Young Audiences’ (YA) New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania’s Board of Trustees announced that President and CEO Laurence Capo plans to retire at the end of the year. Capo’s decision to step down will bring 26 years of service to Young Audiences — 16 years as a trustee and 10 years as the organization’s leader. Capo will remain with Young Audiences until a replacement is found to ensure a smooth and successful transition.

“Young Audiences is in the best shape that it’s ever been thanks to Larry. He successfully managed the organization through a period of growth and built a dedicated and capable staff, all while working tirelessly to fulfill our mission to inspire young people and expand their learning through the arts,” said Board Chair Rich Goldman. “It is both impressive and humbling to reflect on just how much Young Audiences flourished under Larry’s leadership.”

Mr. Capo’s tenure as president and CEO has been a period of strong collaborations with artists, educators, other state arts education organizations, and funders. He led two mergers — with the Institute for Arts and Humanities Education in 2009 and, more recently, with Young Audiences of Eastern Pennsylvania in 2011. The results of these mergers served to expand YA’s territory and deepen its programming.

Under Mr. Capo’s leadership, Young Audiences surpassed its $3.1 million capital campaign goal to establish the organization’s first endowment and scholarship fund.

“I am so proud of our remarkable growth. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Working with extraordinarily talented artists, a great board of trustees and a dedicated staff has been a distinct honor and privilege,” commented Mr. Capo, who recently received the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Arts Education. “With the success of our capital campaign, Young Audiences’ future is bright. I cannot think of a better time to make a graceful exit and start an exciting new chapter of my life.”

Mr. Capo currently serves on the board of trustees for the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, NJ ArtPride, Creative New Jersey, and the New Jersey Arts Education Partnership. Prior to his work at Young Audiences he held leadership positions at Rider University, McCarter Theatre, Michael Graves Architects, and Farewell Mills and Gatsch, Architects.

The YA Board of Trustees, working with Mr. Capo, has begun the search for new leadership and has appointed a transition committee to oversee the leadership change. Mr. Capo will continue in his role until a successor is named.