A familiar face has been chosen to lead the Springfield Area Arts Council. After a nationwide search, the organization has announced Isabella Szabo will take over as executive director on February 1st. Szabo says, “I am dedicated to fostering a vibrant cultural landscape that encourages dialogue, diversity, and meaningful engagement. Through the Arts Council’s spectrum of art disciplines, I aim to inspire creativity; provoke thoughtful conversations; and ultimately contribute to the positive transformation of our community.”
Since 2022, Szabo has been the manager of the University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery. She also is a UIS Art and Artifacts Committee member, an instructor at the Springfield Art Association, and an independent curator. Sheila Walk will step down from the director position at the end of January and use her experience as a language arts teacher to continue managing the Arts Council’s education programs.