Longtime Ars Nova Managing Director Renee Blinkwolt has been fired, according to a public Facebook post Blinkwolt published December 16. Requests for confirmation from Ars Nova's current leadership were not answered as of time of publication.

According to Blinkwolt, she was fired at the end of September, and was initially told that it was related to performance issues. "A month later, I was informed through my attorney that it was also actually ultimately a financially driven decision," she writes. "I had never received any negative performance feedback or warnings, and disagree with the determination that removing a long-serving managing leader without a clear, established plan could financially benefit an organization."

The delay between the firing and its public announcement was, according to Blinkwolt, due to protracted negotiations around a separation agreement that would have offered Blinkwolt a small severance payment in response for what she characterizes as an especially strong non-disparagement clause: "...I would not have even been allowed to say the name 'Ars Nova' out loud in public..." She also claims that Ars Nova has continued to "refuse" to announce the departure publicly, which does appear to be the case at least so far. Blinkwolt is not currently included on the company's online staff listing.

Blinkwolt writes in the post that she plans to spend 2025 pursuing independent projects.

Ars Nova has served as a launching space for many theatrical, music, and comedy artists, hosting them and their work in the early stages of their career. The company notably was the first home for Dave Malloy's Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812, which has gone on to receive commercial Off-Broadway, Broadway, and West End runs.