Member News and NASAA Resources

Leadership Transition in California

California Arts Council (CAC) Executive Director Anne Bown-Crawford has stepped down after more than four years in the position. Her work at the agency centered on creative youth development and arts education, creative workforce development with the California Creative Corps, increasing resources and capacity building for small arts organizations, the development of cultural districts, fellowships for individual artists, and partnerships with county arts agencies and other state agencies. Prior to her tenure with CAC, Bown-Crawford was the cofounder and chair of CREATE CA; was founder and director of the Arcata Arts Institute and the Innovation Design Institute, both programs designated as California Model Curriculum sites; and was Creative Arts Department chair for Northern Humboldt Union High School District, where she was a classroom teacher. She continues serving as an Adobe Education Leader, a senior fellow at the Transformative Learning Technologies Lab at Stanford, and an advisor for the California Institute for Community, Art & Nature. She is a new media studio artist, currently working as an artist in residence team member for Google’s Quantum AI Labs, and is a freelance graphic designer. Bown-Crawford will be taking time to focus on what comes next, building on the experiences gained at the California Arts Council, in order to continue that work.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Jonathan Moscone as California Arts Council executive director. Moscone assumed the position at the end of April; he has served as a CAC council member since 2020. He was most recently chief producer of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) in San Francisco. Over the past five years, Moscone has shepherded the civic engagement efforts at the center, focusing on creative placemaking, food justice, youth empowerment, and coleading the successful ballot measure to restore arts funding for San Francisco artists and organizations. Moscone chairs the Advisory Committee of San Francisco’s Grants for the Arts and currently serves on the boards of the Alice Waters Edible Schoolyard Project, the Chinese Culture Center and the Lorraine Hansberry Theater, having previously served on the boards of the Homeless Prenatal Program and Theatre Communications Group. Prior to YBCA, he served for 15 years as artistic director of the California Shakespeare Theater, and is the first recipient of the Zelda Fichandler Award, given by the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation for “transforming the American theater through his unique and creative work.” Moscone received his M.F.A. in directing from the Yale School of Drama and a B.A. from Williams College. He continues to pursue directing throughout the country.

Save the Date for NASAA Assembly 2022

You’ve waited long enough! NASAA is thrilled to be convening state arts agency staff and council members this fall for our first full in-person gathering in four years. NASAA Assembly 2022 will offer sessions tailored to the current challenges of public arts funders, opportunities to gather with those from around the country with similar job functions, enlivening arts experiences and many occasions to connect with colleagues old and new. Hosted by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the Assembly takes place September 21-24 in artful Kansas City, Missouri. Watch for more details soon!

Be a Part of The Ripple Effect

Want to make a difference for the arts this spring? NASAA is launching The Ripple Effect spring campaign to help empower your agency with the data, research, advocacy and perspectives you need. Your contribution is a gift that gives back: your support strengthens NASAA, and in turn NASAA strengthens your agency and all state arts agencies. Talk about a ripple effect! Our goal is to raise $10,000 by June 15, and your support at whatever level that’s meaningful to you gets us there. Make a one-time gift or become a monthly donor today. Thank you!