Member News and NASAA Resources

Register Now for 2023 Creative Aging Institute, November 13-15

Registration for NASAA’s annual Creative Aging Institute closes on Wednesday, November 8! This annual professional development opportunity led by creative aging experts across the country takes place via Zoom videoconference on Monday, November 13, Tuesday November 14, and Wednesday, November 15, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Eastern each day. All state and jurisdictional arts agency and regional arts organization staff and council members are invited to participate, as are local, state and national arts organizations, partners in the aging services sector, and artists with an interest in how lifelong learning in the arts can benefit older Americans. Registration for this event remains free of charge, to make information on current trends and best practices in creative aging widely accessible to all. Visit the Creative Aging Institute page for more information, or contact NASAA Arts Learning Projects Director Susan Oetgen.

Karen Ewald Appointed ED in Hawaiʻi

The Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) board of commissioners has appointed Karen Ewald as executive director. She has served as interim executive director for the past year. For over nine years before serving as interim, Ewald was director of the agency’s Art in Public Places program and director of the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum (recently renamed Capitol Modern), a free public art museum within the SFCA Art in Public Places Program. Prior to her service with SFCA, Ewald was programs manager for education and exhibitions at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, where she was responsible for developing, planning, budgeting, creative events and educational programs. Ewald holds a bachelor’s degree in art with an emphasis in art history.

Julie Horn to Serve as Interim ED in Maine

Julie Horn is serving as interim executive director of the Maine Arts Commission. A 10-year veteran of the agency, Horn has been assistant director for two years as well as serving as the agency’s visual arts director and managing the state’s Percent for Art program. Previously, she worked at the Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC) for six years as the director for visual arts, craft, media and design. Her tenure there also included curating and managing the TAC gallery. Horn’s professional experience includes facilitating a variety of studio and lecture classes at several colleges in middle Tennessee and serving as grants adjudicator for Louisiana and Tennessee. In 2013 she was invited by Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam to curate Tennessee craft and traditional artwork for the Tennessee Executive Residence. Horn is a published writer of art criticism for Number Inc., Art Papers and the Nashville Scene, and was the curator of public programs for the Frist Center for Visual Art. She also serves as a member of the Maine/New Brunswick Cultural Task Force. Certified in both nonprofit leadership and nonprofit management, Horn received a B.F.A. in painting from the University of Arizona, an M.F.A. in print media from Cranbrook Academy of Art, and a fellowship at the Wexner Center for the Arts, at The Ohio State University. She steps in for David Greenham, who departed as executive director in September.

Juan Souki Is New ED at Mid Atlantic Arts

Juan Souki joined Mid Atlantic Arts as executive director on November 1. Souki succeeds Interim Executive Director Veronique LeMelle and former Executive Director Theresa Colvin, who retired in May after six years leading the regional arts organization. Souki comes to Mid Atlantic Arts from Odelia Artists where, as director, he championed innovative, breakthrough programs connecting folk artists with new markets, introducing their work to prominent global presenters through cultural storytelling campaigns. During his tenure, he orchestrated international tours spanning over 25 U.S. states and 12 countries, including collaborations with several organizations in the mid-Atlantic region, such as the National Council for the Traditional Arts (Virginia), the AfroTaino collective (Pennsylvania), The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (Maryland), the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (Washington, D.C.), Princeton University Concerts (New Jersey), and globalFEST (New York). Souki’s past research and advocacy projects honor communities that have illustrated their survival process through transformative arts practices, and have resulted in publications by the Taylor & Francis journal Theatre and Performance Design as well as public speaking invitations by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters at its conference in New York City, the Prague Quadrennial in the Czech Republic, The NumooArtists Development Initiative program at the Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi and multiple artist mentorship programs across the United States and Canada.

Meet NASAA’s FY2024 Board of Directors

State arts agencies elected a new NASAA board chair for fiscal year 2024—Ohio Arts Council Executive Director Donna Collins—and four new directors: Missouri Arts Council Executive Director Michael Donovan, Wisconsin Arts Board Council Member Marcela “Xela” Garcia, Virgin Islands Council on the Arts Executive Director Tasida Kelch and Iowa Arts Council Executive Director David Schmitz. In addition, members elected Arizona Commission on the Arts Special Advisor Ruben Alvarez and Florida Division of Arts and Culture Council Member LaVon Bracy Davis for second terms. The NASAA board elected new officers as well as these at-large members: Artist Communities Alliance Managing Director of External Affairs Deonté Griffin-Quick, Art Access Executive Director Gabriella Huggins, South Dakota Arts Council Member Mary Bordeaux, and MUSE Research Founder and Principal Ivonne Chand O’Neal. Learn more about the NASAA FY2024 Board of Directors.

Let’s Do This!

It’s our favorite time of year! NASAA’s year-end matching gift campaign is happening now. It’s your chance to make twice the difference for your agency!

We are so fortunate that once again, two long-standing donors have contributed $50,000 for a matching gift campaign. From now until December 31, your donations will be matched dollar for dollar up to $50,000. That means that by the end of the year we can raise $100,000 to strengthen state arts agencies and boost the arts across the country! The only way we can make the match again is with YOUR help! Please do your part by giving to NASAA today. When we all give together, we thrive together. Thank you!

Getting Real about Burnout

The need for self-care is as strong as ever, given the depleting and lingering effects of burnout. Working in government can be hard and it’s crucial to find ways to support yourself throughout the day. Self-care won’t fix everything, but exploring scientifically grounded practices can help you find ways to stay well and do well during challenging times. Remember, self-care is a process, not an event! These resources from GovLoop offer some practical advice and perspectives on coping with burnout: Taking Care of You: Professional Self-Care Tips for Government Employees and the Burnout Prevention and Response Kit. Check them out and see if something here works for you.

To support state arts agency staff and council members’ well-being, NASAA offers short meditations three times a week. NASAA Chief Advancement Officer Laura Smith, a certified meditation teacher, leads these 15-minute Zoom sessions (camera-free), and all are welcome to attend. Reach out to Laura via email or phone at 202-347-7066 for more info or to be added to the email list.