Pro to Pro

XLIST Council Spotlight: Joe Killian

Before Burning Man, before Coachella, there was (and still is!) SummerStage. Since 1986, New York City’s Central Park has hosted the performance series, which has welcomed musicians, poets, and dancers including Patti Smith, Celia Cruz, and Jason Moran in shows that are usually free to the public. The eclectic lineup — which is fitting for a city as global as New York —is the brainchild of SummerStage founder Joe Killian. Long before the concept of experiential became a thing, Killian created just that in Central Park — a space that lends itself to transformation. “You leave the grid of Manhattan, and all of a sudden you see big rock outcroppings and can’t see too far in the distance because the road winds and curves. That starts your experience.” And SummerStage was just Killian’s first grand-scale venture, in a career that spans decades and continues to bring artists to audiences in unexpected ways. Since leaving SummerStage in 1993, the XP Land XList council member has produced live events, multimedia content, and social activations for brands including American Express and at venues like Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, and Lincoln Center. A two-time Emmy award winner, Killian has also been...