July 1, 2022
Contact: Susan Norton
Chief of Staff
479-575-8330
snorton@fayetteville-ar.gov
Joanna Bell selected for Arts and Culture Director
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The City of Fayetteville has selected Joanna Bell to serve as the city’s Arts and Culture Director. In this new position, Bell will lead planning efforts for the city’s first Arts and Culture Plan that will guide project and programming implementation moving forward.
The position is housed with the Parks, Natural Resource and Cultural Affairs Department. She begins her new role July 25.
Bell comes to the City from TheatreSquared, one of Fayetteville’s cultural anchors, where she was director of marketing and communications. Previously, she served as director of programs for the American Theatre Wing, a New York City-based organization that founded the Tony Awards. In that role, she oversaw programs ranging from grants, awards, professional development initiatives, Emmy-nominated media productions and national partnerships.
Bell holds a master’s degree in arts administration from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in English and theatre from James Madison University.
“I am thrilled to have been selected to serve as Fayetteville’s first Arts and Culture Director,” Bell said. “I have been fortunate to be a part of our city’s remarkable growth and have personally experienced Fayetteville’s commitment to creating a sense of place and fostering artistic expression. Now, I’m looking forward to working with the Parks team, the City Council, the Mayor and all stakeholders across the region to chart a path to strategically grow, strengthen and enhance our investment in the arts and culture ecology that is such an integral part of our community.”
Parks, Natural Resources and Culture Affairs Director Alison Jumper said, “We are excited to work with Joanna in this newly created role where she will lead arts and culture planning for the city. Fayetteville already has a strong foundation, and we are thrilled to begin building upon it.”
The Arts and Culture Director will be the liaison to the Creative Arkansas Community Hub and Exchange (CACHE), the regional arts service organization focused on building the capacity of arts and culture organizations to showcase Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas as a premier destination for the arts with the goal of encouraging additional public support and cultural tourism.
For more information about the City’s Parks, Natural Resources and Cultural Affairs Department, please visit https://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/4082/Parks-Recreation.
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