National Endowment for the Arts
Kern County Board of Trade Tourism Bureau and Film Commission
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About the Arts Council of Kern
The Arts Council of Kern - in partnership with the California Arts Council, the County of Kern and local agencies, provides, supports, and promotes arts access, advocacy, and education for all residents and visitors to Kern County.
History
The Arts Council of Kern (ACK) was founded in 1976 as the Local Arts Agency - a partnership between the County of Kern and the State of California. Two years later, ACK incorporated as a public nonprofit 501(c)(3). ACK continues to enrich the lives of residents and visitors of Kern County with increased partnerships. Our network of partners enables us to provide valuable arts programs throughout Kern County, especially to reach under-served and at-risk youth. For the fourth year, the ACK has received the highest possible ranking of California Arts Councils - level 4 - an honor very few have received and which places our programs on par with the major arts hubs in California.
STAFF
MICHAEL MILLAR, Executive Director
Executive Director Michael Millar brings extensive experience in the
performing arts, arts administration, education, and arts advocacy to
his new position at the Arts Council of Kern. He has held nonprofit
management positions with Southwest Chamber Music, the Entrepreneurship
Center for Music at the University of Colorado, as executive director of
the Santa Clarita Symphony, and as Commissioner and founding Chair of
the Santa Clarita Arts Commission. He is a member of the music faculty
at Cal Poly Pomona. In addition to earning degrees from the University of Colorado Boulder and California State University Los Angeles, Michael holds the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts, with concentrations in Performance and Arts Administration, from Claremont Graduate University, where he studied management and leadership with Peter F. Drucker. A freelance bass trombonist, Dr. Millar's credits include performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Harry James, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Barry Manilow, Artie Shaw, and Ray Charles. He performed with Southwest Chamber Music on the 2004 Grammy-winning CD, Carlos Chavez: Complete Chamber Works, Vol. 2. Dr. Millar is a Certified Facilitator in Peter F. Drucker's The Five Most Important Questions Self-Assessment Tool and is a Certified Practitioner in Connective Leadership.
Taren Alexander, Office Manager and Young Audiences Coordinator
Taren is from a small town in Wyoming, where she was first instilled with the love of community as well as art. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in Art, focusing on multimedia, in addition she earned a second B.A. in Theatre with a focus in set-design and production. During college her true passion for installation art emerged, as did her desire to teach. After marrying, Taren found herself following her husband to Bakersfield. She immersed herself in the arts community and can now be found teaching After School Art Education at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. She has also been assisting with their evening adult classes. Taren says she is "thrilled to be working at the Arts Council of Kern", and that it is a "dream opportunity."
CONSULTANTS
JILL EGLAND, Special Projects
HOLLY BIKAKIS, Graphics Designer
BOARD OFFICERS
David Coffey - President
Lynne Hall - Secretary
BOARD MEMBERS
Cece Algra
Dr. Joseph Chang
Nancy Clark
Dr. Richard Collins
Jim Davis
Sister Sherry Dolan
John Enriquez
Anthony Goss
Jorge Guillen
Margaret Lemucchi
Tony Martinez
Michele McClure
John Peltier
Lawton Darren Powers
Betty Younger
CONTACT INFO
The Arts Council of Kern
1330 Truxtun Avenue Suite B
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Phone: (661) 324-9000
Fax: (661) 324-1136
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
Younger Gallery
1430 Truxtun Ave Suite 105
Hours: By appointment only
Email: info@kernarts.org
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