After conducting a national search, Quad City Arts ended up choosing someone from Galesburg to be the next executive director. Last week, it announced the hiring of Kevin Maynard, now the executive director of the Orpheum Theater.
Chris Rayburn, president of the board of directors, says they were looking for someone to help Quad City Arts grow.
"Kevin has a strong track record in his last five years in Galesburg with the Orpheum Theater. He's been able to strengthen their financial position and help them grow and at the same time raise over one milllion dollars."
During his five years at the Orpheum, he more than quadrupled the number of events, increased attendance, and led a successful capital campaign.
Rayburn says their consultant received 200 applications for the job.
"We're a successful organization and we've been around for a while. We have a record of success and of managing within our means. So it wasn't as if someone is coming into a turn-around situation."
Maynard is scheduled to start his new job on December 4th, and take over from Carmen Darland, who's led Quad City Arts since 2008. She'll retire at the end of the year.
Quad City Arts has a staff of 6, and a large group of volunteers, and together they put on the Festival of Trees, the Visiting Artist program, art galleries in downtown Rock Island and the Quad City Airport, and the Metro Arts summer program.
