CCA’s invigorated vision exemplified by new board and staff members, bringing the arts organization into a promising future that reflects its community
With the completion of the 6,000-square-foot Muñoz Waxman Gallery—formerly a tank repair station near what is now the Bataan Military Museum—as well as a new digital media lab, “CCA is clearly poised to become well-known as a significant multidisciplinary arts campus and community resource,” according to new Board of Directors President, Dr. Albert S. Waxman.
In 2009, the non-profit arts organization celebrates its 30th anniversary—despite an up-and-down history of financial difficulties and maintaining and updating the physical property itself. States Waxman, “The gallery is complete now; no other major renovations are planned at this point. We hope over the next couple of years to improve the Cinematheque [movie theater]. We’ve gone through a pretty substantial renovation with the gallery and the digital media lab.” Improvements to the grounds and parking areas do, however, continue to be a priority.
Next on CCA’s list of goals for the organization’s long-term sustainability is to “expand membership to accurately reflect our community make-up and to improve upon the quality of programs and educational focus to our community,” notes Waxman. He emphasizes that means appointing new Board members—Waxman’s goal is 24 active Board members. “One of the things we’re accomplishing with our new board, as we continue to recruit, is that it is much more representative of the Santa Fe community. I think that’s important, that it’s representative of our locals. That way, we make a very positive contribution to our community.”
Recently, CCA added 8 members to its Board. They are George King, Executive Director of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum; Bruce Malott, Managing Partner for the Albuquerque accounting firm Meyner’s & Co.; art consultant and former Director of Contemporary Art at the Gerald Peters Gallery, Gayle Maxon-Edgerton; Victoria Price of Victoria Price Art + Design at Pacheco Plaza; sculptor Somers Randolph, whose successful jewelry line is also based in Pacheco Plaza; longtime Santa Fe gallerist Billy Siegal, owner of William Siegal Gallery in the Railyard; sculptor Iris Vazquez; and former first lady Clara Apodaca, the current President and CEO of the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation in Albuquerque. Waxman is enthusiastic about his new position as President. He says, “CCA has been a long-term member of the arts community, and made major contributions to it. What it hasn’t had is really solid financial management in its history. I think that’s what I bring to it. I’m a venture capitalist and an art collector (or addict). As such, I got interested in CCA because it was such a blank sheet of paper. There are so many opportunities to design something really useful. Since last September, we’ve worked to restructure the Board; we brought really responsible financial management to the organization.” The recent Beaux Arts Ball, held on Saturday, March 15, was a fiscal success for CCA and its Board—many of whom worked hands-on on the event—inetting well over $30,000 for the organization.
Waxman continues, “All of the Board members have really stepped up. It’s a really remarkable Board at this time; they are all making major contributions.” Additional Board members are Vice-President Christine Raymond, CFO/Treasurer Steven J. Spector, Catherine Allen, Joseph Clarke, Ben Lincoln, Lynn Marchand, Cindy Miscikowski, and Dyanna Taylor.
Not only is CCA’s Board of Directors experiencing expansion and a renewed sense of its capabilities, three new staff members have recently been hired. Both Lacey Adams and Martin Back began their tenures at CCA as box-office staff (and Martin was a projectionist). Now Adams is the Marketing Manager, handling an array of CCA’s diverse projects, from membership to advertising. Back, the new Digital Media Arts Coordinator, is himself a media artist and musician. His classes and workshops in digital arts are slated to include sessions from Knowing Your Mac to the graphical programming environment known as Max/MSP, which is scheduled for early April. Kathryn M Davis, a Santa Fe-based art historian with a background in writing, teaching, and curating, is CCA’s new Media & Outreach Manager. These three join current staff and board members in their intentions to manifest a new vision for CCA, Santa Fe’s destination for contemporary arts and film.
