Arts Collinwood Hires Executive Director

This past fall, founder and Executive Director Sarah Gyorki announced that she will be leaving Arts Collinwood. Immediately, the Arts Collinwood Board of Directors (with that assistance of Janus Small) swung into action to find a new Executive Director fo this important neighborhood organization.

Last Thursday, Arts Collinwood announced that Cheryl Carter will be the new Executive Director for the organization starting in January.

The following is the press release that we received regarding the announcement:

The Board of Directors of Arts Collinwood in Cleveland, Ohio, has hired Cheryl A. Carter as Executive Director, effective January 1, 2011. “We were simply astounded that out of a group of such strong and qualified applicants that a single candidate could stand out from the crowd,” says Bridget Caswell, President of the Board and Chair of the Executive Director Search Committee. “We are excited to have hired our next Executive Director to take Arts Collinwood in a new direction – above and beyond where we have ever been able to go before. Ms. Carter’s fundamental qualifications and unique experiences meld together harmoniously to make that happen.” For more information on Arts Collinwood, please visit www.artscollinwood.org.

Cheryl Carter comes to Arts Collinwood with nearly twenty years of experience in the nonprofit arena with a significant portion of that time having been devoted to fund development and raising millions of dollars in support of organizations such as the Western Reserve Historical Society; Girl Scouts of the Western Reserve; the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Achievement Centers for Children; Neighborhood Centers Association; and most recently, the Arthritis Foundation, Northeastern Ohio Chapter. In addition, she has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to neighborhood development and revitalization through the arts. Ms. Carter co-founded Art House, Inc. in 1999 with other resident artists like herself who were dedicated to the belief that the arts enrich lives and help create better communities. Showing strong leadership within the Brooklyn Center community and laying a firm foundation for future organizational growth, she served as Art House, Inc.’s first Board President. She will bring the same level of dedication, expertise in fundraising, and experience engaging the community in neighborhood-based arts organizations with her to Arts Collinwood. Ms. Carter received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Hiram College having majored in studio art and minored in photography and English literature. She will complete her Master of Interdisciplinary Studies degree from Hiram College in the spring of 2011. Additionally, Ms. Carter enjoys art in its various media including independent film and has volunteered for Independent Pictures. She is an accomplished photographer having shown her work throughout Cleveland. Ms. Carter and her two sons make their home in Solon, Ohio.

Arts Collinwood believes that a flourishing arts community enriches a neighborhood’s quality of life both economically and culturally. By partnering with local merchants, neighborhood associations, schools and artists, Arts Collinwood encourages more artists to live and work in North Collinwood, and offer residents more opportunities to engage in the arts. The goal is to support a stimulating arts environment and to encourage continuing education in the arts by offering a wide variety of cultural activities for residents of all ages. The Arts Collinwood building is located in the Waterloo Arts District and features the Arts Collinwood Gallery, a Cafe, artist studios and a large community center space for classes, rehearsals and performances. The cafe features live musical acts and independent films. Started with the idea that a thriving arts community can increase the quality of life in a neighborhood, the building became a multi-use arts center after converting blighted property, transient housing and vacant storefronts into usable space.

Cheryl Carter is taking the helm of Arts Collinwood from former Executive Director and Arts Collinwood founder Sarah Gyorki who resigned her position in October of this year to pursue other opportunities. “I am in awe of Ms. Gyorki for having founded such a vibrant and ambitious neighborhood arts center and cannot fully express my gratitude to her for her vision and leadership that created such a magnificent space,” remarks Ms. Carter. “Although I understand that the work ahead will be challenging, I am eager to rise to the challenge, engrain myself into the Collinwood neighborhood, and help to build a stronger sense of community through the engagement and interaction with art. My ability to see art in the big picture in the broader community and translate it to a well-organized and succinct, workable plan is one of my strengths.”