Sonia Kozlova Clark is a seasoned creative event producer with over 30 years of experience in managing, producing, and presenting live performing arts. Her expertise spans outdoor festivals, concerts, theater, cirque, and interactive art exhibitions, in venues ranging from intimate gatherings to large-scale productions with up to 10,000 attendees.
Currently, Ms. Clark is in the process of re-establishing Unicycle Productions LLC, to support and advocate for the US outdoor live arts sector, international tour management, producing and strategic consulting. She is a member of the Marche Internacional de Cirque Contemporain in Montreal and the International Society for Performing Arts, International Society for the Performing Arts, Association for Performing Arts Professionals, The Creative and Independent Producer Alliance, LiveArts UK, and a number of other international networks focused on the development of creation, performance, and presenting in public space.
Previously, Sonia Kozlova Clark served as the Executive Director and President of Artpark for eight seasons, where she oversaw over 500 concerts with renowned artists such as Dolly Parton, Earth, Wind & Fire, Barenaked Ladies, Jeff Beck, George Clinton, Ben Folds with YMusic, Trombone Shorty, Boy George, B52, A Tribe Called Red, DakhaBrakha, Alarm Will Sound, So Percussion, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Sonia revitalized Artpark’s diverse artistic programming by bringing in world-renowned performing groups like Fura dels Baus (Spain) with a sold-out production of Carmina Burana conducted by Gil Rose with the Buffalo Philharmonic and over 200 performers on stage. Other acclaimed acts included Cirque Inextremiste (France), Art Move Concept (France), Bale de Rua (Brazil), three U.S. premieres by Plasticiens Volants (France), and the Earth Harp Collective with William Close. She also reenergized Artpark’s interactive installations program, featuring works like “Bower” by Ellen Driscoll and Joyce Wang, curated by City As Living Laboratory, and “Murmuration” by Studio SO-IL, with other public space pieces by Muhammad Zaman and Carin Jean White.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, under Sonia's leadership, Artpark thrived with new international collaborations and innovative programs like Sonic Trails by the Holladay Brothers/Sozo Artists and The Art of Walking by Carin Jean White, Itsaso Irribarren, and Germán de la Riva. Reflecting on The Art of Walking, audience member Tamara Rettino said, “I cried at the resilience and creativity of humans, designing ways for us to engage with each other and the world safely and meaningfully. … We noticed our walking, the leaves, the stones, and felt alive and part of a community and the earth.”
Ms. Kozlova Clark also initiated the Strawberry Moon Festival with Michele-Elise Burnette to celebrate the influence of local Indigenous cultures. Jeff Miers of Buffalo News described the festival as “not just a music festival; Strawberry Moon celebrated the fact that the sky does not acknowledge borders, as different cultural factions from Western New York and Canada gathered to honor the beginning of a new season and tip their collective cap to the land that sustains us all.” She led the development of the inclusive Artpark Bridges program, now directed by Cynthia Pegado, and produced a large-scale musical theater rendition of The Odyssey by Lear DeBessonet and Todd Almond, featuring over 100 local residents alongside Broadway stars Terence Archie and Courtney Balan. Sonia also transformed the Artpark Fairy House Festival into an international street theater festival, collaborating with artists like Uta Bekaia, The Faerie Orkestra, and groups like Mucca Pazza, Giraffe Royal, Cirque Orange, and the Lewiston community.
Throughout her eight transformative years at Artpark, Sonia served as the Artistic Lead, CEO, and CFO, guiding the institution through significant artistic evolution. Artpark expanded to include immersive theater, multidisciplinary festivals, breathtaking cirque performances, international opera, and avant-garde new music. Her collaboration with agent Tony Marfione, Vice President Dave Wedekindt, and partners like Live Nation, AEG, Funtime Presents, and Dan Smalls Presents revitalized Artpark’s concert lineup and optimized ticketing strategies.
Operationally, Ms. Kozlova Clark led a thorough overhaul of Artpark's financial and ticketing systems and fostered a strong relationship with IATSE Local 121. These efforts resulted in a more diverse audience, particularly in the 25–54 age group, and significantly enhanced organizational sustainability. Artpark saw a 579% increase in individual giving, a 402% rise in program grants, and an overall 30% budget growth from 2015 to 2024, with healthy working capital.
Sonia spearheaded the visionary Strategic Plan, POWER: ARTPARK 2030, under the guidance of Omar Khan and Jordan Geiger and in collaboration with internationally acclaimed architects SO-IL, West8, CharcoalBlue, and Studio Gekh. The $10.8 million first phase, currently under construction, is managed by NYS Parks.
Before Artpark, Sonia Kozlova Clark held management and leadership positions with The House Foundation/Meredith Monk (General Manager), Stage Entertainment Russia (Executive Producer), and Urban Stages Theater in New York City (Managing Director). She holds an MFA in Theater Producing from Columbia University School of the Arts and a BA in Business Management from Marymount Manhattan College.