Prescott Park Arts Festival Appoints New Executive Director Dedicated to Culture and Entertainment
Portsmouth, NH – Prescott Park Arts Festival is very pleased to announce Courtney Perkins as its new executive director, effective May 15, 2020. Perkins comes to the Festival from Chicago where she spent almost thirteen years with Chicago Sinfonietta. As the Chief Operating Officer, she worked side by side with the CEO, managing a $2.6 million non-profit orchestra committed to innovation, diversity, equity, and inclusion in classical music. Courtney will replace Ben Anderson who previously led the organization for twelve years.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Courtney to the PPAF community and leverage her skills to foster our organization,” said John Tabor, Chairman of the Prescott Park Arts Festival Board of Directors. “Her passion for the arts and ability to build community relationships positions her well to continue providing Portsmouth with a unique place for community gatherings to share unique experiences.”
Perkins was selected by the board of directors following a national search guided by Arts Consulting Group that attracted candidates from across the United States. A former attorney, Perkins deliberately chose to dedicate her career to ensuring great art reflects the community it serves. At the Sinfonietta, Perkins has won several awards including the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions and the Spirit of Innovation Award. In addition to her previous role at Chicago Sinfonietta, Perkins was also an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago and DePaul University where she taught courses for emerging arts administrators and professionals in fundraising, grant writing, and arts entrepreneurship.
“It’s an honor to have been chosen as the new PPAF ED,” said Perkins. “I consider it a true privilege and a passion to ensure everyone has access to great art, which is what drew me to the legacy of PPAF. I very much look forward to working with the PPAF team to present creative and thoughtful programming and to immersing myself in the very special community of Portsmouth and the Seacoast.”
Prescott Park Art Festival’s mission is to provide financially accessible, multi-generational, high-quality family entertainment and educational events to a large and diverse audience. PPAF closed its 45th season in 2019, and since its inception in 1974 the Festival has successfully reached over 3.5 million people through more than 10,000 productions offered with no fixed admission.
PPAF has curated the 2020 River House Restaurant Concert Series and has announced School of Rock as one of its signature musicals. A second musical will be announced next month. The Festival is optimistically looking forward to another fantastic season starting in June 2020. Stay tuned to the Prescott Park Arts Festival Web site and social media channels for live updates as they happen among COVID-19 challenges.
For more information, contact 603-436-2848 or hello@prescottpark.org
(Updated 4/8/20)