Thomas Kurtz

Former Manager, Research & Documentation

Focus: Curiosity & Learning

Thomas Kurtz (he/him) served as the Manager for Research & Documentation with a focus on building equitable processes supportive of new voices in original research and translating complex data and ideas into actionable resources. In this role, he contributed to a portfolio of research, documentation, and learning projects.

Thomas Kurtz is a passion-driven individual who enjoys a multi-hyphenate career as an educator, performing artist, researcher, arts administrator, and musician's health specialist.

As a performing artist, Thomas has garnered numerous prizes in various national and international competitions, appearing as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, and contributing to notable national and international conferences. Additionally, he is the co-editor of No Broken Links, a directory aimed at embodying works by composers from historically underrepresented communities, focusing specifically on the work of womxn, transgender & gender non-conforming, BIPOC, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.

Highlighting his research experience is his role as a Research Specialist for the City of Austin’s Cultural Arts Division, curating the 2019 and 2021 World Cities Culture Report. This is a comprehensive report on the culture offered in global world cities, gathering evidence on 60 cultural indicators, assessing both the supply of and demand for culture, and reporting the thinking of cultural policymakers in those places.

As an educator and mentor, Thomas fosters an atmosphere within which his students know they are receiving equitable opportunities, giving them the means to reach their full potential, both in academia and in their career-oriented professional lives. They are encouraged to be self-reflecting, questioning, and reassessing their own viewpoints, in order to be mindful of others' experiences. Through this guidance, his students are able to connect to their artistry with meaning, intention, and purpose, and learn how to apply their skills to various disciplines. 

Thomas is currently completing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Saxophone Performance with the Portfolio in Cultural Management and Entrepreneurship while serving as Teaching Assistant at The University of Texas at Austin, as well as on faculty at San Antonio College.

Location: Austin, TX, USA