Oklahoma Arts Council Executive Director Amber Sharples Elected to National Arts Board
OKLAHOMA CITY (September 24, 2016) – Oklahoma Arts Council executive director Amber Sharples has been elected to the 2017 board of directors of the National Assembly of State Agencies (NASAA), the nonpartisan organization that represents and serves the nation’s state and jurisdictional arts agencies.
Pam Breaux, NASAA chief executive officer, said Sharples and her fellow board members are experienced leaders whose service offers keen policy acumen, dedication to public service, and a genuine passion for the arts.
Oklahoma Arts Council board chair Nancy Leonard emphasized the significance of Sharples’ election.
“Amber’s election to the board of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies means Oklahoma will play a prominent role in facilitating new ideas for leveraging the arts in meeting the needs of individuals and communities across our country,” Leonard said.
Oklahoma Arts Council executive director since 2013, Sharples has been with the state agency that leads in the advancement of Oklahoma’s arts industry since 2006. Originally hired as visual arts director, Sharples was promoted to assistant director in 2011 where she spearheaded the agency’s strategic planning process, managed staff evaluations, and developed agency policies and procedures. Since becoming executive director, Sharples has overseen the completion of a new strategic plan, guided the expansion of the agency’s Cultural District Initiative, and launched the Oklahoma Arts and the Military Initiative, among other efforts.
Sharples is one of three new NASAA directors. Board directors are selected through a rigorous nomination process. Terms are three years, and directors may be elected to a second term. Elected with Sharples were Theresa Colvin, executive director of the Maryland State Arts Council and Craig Watson, director of the California Arts Council.
About the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies is the nonpartisan, nonprofit membership organization that unites, represents and serves the nation's state and jurisdictional arts agencies. Founded in 1968, NASAA represents their individual and collective interests, empowers their work through knowledge, and advances the arts as an essential public benefit. To learn more about NASAA and state arts agencies, visit www.nasaa-arts.org.
About the Oklahoma Arts Council
The Oklahoma Arts Council is the official state agency for the support and development of the arts. The agency’s mission is to lead in the advancement of Oklahoma’s thriving arts industry. The Oklahoma Arts Council provides approximately 500 grants to almost 250 organizations in communities statewide each year, organizes professional development opportunities for the state's arts and cultural industry, and manages hundreds of works of art in the public spaces of the state Capitol. Additional information is available at arts.ok.gov.
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