The newly named executive director of the Council on Culture and Arts says she’s excited to get started at the local agency tasked with promoting the arts in Tallahassee and Leon County.
Since its longtime head Peggy Brady left, Amanda Karioth Thompson has led COCA in the interim. She says she’s worked very closely with Audra Pittman in the past, and she’s happy to hand over the reins to someone else who has lots of experience.
“Ms. Pittman has a varied background in the arts. She’s been a professional artist for many years. She’s also been an arts educator. She is very, very well-known in the community. She also has a passion and an enthusiasm for the arts that is going to be a terrific asset,” said Thompson.
Pittman’s background includes several arts degrees as well as teaching art on different education levels from middle school to colleges and universities. She’s also served on different arts board in the area.
And, Pittman says that background even goes back to when she was a little girl and she liked to draw. Now, as the owner of Suite P Creative studio, she’s teaching others about painting and drawing through art parties, which she says she’ll continue to do on the side in conjunction with her new role.
Pittman says she’s excited to start her new journey, calling it “a great opportunity.”
“I’ve always had an interest in COCA and what they’ve always done. And, I’m really confident in the staff that’s already there, the board, and everyone that has a vested interest in the arts. And, really with the discussions, it just all of a sudden kind of hit me, like ‘wow, this is really here’ and everyone that knew me, knew that it was a natural fit,” said Pittman.
She also named a few of her priorities—some of which have been a topic of discussion in recent weeks—that she expects to work on when she starts in a few weeks.
“First, beginning with the cultural plan that was revisited from the initial cultural plan that was done ten years ago,” she added. “And, I think with now the bed tax money that was initially going to the Performing Arts Center, I think looking at how those monies—the $4.1 million—is going to be really allocated with the intention that it stays with the arts and culture, and looking at other avenues to use that money to continue to be invested in the arts.”
Pittman’s first day is June 16th.
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