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05ad2bd7-8c62-445f-966b-efd38e7f5e63The Arts Council for Long Beach announced Tuesday the appointment of Griselda Suárez as its new executive director, following Victoria Bryan’s October 2015 announcement that she would be stepping down from the position. The Arts Council Board of Directors stated in the release their confidence in Suárez as an excellent leader for the organization and a strong advocate for the arts in Long Beach.

Suárez is a lecturer of Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies at Cal State Long Beach, where she teaches literature, art history, cultural studies and writing and as a business owner, counts Peppered Up Foods and Sliced and Diced Eatery among her ventures.

She is heavily involved in the Long Beach community with numerous arts, culture and food awareness advocacy groups, including Latinos in Action, Long Beach Fresh, Teatro Jornalero, Three Sisters Garden of Orizaba Park, Project Plateful, IDEAFEST LB and Leadership Long Beach. Most recently, Suárez lectured at the Museum of Latin American Art. Come spring, Suárez will participate in Sister Spit LB and Long Beach Zine Fest.

“It is an honor to be chosen as the new executive director of the Arts Council for Long Beach,” Suárez stated. “Not only do I look forward to championing the arts, but I also welcome artists and residents to engage the arts in all parts of their lives so that we can become a city of art advocates.”

Suárez will begin on March 1, while Bryan will stay on board through the transition and remain involved in the organization as a volunteer and passionate city arts advocate, according to the release.

 

“Griselda’s appointment comes at a very exciting time for the Arts Council,” said Arts Council President Marco Schindelmann in a statement. “Her background as artist, advocate, activist, teacher and leader positions her perfectly to help move us forward towards our future vision in which arts and culture play a vital role throughout our dynamic and innovative city.”

For more information about the Arts Council for Long Beach, click here.  

Image courtesy of the Arts Council for Long Beach.

Asia Morris is a Long Beach native covering arts and culture for the Long Beach Post. You can reach her @hugelandmass on Twitter and Instagram and at [email protected].