Helenan named president of national arts board
Posted By Admin on January 14, 2012
HELENA — Arlynn Arni Fishbaugh, Montana Arts Council
executive director, was recently elected president of the board of
directors of the national service organization for all US state
arts agencies.
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies helps state arts
agency directors be better at their job, said Fishbaugh, and
provides such services as data and research to them. Its also an
advocate for funding for the National Endowment for the Arts.
I look at my appointment as recognition for the whole state of
Montana, she said. Its everybody and how we work together thats
resulted in this position.
Im particularly pleased that a rural state has this position,
she added, although I represent a national viewpoint. She sees
her election as recognition of Montanas leadership in the arts.
Excellence in leadership is not only found on the coasts.
I think Montana is really recognized nationally for the public
value work weve done, reinforcing the value of public funding of
arts. The public value work we do is used nationally. Weve
received more and more recognition for our innovation and the way
we work with artists in rural areas.
Her service on the board could benefit Montana arts, she
said.
I … think this national recognition could bring other
resources into Montana we wouldnt necessarily have. Representing
NASAA allows Montana to have unique visibility with other funders
that could be of benefit to NASAA and a state like Montana.
Fishbaugh is also the 2010 recipient of NASAAs Gary Young Award
for Outstanding Services to the State Arts Agency field.
She grew up on a wheat farm in Carter, near Fort Benton, and
earned an undergraduate degree in theater at the University of
Montana and a masters in theater management at the University of
California, Los Angeles.
Her career has focused on arts marketing. She has worked for the
Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, the Houston Grand Opera touring
division of the Texas Opera Theater and was associate director of
marketing for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Returning to
Montana in 1990, she has served as MAC executive director since
November 1992.
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