Houston Community News >> Kim Stolis Named Executive Director of Houston Bayou City Art Festival
6/12/2007 HOUSTON – The Art Colony Association, Inc., producer of Houston’s nationally Top 10-ranked Bayou City Art Festivals, has named Kimberly (Kim) A. Stoilis executive director. She will be responsible for the nonprofit association’s two annual Bayou City Art Festivals, including Downtown this fall, October 13-14, and Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park next spring, March 28-30, 2008.
Stoilis most recently was with
the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art where she served as artistic director
(December 2004 to present) and Art Car Parade coordinator (November 2002 to
December 2004). She was directly in charge of the Art Car Weekend, an event
comprising four events, an overall audience of 300,000, more than 300 artists,
300 volunteers and two local television broadcasts.
“With Kim’s hands-on experience in arts programming, marketing, outreach and community relations, her extensive knowledge of the national and international art world, including being an artist in her own right, she has the optimum tools and insights to ensure the continued growth and success of the Festivals,” said Art Colony Association Board President Joe Pogge.
At the Art Colony Association, Stoilis will oversee the sponsorships, budgets and charity partnerships of the Bayou City Art Festivals, manage marketing and program staff, cultivate and coordinate relationships with artists (300 per Festival) and volunteers (1,000 per Festival), as well as handle the logistical planning of the Festivals, which attract more than 60,000 persons per year.
Stoilis holds a bachelors degree in communication-journalism and art history from the University of Houston. Her studio concentration was in sculpture and photography. She also studied music at Wharton County Junior College, where she received a full scholarship.
Bayou City Art Festivals, Houston’s premiere outdoor festivals, showcase the works of 300 fine artists, as well as interactive art, a variety of multi-cultural musical and dance entertainment and food and wine refreshments. The City of Houston, through grants from the Houston Arts Alliance, and Houston Parks & Recreation Department are among the Festival sponsors.
Over the past 36 years, the Bayou City Art Festivals, a 501c(3) organization, has raised more than $2.2 million for local non-profits agencies. The 2007 non-profit partners are: Art League Houston, Bering Omega Community Service, DiverseWorks Art Space, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Lawndale Art Center, Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA), Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Several Dancers Core, SPARK School Park Program, Spay-Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP), The Orange Show Foundation, Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA), and YMCA of Greater Houston Downtown.
For further information visit www.bayoucityartfestival.com , or call (713) 521-0133.