After 19 years of leadership, Chris D’Arcy recently announced her departure from the Oregon Arts Commission and the Cultural Trust. She is, in her words, “moving on to new and different things.”
For those unaware of Chris’s contributions to Arts and Culture in Oregon, some highlights include “the Arts Commission’s Arts Build Communities program, which shined a light on the incredible grassroots cultural activity that takes place in every corner of Oregon. That program paved the way for Oregon’s cultural, business and community leaders to dream about new funding for culture – and the Cultural Task Force, . . . [which led to the] Oregon Cultural Trust – considered one of the most productive outcomes of the 1999 and 2001 legislative sessions. The Trust is now a national model of innovation, collaboration and engagement around culture.”
Chris D’arcy’s contributions to Oregon’s arts, culture, tourism, and economic development have been incalculable, and her regional and national impact have been immense. Her strong, creative and imaginative leadership has given her capable and talented staff the space in which to flourish and thrive.
All of us at OFN wish Chris the very best in her next steps.