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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2009 > September > 24
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Mayor to proclaim October “Get Your Art On” month
Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell is scheduled to make a Mayoral Proclamation at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall today to proclaim that October is time to get “Get Your Art On.”
The ceremonial action is timed to promote events in Austin that will recognize National Arts and Humanities Month. The promotion is organized by the Greater Austin Creative Alliance (formerly Austin Circle of Theaters) together with CreateAustin and the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division.
Held every October and coordinated by national advocacy group Americans for the Arts, National Arts and Humanities Month is an annual celebration of arts and humanities.
Among the Austin activities are:
‘Get Your Art On.’
4 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 1
Wooldridge Park, 900 Guadalupe St.
A free family-oriented showcase of local creativity at Wooldridge Park. Favorite childrens’ musicians the Biscuit Brothers will be the strolling minstrels as Greater Tuna’s Aunt Pearl (performer Joe Sears) helps children make Halloween crafts and various performances from Austin Bike Zoo, improv comedians and the Austin School for the Performing and Visual Arts put on a show. Participants are encouraged to dress as their favorite artistic character and to bring their own chairs or blankets for seating. Water will be available.
For more info see www.NowPlayingAustin.com.
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Ann Hume Wilson named as Conspirare executive director
After a nationwide search, Austin Grammy-nominated choirConspirare has selected Ann Hume Wilson as its next executive director, Conspirare officials announced today.
Wilson is currently associate director of the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin, where she also served as interim director during 2008-09.
“Much as I will miss being at the Blanton, I jumped at the chance to come to Conspirare, which brings such acclaim to Austin through its recordings, tours, and always-moving performances,” said Wilson, in a statement released by Conspirare. “I am thrilled to be returning to the performing arts after many years with museums, and look forward to building more recognition and support for the inspiring art of Craig Hella Johnson and his amazing company of voices.”
Wilson’s job at the Blanton will conclude on October 23 and she will take the helm at Conspirare on November 2. Melissa J. Eddy, who has served as Conspirare’s interim managing director since July 1, will become its communications and grants manager.
A native of Washington D.C., Wilson has over three decades of experience in arts administration. Since 2004, she has been associate director of the Blanton, also serving as interim director during 2008-09. At the Blanton, she oversaw all administrative and operational aspects of the museum and led the institutional branding efforts and marketing campaign for the highly successful grand opening of the Blanton’s new building in 2006.
Wilson has served as director of marketing and communications for the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; manager of public relations and marketing for the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; director of marketing for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; director of public relations for Spoleto Festival U.S.A.; and assistant manager of the Opera Company of Boston. She is a frequent speaker on arts management, branding and strategic planning at national and regional arts conferences.
Wilson bears a connection to a fun footnote in American vocal music history. Wilson is the daughter of the late Washington Post Music Critic Paul Hume who in 1950 earned the wrath of President Harry Truman when Hume wrote a negative review of a solo voice performance by Margaret Truman, the president’s daughter, who had aspirations to be a professional singer. “(She) cannot sing very well … is flat a good deal of the time,” wrote Hume. President Truman wrote Hume a blistering letter of complaint telling Hume “you’re off the beam.”
