t happen overnight,” he says. “It takes a season or two.” But he is confident that the substance of the work will carry the brand forward. “If we deliver the goods,” he adds, “people will get used to it.”

As Dunning prepares to step down, he reflects on his tenure with a mix of pride and pragmatism. He inherited a strong organization, built over decades by his predecessors. And he says his goal was to build on that foundation, expanding its reach, diversifying its programming, and positioning it for the future. “I hope I’m handing off an organization with a clear sense of purpose,” he says. “And the stability to grow.”

That growth will be led by the recently announced new executive director, Thor Steingreber, who starts his tenure as President and Chief Executive Office this summer. Dunning knows Steingreber will bring his own vision and priorities…and he’s comfortable with that.

“The organization doesn’t have to maintain everything I did,” he says. “That’s not the point.” What matters, he believes, is that the organization continues to remain responsive, relevant, and rooted in its mission.

Life After Vivo

As for what comes next, Dunning is deliberately unscripted. He plans to take time to travel, study and reflect—maybe learn a few new things in the process. A month in Spain, including an intensive language course, is already on the calendar. But one thing is certain: He won’t step away from the arts entirely. “I need to be part of something bigger than myself,” he says.

That instinct—to connect, to build, to contribute—has defined his career. And it has shaped Vivo Performing Arts into the organization it is today. A presenter, yes. But also, a convener. A connector. A living, evolving part of the city it serves. In that sense, the new name feels less like a departure than a recognition of what has been true all along. The work was already alive, now it simply has a name that reflects it.

Visit VivoPerformingArts.org for details and tickets.

John Michael Kennedy heads JMKPR, a public relations, media, and communications strategy firm that focuses on clients in the arts and other creative industries. He lives in Melrose, with husband Alan and their choco-labradoodle, Evie.

Photo caption: Gary Dunning (left) celebrates a performance with Grammy Award-winning violinist Yo-Yo Ma backstage at Symphony Hall. Photograph by Robert Torres.