The Regional Arts Commission (RAC), the largest annual funder of the arts in the St. Louis region, is pleased to announce the appointment of Felicia Shaw to the position of executive director. Shaw succeeds Jill McGuire, who served for 30 years as RAC’s founding executive director. A native St. Louisan, Shaw will assume the position of executive director effective May 11, 2015. The nationwide search was led by Arts Consulting Group.
“I am extremely honored to have been selected to lead the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission going forward,” said Shaw. “St. Louis is moving in a great direction, and it is an exciting time to come back home and be a part of this region’s bright future.”
Shaw brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in the public and nonprofit arts and culture sector. From 2007 to 2014, she was the director of arts and creative economy at The San Diego Foundation. Prior to that, for twelve years, she was the program manager for the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture.
“After a diligent process of reviewing many qualified candidates, we are proud to have selected the best successor to lead this great organization,” said RAC Chairman Michael Scully. “I am confident in the vision Felicia will bring to RAC and to St. Louis.”
RAC has contributed greatly to the vibrancy of St. Louis under McGuire’s leadership. McGuire’s major accomplishments include introducing Artists Support Grants and Artists Fellowships; creating the RAC Innovation Fund; establishing an open grants process; being one of the first art agencies to develop an online grants system; hosting the first Community Arts Convening in the country; and advocating for the first percent for art programming in the City of St. Louis.
“Felicia is a seasoned professional and will be a great asset both to the St. Louis cultural community and to RAC,” says McGuire.
