Jim Wooster, executive director of Passim, the Harvard Square folk music nonprofit, announced on Monday that he will retire from the Cambridge music venue in early 2025. has served for nearly a decade.
A search is underway for a replacement, with Wooster staying on in meanwhile, Passim said in a press release.
Wooster was familiar with Passim when he took over in 2015: He had been attending shows at the club since the mid-1980s and even performed there a few times with various bands, the organization said. Wooster joined the board in 2012 and became clerk in 2013. During his time as executive director, he helped navigate the club through the Covid pandemic; increased total revenue of the club and boosted contributed revenue by 7 percent; and helped the club celebrate 60 years with a concert in Boston’s Shubert Theatre in 2019.
Wooster is credited for recruiting a strong board and staff “dedicated to weaving diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging throughout all of the organization’s strategic priorities.” The press release notes that he also helped expand food offerings, including a Live Music Brunch, from the in-house kitchen, launched a website and ticketing platform and gave the club a cosmetic makeover.
“Passim has thrived during Jim’s tenure,” said Annie Bartlett, board chair. “We have kept the music playing, built the incredible community we have today and positioned Passim for a vibrant and inclusive future.”
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