Randall Bourscheidt
American cultural administrator (died 2026)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Randall Bourscheidt, better known as Randy Bourscheidt (1944[citation needed] – April 19, 2026),[1] was a Warhol star[clarification needed] and cultural administrator in New York City.[2][3]
Bourscheidt was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma and educated in its public schools. He moved to New York City in 1962 and graduated from Columbia College (history major) in 1969.
He is survived by his husband and partner of 38 years.
Career
Bourscheidt's early positions included: Editor of the newspaper of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, Press Secretary to the Chairman of the New York Democratic State Committee, and a role in New York City's Department of City Planning in 1974.[4] After working in the NYC Office of Management and Budget, he became Executive Assistant to Cultural Affairs Commissioner Henry Geldzahler in 1978 before being appointed Deputy Commissioner by Mayor Edward I. Koch.[citation needed]
Bourscheidt served as Deputy Commissioner of New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) from 1981 to 1987 (Acting Commissioner in 1982–83) under Commissioners Henry Geldzahler and Bess Meyerson. He played an active role in the nearly three-fold increase in the New York City arts budget in the 1980s.[citation needed]
Alliance for the Arts
Bourscheidt was President of Alliance for the Arts from 1989 to 2010, through its integration into The Municipal Art Society (MAS) after his retirement.[5][6] While at the Alliance, he published a series of influential reports on the economic impact of the arts in New York City and State—studies like these are critical for grant seekers and arts administrators making a case for arts funding. As well as two studies of the effects of the recession on the arts in 2009 and 2010.[citation needed]
The Estate Project for Artists with AIDS[7] was Bourscheidt's attempt to protect the cultural heritage of the many artists with HIV/AIDS or other life-threatening conditions lost during the early days of the epidemic at a time when legal protections for LGBTQ people and their partners were non-existent. It initially was an arm of the Alliance.[8] Its archives are held at the New York Public Library.[9]
Boards and initiatives
- American Friends of the Paris Opera and Ballet
- Director, Artspace Projects, ?–2026[10]
- The George Balanchine Foundation, ?–2026[11]
- Center for Performance Research, ?–2026 [12]
- Director, City Center of Music and Drama
- Creative Time[13][14]
- Chairman, Brendan Gill Prize Jury, The Municipal Art Society, ?–2026
- Moving Theater, 2003–2013
- National Assembly of Local Arts Organizations[15]
- Chairman, New York City Advisory Commission for Cultural Affairs, 1995–1998
- New York Landmarks Preservation Foundation[15]
- Master Plan Coordinator (~1999) and Board Member, New York State Theater at Lincoln Center [16]
- Steering Committee, One Percent for Culture (now New Yorkers for Culture & Arts NY4CA)[15]
In the early 1990s he began a lecture series for world cultural leaders, now the New York Times Arts Forum.
New York City Ballet
He began attending New York City Ballet in 1965, was a supporter for 60 years and was a close friend of many notable ballet dancers. He was a friend of Jerome Robbins and Lincoln Kirstein, co-founder of the New York City Ballet and edited a book entitled Lincoln Kirstein: Program Notes 1934–1991 (published 2009).
He was featured in the 2013 documentary Afternoon of a Faun: Tanaquil Le Clercq, honoring his friend.[17]
Andy Warhol
For Andy Warhol, Bourscheidt appeared in Chelsea Girls (1966), Hedy (1966),[18] and The Closet (1966).[19] He was also in an Andy Warhol Screen Test (1966).
In 2018, he introduced the films at a MoMA screening and participated in a moderated talk.[20]
Legacy
Bourscheidt's Archive of New York City Cultural Policy is held at the New York Public Library, with a preview available at https://culturalpolicy.nyc [21]
(list in formation) Over his 60-year career, he mentored generations of arts administrators and development professionals who later went on to run arts organizations including: The Andy Warhol Museum, and Dance/NYC[22]), who played key roles in distributing Arts funding Ford Foundation[23]), provided services to arts organizations and nonprofits,[24] formed their own foundations,[25] and participated in government to advocate for Arts funding in New York and beyond.[26][27][28]
Publications and media
Books
- The Hudson Valley, A Cultural Guide (2009)
- Lincoln Kirstein: Program Notes 1934–1991 (2009)
- Tanaquil Le Clercq, 1929–2000 (2001)[29]
- NYC Culture Catalog: A Guide to New York City's Museums, Theaters, Zoos, Libraries, Botanical Gardens, Concert Halls and Historic Houses (1994)
- Kids Culture Catalog (1998)