Steven Wang is the Executive Director of High Concept Labs. Steven has over seven years of experience within the consumer packaged goods industry, helping Fortune 500 companies develop and grow their store brands. His experience spanned the realms of retail execution, new product development, market research and analytics, and category management for such retailers as Kroger, Office Depot, Safeway, and Kmart. His passion for opera—and the desire to find ways of getting younger generations involved in the artform—influenced him to pursue his MBA at the University of Cambridge in the UK, specializing in Culture and Arts Management. During his studies, Steven produced a modern interpretation of Dido and Aeneas, and worked as a budgeting consultant for the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. After his program, he assisted the Aldeburgh Music in Suffolk on multiple consulting projects, including a revamp of their marketing message to improve their recruitment strategies for the Aldeburgh World Orchestra. Steven joined High Concept Labs as the organization's first full-time executive director in 2015 and has helped triple the budget, grow the board of directors, expand staffing to include the organization's first artistic director, and expand the organization's reach on social media. Steven has also served as a panelist with the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Steven is a board member of the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago (CAIC) and a founding member of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) MakeWork Council. Steven also holds a B.S. in Marketing (Honors) and Economics from Arizona State University. Steven will be a guest speaker for Artist Case Studies: Building an Audience + Community of Support on February 5, 2019.
Art Advising & Commissions
FIELD/WORK