After nearly three decades as an artistic leader at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Jane Moss will step down from her post as artistic director August 1.

Her tenure at America’s largest arts complex—home to the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and more— was marked by a number of new initiatives, including new programming and festivals that helped broaden the reach of the classical arts, such as her signature White Light Festival.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of Lincoln Center’s live programming is on hold. In a statement, Moss referenced this as possible reason for her departure at this time. “Now that our current situation has put a pause on live programming, I feel I can step down," she said. “I am eager to make a new kind of contribution to the life and the well-being of New York as we face very challenging times ahead.”

Colleagues from Lincoln Center praised her legacy for its breadth and scale, referencing the 300 premieres and 100 commissions she oversaw as artistic leader, as well as her ability to build bridges to institutions around the world.

Moss joined Lincoln Center in 1992, helping update and transform a significant portfolio of programs at the organization. These include Lincoln Center’s Great Performers series, the Mostly Mozart Festival, and Midsummer Night Swing. She designed and initiated the White Light Festival, American Songbook, and the Lincoln Center Festival.