A London-born college professor and theatre veteran has been named the new head of Arts Council for Long Beach, the city’s nonprofit arts agency.
Victoria Bryan, who has been teaching in the art and theatre departments at Cal State Long Beach since 2003, started as the Arts Council’s Executive Director Monday, after being recommended by a search committee comprised of Board members and local art leaders. She takes over for the previous executive director, John Glaza, who announced his resignation in January.
Bryan was one of nearly 30 people who applied for the executive director position and she was chosen over candidates from across the country, Canada and Latin America.
“I am honored that the Arts Council board members have placed their trust in me for this exciting and challenging position,” Bryan said in a statement. “I look forward to partnering with artists and audiences throughout our communities, to strengthen our vibrant arts scene. Together, we can advocate for arts and culture as the creative heart of our city and central to its great future.”
Bryan has lived in Long Beach since 1985 and, according to the Arts Council, has experience in technical theatre, visual arts curation, arts consulting and educational television production. She has also worked in the arts in Tehran, Iran and Dublin, Ireland.
Throughout school–she has a PhD from the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University–Bryan’s emphasis has been on audience engagement and theatre management; she wrote her PhD thesis on the challenges and opportunities facing the many theater groups in Long Beach.
Founded in 1976, Arts Council provides grants and supports artists and events throughout the city.
For more information, visit www.artslb.org
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