Grant Park Music Festival CEO Paul Winberg to Step Down in 2026 Amid Record Growth.
Chicago's beloved free summer classical music festival will gain a new leader next spring as President and CEO Paul Winberg announces his retirement, effective in the spring of 2026.
In his nearly two-decade tenure, Winberg has overseen a significant transformation of the Grant Park Music Festival, which he credits to bolstering its administrative infrastructure and artistic leadership. Under his watch, the festival has become one of the country's premier free classical music series.
Winberg, who arrived at the festival in 2008 after nearly eight years as executive director of the Eugene Symphony Orchestra, played a pivotal role in revitalizing the organization by fortifying its staff and board, boosting fundraising, including doubling the size of its endowment to $30 million.
He has also prioritized taking the festival beyond its main venue, with neighborhood concerts as part of Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks. This effort underscores his commitment to fostering a deeper connection between classical music and local communities.
In addition, Winberg has championed initiatives like the Grant Park Music Festival's fellowship program, which provides emerging musicians and singers opportunities to perform with the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus while gaining valuable experience.
The search for Winberg’s successor is set to begin immediately. Key qualifications for the new leader will include a deep understanding of the festival's mission, artistic importance, and commitment to nurturing its growth.
Winberg, 63, has been instrumental in transforming Chicago's summer classical music scene. As he prepares to pass the torch, his legacy as a champion of arts administration and artistic innovation is certain to be remembered for years to come.
Chicago's beloved free summer classical music festival will gain a new leader next spring as President and CEO Paul Winberg announces his retirement, effective in the spring of 2026.
In his nearly two-decade tenure, Winberg has overseen a significant transformation of the Grant Park Music Festival, which he credits to bolstering its administrative infrastructure and artistic leadership. Under his watch, the festival has become one of the country's premier free classical music series.
Winberg, who arrived at the festival in 2008 after nearly eight years as executive director of the Eugene Symphony Orchestra, played a pivotal role in revitalizing the organization by fortifying its staff and board, boosting fundraising, including doubling the size of its endowment to $30 million.
He has also prioritized taking the festival beyond its main venue, with neighborhood concerts as part of Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks. This effort underscores his commitment to fostering a deeper connection between classical music and local communities.
In addition, Winberg has championed initiatives like the Grant Park Music Festival's fellowship program, which provides emerging musicians and singers opportunities to perform with the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus while gaining valuable experience.
The search for Winberg’s successor is set to begin immediately. Key qualifications for the new leader will include a deep understanding of the festival's mission, artistic importance, and commitment to nurturing its growth.
Winberg, 63, has been instrumental in transforming Chicago's summer classical music scene. As he prepares to pass the torch, his legacy as a champion of arts administration and artistic innovation is certain to be remembered for years to come.
He was a game changer for Grant Park Music Festival and Chicago's music scene in general 
I'm so impressed by the growth he brought, doubling their endowment and expanding neighborhood concerts is huge 
His dedication to community outreach and artist development will definitely be missed. Now it's time to find a new leader who can keep the momentum going 
Let's hope they choose someone who shares Paul's passion for classical music and making it accessible to everyone 
. I mean, he's been there for almost 20 years and has done so much to make it the amazing event it is today! The way he's grown the festival from scratch is seriously impressive 
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. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how the festival evolves in 2026 
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... i mean, it's about time someone new comes in with fresh ideas and doesn't get too comfortable 
. all those record growth numbers are just a nice way of saying the festival has been coasting on his shoulders for years. still, gotta give credit where credit is due - winberg did leave a mark (literally, $30 million endowment 
) on the festival's finances. can't wait to see who they'll choose next... probably some young up-and-comer with zero experience 
... I mean, Paul Winberg's done an amazing job over the years, but have you seen how the forum interface has changed? It's like they took all the style and design away from our precious comments section 
. And another thing, what happened to the old Grant Park Music Festival website? It was so much easier to navigate back in the day 
...