For Immediate Release
December 19, 2014
Contact: Steve Wilcox
602.771.6536
[email protected]
Executive Director of Arizona Commission on the Arts Elected Chairman of National Network of Arts Funders
Phoenix, AZ (December 19, 2014). The Arizona Commission on the Arts is pleased to announce that the agency’s Executive Director, Robert Booker, has been elected as Chairman of Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) for the 2015-2016 term.
A national network of private, public and corporate arts funders, GIA provides leadership and service that advances the use of philanthropic and governmental resources to support the growth of the arts and culture. GIA is the only national association of private and public funders making grants to artists and arts organizations in America.
“We are thrilled to have Robert Booker as the new Chairman of GIA,” stated Janet Brown, GIA’s President and CEO. “Bob’s career and past national leadership experiences make him a perfect fit for us as we serve arts funders across the nation. As executive director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Bob is the first public agency director to chair Grantmakers in the Arts, which highlights our commitment to the arts funding ecosystem.”
Booker previously served as President of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and as a trustee of both Arts Midwest and the Western States Arts Federation. Prior to his work in Arizona, Booker played many roles at the Minnesota State Arts Board, including eight years of service as Executive Director. Booker joined the Arizona Commission on the Arts in 2006.
In addition to electing Booker as Chairman, the board also elected as incoming vice-chair Kristen Madsen, vice president of GRAMMY Foundation/MusiCares, and as treasurer, Glyn Northington, senior group manager for community relations at Target. Justin Laing, arts program officer for The Heinz Endowments, continues as secretary through 2016.
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About the Arizona Commission on the Arts
One of 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies across the United States, the Arizona Commission on the Arts is an agency of the State of Arizona that supports a statewide arts network. The Arizona Commission on the Arts supports access to quality arts and arts education opportunities for all Arizona citizens; the development and retention of statewide jobs in the nonprofit arts, culture and education sectors; and increased economic impact in local communities through arts-based partnerships that develop tax and small business revenue.
For more information about the grants, services and programs of the Arizona Commission on the Arts, visit www.azarts.gov.
We imagine an Arizona where everyone can participate in and experience the arts.
To request this or any other agency publication in an alternative format, contact the Arts Commission offices at (602) 771-6502.
