The State of the Arts… During A Pandemic

We all know, the show must go on! But how does that show go on when no one is allowed into the performance hall- not even the performers?

Join us online on Wednesday June 3, 2020, from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m to hear from four local leaders as they share their organizations’ plans for the next few months, and discuss the challenges of leading an arts non-profit during this “interesting” time.

This program is open for all members of our community to attend and ask questions (via the moderator) to the panel. Our virtual conversation will last about 1 hour, and will be moderated by Kȃren Sander, City Club of Boise president.

Panelists:

Charles Fee is in his 29th season as producing artistic director of Idaho Shakespeare Festival. Idaho Shakespeare Festival has garnered significant awards under Mr. Fee’s artistic leadership, including the 1995 Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts; the 1996 and 2006 FUNDSY awards; and the 2000 Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. In 2001, Charles was honored for his work as a director with the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.  He received his BA from the University of the Pacific, and Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, San Diego.

Melanie Fales is the Executive Director of the Boise Art Museum. Under her leadership, the educational programs and partnerships of the Museum have expanded to reach new and underserved audiences from toddlers, teens and seniors to students and teachers in rural classrooms and the growing Hispanic community. Fales graduated cum laude from Boise State University with a degree in art emphasizing painting and art history. As the recipient of a Rotary International Ambassadorial Graduate Scholarship, she studied art history and museum studies at the Ecole du Louvre in Paris. In 1996 she graduated summa cum laude from Boise State University with a Master of Arts degree focusing on museum education. Fales serves as an officer on the board of the Western Museums Association and was instrumental in the development of the Cultural Network, a consortium of cultural institutions in the community. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member for both Boise State University and the University of Idaho.

Laura Reynolds is the Executive Director of the Boise Philharmonic. Prior to joining the Boise Phil in March 2020, she was the Vice President of Education & Community Engagement at the Seattle Symphony where she built community programs like the Simple Gifts initiative which addresses the region’s homelessness crisis through artmaking and service projects. She also led the development of Seattle Symphony and Benaroya Hall’s newest venue Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center, a $6.7 million capital project, which explored the future of music through the intersection of technology, art and community engagement. In addition to her work at the Seattle Symphony, she has served on the boards of Compass Housing Alliance and WindSync and also served as co-chair of the League of American Orchestras' Education & Community Engagement leadership committee.   

Kurt Zwolfer has over 15 years of experience creating and administering public education programs including previous work at Idaho State Parks and The Idaho State Historical Museum.  He has a BA in Rhetoric with a minor in film studies from the University of Illinois and a MA in Curriculum and Instruction from Boise State University.  Kurt has been Executive Director of The Cabin for 4 years, and his primary responsibilities include operations and program oversight, staff management, community outreach, development, building rentals, and board relations.

This program will be delivered online using the Zoom platform.

Register here:   https://cityclubofboise.z2systems.com/np/clients/cityclubofboise/event.jsp?event=553&  

This program is free, thanks to the support of our generous sponsors. City Club of Boise's Premier Sponsor is Northwest Nazarene University and the NNU College of Business and our Annual sponsor is St. Luke's Health Systems.

We’re happy to offer these free opportunities for people to safely connect and engage during these unprecedented times. Your contribution today, in any amount, will ensure we can continue to create the conversations that bring our community together. Donate here.