Jon Catherwood-Ginn selected for national performing arts presenting leadership program
Jon Catherwood-Ginn, partnerships and engagement manager for the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech, has been selected as a participant in the inaugural class of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Leadership Fellows program, which was designed to further the growth and development of the field of performing arts presenting.
Catherwood-Ginn is part of a group of 25 participants who were chosen from more than 50 competitive applicants from across the nation. Prior to the inception of the program, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) saw a need for leadership development among mid-career professionals to help advance the future of the presenting field, which has experienced radical changes recently. The program was created for those who want to help transform the world through their work as arts leaders.
Participants in the inaugural class of fellows have demonstrated a commitment to a collaborative process that will enhance the knowledge, skills, and overall capacity needed to effect change in their current work and for the future.
For long term impact on individuals and the field, the program has a 20 month arc, beginning with a five-day summer intensive at the University of Southern California, followed by ongoing peer-based mentoring, annual gatherings at the Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference in New York City, and continuous engagement in an online resource and discussion platform. A core group of industry professionals will also lead the group and guide them through the program.
“It is an honor for the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech to be part of this new APAP initiative. Jon’s selection is testament to his talents and leadership capacity, and the importance of his work to the mission of the center. Our inclusion also is evidence of the significant impact the Center for the Arts is having already on the national landscape in terms of arts engagement and integration on campuses,” said Ruth Waalkes, associate provost for the arts at Virginia Tech and executive director of the Center for the Arts. “The relationships fostered through this program will benefit both Jon and Virginia Tech for many years to come.”
As the center’s partnerships and engagement manager, Catherwood-Ginn builds student and community engagement opportunities through activities related to presented programs; fosters collaborations between the center and university departments, faculty, staff and students; and contributes to the development of longer term and sustainable programming partnerships with community stakeholders such as area schools and arts organizations.
For more than 50 years, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters has been committed to leadership development in the changing ecology of the performing arts industry, providing avenues for members to expand and strengthen their leadership skills. The Leadership Fellows Program is presented in partnership with the University of Southern California’s Arts Leadership Program and is funded by the American Express Foundation, Ford Foundation, and The Wallace Foundation.
The Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech presents renowned artists from around the globe and from close to home, with a special focus on experiences that expand cultural awareness and deepen understanding. The Center for the Arts and the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology, with which the Center for the Arts is uniquely partnered, are housed in the Moss Arts Center. The Moss Arts Center is a 147,000-square-foot facility that includes the Street and Davis Performance Hall and its 1,274-seat Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre; visual art galleries; the four-story, experimental venue the Cube; and research studios.
