Member News and NASAA Resources

Join Us Virtually at NASAA Assembly 2022
We will miss our members who are unable to join us September 22-24 in Kansas City, Missouri, for NASAA Assembly 2022—but you won’t miss out! A number of sessions will be live-streamed, including the session on Helping Nonprofit Arts Organizations Adopt Stronger DEI Practices, our Artist Showcase with Chickasaw composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate and the National Endowment for the Arts Plenary with Chair Maria Rosario Jackson. Members are also invited (virtually or in person) to NASAA’s board meeting on September 21 and our annual Business Meeting on September 24, where members vote on vote on a new strategic plan, dues plan and slate of directors. Check out the Streaming Content details and login instructions—and join us!

NASAA People of Color Affinity Group to Meet during Assembly 2022

NASAA is pleased to announce that the fall People of Color Affinity Group meeting will be in hybrid format and will take place on Friday, September 23, from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Central during Assembly 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. The People of Color Affinity Group is a NASAA members-led group open to all state and regional arts agency staff and council members who identify as persons of color. If you identify as a person of color and are on the staff or council of a state arts agency or regional arts organization, and you would like to join the affinity group or attend the meeting, please contact NASAA’s Marisa Summers at marisa.summers@nasaa-arts.org or 202-347-6353. We welcome your involvement.

More Knowledge, More Impact

NASAA Assembly 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri, is upon us. We’re excited to offer leadership training in person once again to all state arts agency staff and council members! While we wish everyone could join us in Kansas City, we understand that’s just not possible—which is why NASAA will be live streaming select sessions of the conference FREE of charge. It’s important that all of our members, whether in-person or online, can stay informed and take part in our professional community. Your gift makes this possible! Please give to NASAA today to help us provide access to the training, knowledge and tools all members need, so you can grow professionally and serve everyone in your states. Thank you!

Sarah Story Departs in Mississippi

Photo by Midstory Photography

Mississippi Arts Commission Executive Director Sarah Story departed the agency earlier this month to step into a position as director of development at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas. Story has served as executive director since September 2020. Under her leadership, the agency’s annual budget increased from $3 million to $7.2 million for fiscal year 2023. The additional funding went toward a $1 million increase for Mississippi Whole Schools. She secured $3 million for Building Fund for the Arts, a grants program to support infrastructure for arts organizations around the state. Story led the development of the Arts Commission’s strategic plan for 2023-2027 and spearheaded the agencywide rebrand that launched this month. She also implemented a new fundraising initiative, Art Crush, in conjunction with the Governor’s Arts Awards, which doubled the Commission’s private funding. Story led arts advocacy efforts for the state locally, regionally and nationally, and served on numerous local and national boards and committees including South Arts, Mississippi National Delta Heritage Area, Mississippi Blues Trail, Mississippi Country Music Trail, Mississippi Book Festival, Creative States Coalition and Americans For the Arts. Mississippi Arts Commission Deputy Director Larry Morrisey is serving as interim executive director until the position is filled.

Margaret Hunt to Step Down in Colorado

Colorado Creative Industries Director Margaret Hunt will depart her agency on October 21. Hunt has served in this role since 2013 under Democratic Govs. Jared Polis and John Hickenlooper. She previously served as director of the Utah Division of Arts and Museums beginning in 2005 under Republican Govs. Jon Huntsman and Gary Herbert. She was executive director of Community and Economic Development for Salt Lake City, where she oversaw housing, planning & zoning, business licensing, transportation and the SLC Arts Council. Hunt is rooted in community building and strategic planning from her days as manager of economic development for PacifiCorp Energy Company in a seven-state western region. She served as director of the International Microfinance Training Program for Naropa University, and vice president of a fundraising consulting group leading capital campaigns for nonprofits. She has served as a trustee of NASAA and WESTAF and has received leadership awards including the Utah Governor’s Leadership Award from Utah Small Cities, Inc., the Pathfinder award for mentoring women in business from the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the Governor’s Helping Hands Award for corporate volunteer programs in Utah schools, and United Way’s Volunteer of the Year award. In 2022, Hunt will be awarded NASAA’s Luminary Award for Transformative Executive Leadership. She is a visual artist with work hanging in the Salt Lake City International Airport and a published author. She currently chairs Philanthropy Colorado’s Arts & Culture Funders Group and is a member of the International Women’s Forum of Colorado.

What Do State Arts Agencies Need from NASAA?

NASAA’s Nominating Committee interviewed 83 state arts agency executive directors and council chairs as part of its process to both put forward prospective NASAA board members and take the pulse of our member leaders to help NASAA respond to state needs. This year’s interview findings summarize answers to questions such as:

What do state arts agencies need most from NASAA in the year ahead?
What NASAA services are most useful or important to you?
Are there ways NASAA could help your agency advance diversity, equity and inclusion?
Are there specific ways NASAA could help your state level advocacy efforts?

Explore the report for details and to read verbatim responses grouped by category.