Cultural Council looking for leader skilled at fundraising, communications and program development

VERO BEACH — Arts organizations throughout Florida have been hard hit by COVID-19 but for the Cultural Council of Indian River County, that has also meant difficulty in finding and hiring a new executive director.

Barbara Hoffman, who led the Cultural Council for over 10 years, retired last year and the Council formed a search committee to find her successor. The committee, composed of board members, crafted a new job description that more accurately reflected the role the Council plays within the artist community of Vero Beach, Sebastian and throughout Indian River County.

© PATRICK DOVE/TCPALM
Steve Erickson, a local musician, plays and sings soothing music on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in the treatment room at Florida Cancer Specialists in Vero Beach as part of an Arts in Medicine Program sponsored by the Cultural Council of Indian River County. The program integrates a variety of art and artists into the clinical setting designed to create a healing environment that can help patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals deal with serious illness.

Just when the group was ready to start its search, COVID-19 hit and hiring for all positions came to a standstill.

The Cultural Council’s office was closed for several months to protect staff from COVID-19, further adding to the delay in searching for a new director.

Now, with some of the virus restrictions lifted, the Board of Directors is looking for someone to lead the organization forward in 2021.

© Provided by Cultural Council of Indian River County
The Symphony of the Americas completes its 32nd anniversary season celebration with Summerfest 2019 at 3 p.m. Aug. 11, 2019, at Christ by the Sea United Methodist Church, Vero Beach, presented by the Cultural Council of Indian River County.

Promoting the arts throughout Indian River County and the State of Florida will be an integral part of the job, according to Board Chair Alicia Quinn. The new executive director needs to have skills in fundraising, communications and program development. And they have to be comfortable speaking about the value of the arts on a state and national level, while helping local artists with their craft.

“We’re looking for a special individual,” said Quinn. “Someone who understands the important role the arts play enriching the lives of people in our community.” 

A complete job description for the position is listed on the Cultural Council website. To view the listing, go to www.Cultural-Council.org. Anyone interested in applying should send a letter of interest and a resume to [email protected].

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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Cultural Council looking for leader skilled at fundraising, communications and program development