Why an accomplished Tri-Cities arts leader called it quits after 2 decades
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Justin Raffa announced the 2026–2027 season will be his last as MCM artistic director.
- Raffa grew MCM's singer roster to 350 and helped grow budget and staff.
- MCM board formed a search committee to fill the artistic director role after Raffa.
Leading an arts organization in an area without a lot of community support means making a lot of compromises. After nearly 20 years of directing, fundraising and marketing, Mid-Columbia Master Singer’s artistic director has decided to step away.
Justin Raffa, Mid-Columbia Mastersingers (MCM) Artistic Director, announced that the 2026-27 season will be his last.
Raffa transformed the mastersingers program when he first joined in 2008, growing its singer roster to 350 and collaborating with local organizations to grow the group’s annual operating budget and staff.
Although Raffa is leaving the position, he remains on good terms with the organization.
What’s next for Raffa?
“I find that in my mid 40s, you really just start to think about your life and the trajectory of your career; what you want to do, where you want to go, and it just feels like it’s the right time for me to step aside while the organization is still healthy, still viable and still doing good work,” Raffa said.
He said he witnessed co-workers in the industry push past that feeling and the calling of knowing when it was their time to go, and it resulted in burn-out that was detrimental to both the individual and the organization.
“I don’t want to be that person,” Raffa said.
He said he is happily leaving the organization on good terms with pride in everything he has helped it achieve.
“Nothing happened. Nothing went wrong. Maybe it’s just that middle age reflection where it’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m proud of the work, but I feel a call to move away from that and see what other opportunities exist for me,’” Raffa said.
In his nearly 20 years leading the organization, the Mastersingers have performed at locations ranging from the Hanford B Reactor to Carnegie Hall.
He doesn’t have any future opportunities lined up, though with an entire year remaining in his contract with the mastersingers, he said he feels like he has plenty of time to figure out his next steps.
The group’s board has put together a search committee to fill his position once he officially steps down. Raffa said he will guide the board as much as they want him to, but he doesn’t think he will play a large role in who takes the baton from him.
Challenges of guiding an arts nonprofit
Raffa recognizes the challenges that exist in the arts world, and highlighted his own as artistic director.
“It has certainly been challenging at times to be a professional musician in a community like the Tri-Cities where there is not as extensive of resources that are available to support our industry,” Raffa said.
Raffa is also the chair of the Tri-Cities Arts Center Taskforce, which was dealt a setback last year when voters shot down a proposal for an $81 million taxpayer funded performing arts center in Richland.
He said he truly enjoyed being in a nonprofit setting and working with partnerships and organizations in the community, though it didn’t come without obstacles.
“After 19 years, I would welcome a break from fundraising and marketing, because those of us who work in the nonprofit sector, you often feel like you’re on call 365 days a year and work never ends,” Raffa said.
Nonprofits are constantly looking for grants and funding opportunities, Raffa said, which adds up to year-round work and leaves little time for other interests. He feels like he did the best he could in his capacity to help steer the organization in a positive direction, but he is ready to enjoy a short respite from that “daily grind.”
This season will mark the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers’ 40th anniversary before Raffa moves on to his next journey.
