Columbus Arts Council is on the hunt for a new executive director.
Former Executive Director Salem Gibson told The Dispatch on Wednesday that he resigned in July, after being offered a new job as director of operations at CORE Fitness 24/7. The opportunity was just too good to pass up, Gibson said.
“I loved it, and I was very, very sad to leave,” Gibson said. “Sadly, I was just made an offer that I just couldn’t refuse for my family and for myself.”
Gibson joined the arts council as operations director in October 2021, before becoming executive director. He left the position at the end of July.
Gibson said he has “nothing negative” to say about his time at the arts council, as working for the arts council was a “labor of love” to encourage the arts community in Columbus.
Following his resignation, Gibson offered to stay on the board of directors for the arts council to help with the transition until the next executive director is comfortable in the role.
Board Treasurer Josh Hartley told The Dispatch the board immediately accepted Gibson’s offer.
“Salem is so invested in the success of the council that he has volunteered to do basically whatever it needs,” Hartley said. “He’s a class act. And he’s handling this the right way, and we all appreciate his help.”
Interim Board President Paul Gruseck said the board hopes to find a new executive director to keep up the momentum Gibson brought to the job.
“We’re certainly very happy with the work Salem has done over the last two or three years,” Gruseck said. “We’ve made a lot of progress and he moved a lot of things forward.”
Since Gibson resigned, Gruseck said, the board has started advertising for a new executive director and has formed a hiring committee to sort through the applicants as they come in.
“The job posting has been put out, and we have received a handful of responses,” Gruseck said. “We just want to make sure we’re broadcasting to a wide enough audience to make sure we have the best candidates to choose from.”
On Indeed, the role is listed as being a full-time position with a salary between $42,000 and $52,000 a year, plus benefits.
Gruseck said the board is hoping to get a new executive director, “the sooner the better,” while also prioritizing getting the right person in the role. He said he is looking for someone who is passionate for the community, the arts and experience in nonprofit environments.
Hartley said the next executive director will also need skills coordinating with artists, donors, volunteers and other nonprofits, along with grant writing abilities and other organizational skills.
“I hope that the impact that I did make in the time I was there is cherished and enjoyed by the community, and I hope the next person coming in takes all the hard work … and just continues to keep moving forward with it,” Gibson said.
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